How can I claim advertising costs in my income tax return?
January 3, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Andreas Stricker
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Ludwig Reuter and I have a question regarding my income tax return. I am an employee in a company and I incurred some work-related expenses last year that I would like to claim as deductions in my tax return. For example, I have incurred travel expenses for commuting to work, training costs, and work equipment such as a laptop or professional literature.
However, I am unsure about how to accurately report these deductions in my tax return and what documents I need to provide. I want to make sure that I can take advantage of all possible tax benefits and avoid making any errors in reporting my work-related expenses.
Could you please explain to me how I can correctly report these deductions in my income tax return? What documents do I need to submit and are there any specific limits or restrictions that I need to be aware of? Are there also other ways to reduce my tax burden, such as considering special expenses or extraordinary burdens?
I would greatly appreciate your help in optimizing my tax return and providing me with tips on how to best claim my work-related expenses.
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Sincerely,
Ludwig Reuter
Dear Mr. Reuter,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding deductible expenses in your income tax return. I am happy to explain to you how to correctly report these expenses and what documentation you will need.
Deductible expenses are costs related to your professional activities that are necessary to earn, secure, and maintain your income. Deductible expenses include, among others, commuting expenses, training costs, work tools such as laptops or professional literature, as well as job application costs or work clothing expenses. You can claim these expenses as deductions in your tax return to reduce your tax burden.
To report deductible expenses in your tax return, you will need supporting documentation that proves the expenses incurred. This includes receipts, invoices, travel expense statements, or bank statements. It is important that the documentation includes all necessary information, such as the recipient's name, date, amount, and description of the service.
There are no fixed limits for deductible expenses, but the expenses must be actually incurred for work purposes and be reasonable. It is important to only report actual expenses and not fictitious ones, as this could lead to issues with the tax authorities.
In addition to deductible expenses, you can also claim special expenses and extraordinary burdens in your tax return to further reduce your tax burden. Special expenses can include contributions to health and long-term care insurance, donations, or church tax, while extraordinary burdens may include medical expenses or alimony payments.
It is advisable to carefully collect all relevant documentation and consider them when preparing your tax return to ensure that you can take advantage of all possible tax benefits. If you have any doubts or further questions, I am happy to assist you.
I hope this information is helpful to you and wish you success in optimizing your tax return.
Best regards,
Andreas Stricker.
