What documents do I need for the income tax return?
June 1, 2023 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Tatiana Herrmann
Dear Tax Advisor,
My name is Jens Hentschel and I am facing the challenge of submitting my income tax return for the past year. Unfortunately, I do not have much experience with this topic and feel a bit overwhelmed. That is why I am reaching out to you to find out which documents I need for the income tax return.
Here is the situation: I am employed in a medium-sized company and receive my salary monthly. Additionally, I have income from a side job as a freelance IT consultant. Furthermore, I incurred some work-related expenses and special costs last year, for which I would like to claim tax benefits. However, I lack experience in knowing which receipts and documents I need for this.
My concern is that I might forget important documents and therefore miss out on tax benefits or even have to make additional payments. Therefore, it is important to me to submit my income tax return as completely and correctly as possible.
My question to you is: What specific documents do I need for the income tax return to correctly report my income, expenses, and tax deductions? Are there certain receipts that I should definitely have on hand to maximize tax benefits? I am grateful for any support and guidance.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Jens Hentschel
Dear Mr. Hentschel,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the necessary documents for your income tax return. It is understandable that you may feel uncertain about this matter, especially if you have little experience with it. I am happy to assist you and will now explain in detail which documents you will need for your income tax return.
First and foremost, it is important that you have all relevant documents related to your income. This includes your pay slips from your main job as well as all receipts for your income from freelance work as an IT consultant. These should cover all earnings and fees from this side job.
Furthermore, your expenses in the form of business expenses and special expenses are of great importance. Business expenses may include travel costs, work equipment, training courses, and job-related insurances. You should collect all relevant receipts such as fuel receipts, invoices for work materials, or certificates for training courses.
For special expenses, documents such as insurance contributions, donation receipts, contributions to retirement savings, and medical expenses are particularly relevant. These should also be kept complete and accurate in order to claim them in your tax return.
You should also keep receipts for other tax-relevant expenses such as childcare costs, household services, or craftsman services. These can also be claimed as tax deductions.
Additionally, you should have documents on potential income from capital assets, rental income, or other sources of income ready to accurately report them in your tax return.
Overall, it is important that you carefully store and organize all relevant receipts and documents to ensure a smooth process when preparing your income tax return. If you are unsure whether you have all the necessary documents, feel free to contact me and I will be happy to assist you.
I hope these information have been helpful to you. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Tatiana Herrmann
