Can I deduct the costs of my home office from my taxes?
December 8, 2023 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Anna Richter
Dear Tax Lawyer,
My name is Tobias Sontheimer and due to the current situation, I have been working from home more frequently. Naturally, this has resulted in some additional costs for me, such as purchasing office supplies, furniture, and using internet and telephone services. I am wondering if I can deduct these costs from my taxes.
I am unsure if the current regulations allow for the deduction of home office expenses. Since I work from home regularly, not just occasionally, it would be a financial relief for me if I could at least partially deduct the expenses from my taxes.
The information available to me on this topic as a layman is quite confusing, and I am uncertain about how to include the costs of my home office in my tax return. Therefore, I would like to seek advice from you as an expert in tax law: Are there specific requirements that need to be met in order to deduct the costs of my home office? What documents do I need to provide, and what is the maximum amount I can deduct?
I would greatly appreciate your expertise on this matter so that I can prepare my tax return accurately and in a way that is most beneficial to me.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Tobias Sontheimer
Dear Mr. Sontheimer,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the possibility of deducting costs for your home office from taxes. In the current situation, where many people are increasingly working from home, it is important to know and utilize the tax options related to the home office.
In general, it is possible to deduct costs for the home office for tax purposes. However, there are certain requirements that must be met in order to deduct these costs. Firstly, the home office must be a separate and exclusively used space for professional purposes. This means that this space cannot be used for private purposes in order to deduct the costs for tax purposes.
Furthermore, the costs for the home office must be verifiable and reasonable. This includes expenses such as the purchase of office supplies, office furniture, the use of internet and telephone, as well as the proportional rent or ancillary costs for the room where the home office is located. It is important to keep all expenses and receipts carefully in order to present them in the tax return.
Regarding the amount of deductible expenses, there is a flat rate that you can use if you do not want to keep detailed records of your actual costs for the home office. Currently, this rate is 5 euros per square meter of the home office space, but no more than 1,250 euros per year.
It is advisable to inform yourself carefully about the applicable regulations and requirements for deducting costs for the home office in order to avoid any errors in the tax return. I am happy to assist you with any further questions and provide detailed advice.
I hope this information is helpful to you and wish you success in preparing your tax return.
Best regards,
Anna Richter
Tax lawyer
