Tax return: deadlines, obligations and sanctions - an overview

Tax return: deadlines, obligations and sanctions - an overview

According to a report by www.t-online.de, taxpayers who are required to file an income tax return must adhere to certain deadlines. If you miss these deadlines, you can expect expensive sanctions from the tax office.

An income tax return is mandatory if, for example, in addition to wages, additional income of more than 410 euros is earned, wage replacement benefits exceeding 410 euros are received, or there is taxable income that has not yet been taxed. The deadline for submitting the tax return for the 2023 calendar year has been postponed to September 2, 2024, unless you seek help from a tax advisor or income tax assistance association.

Anyone who is obliged to submit a tax return must submit the forms to the tax office by September 2, 2024. Anyone who seeks help from a tax advisor has until June 2, 2025. For the years 2020 to 2023, there are also voluntary filing deadlines until December 31, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027.

If taxpayers miss the deadline for submitting their income tax return, they can expect a late payment surcharge of at least 25 euros per month or part thereof. The amount of the surcharge can be up to 0.25 percent of the assessed tax. However, there is an exception: If, according to the tax notice, there is a refund or a tax assessment of 0 euros, the tax office can waive the surcharge.

The deadlines for submitting tax returns are therefore very important, as late submission could result in expensive penalties. It is important to keep an eye on these deadlines and, if necessary, apply for an extension to the tax office if there are valid reasons.