What documents do I need to create my income tax return?
February 1, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Andreas Stricker
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Eva Niemeyer and I urgently need help with preparing my income tax return. I am an employee in a medium-sized company and have never done my tax return myself before. I am unsure about which documents I need and how to proceed.
In my case, last year I received a one-time bonus payment in addition to my regular salary. I also attended some job-related training courses and would like to know if I can claim these expenses on my taxes. Additionally, I have some work-related expenses, such as commuting to work or work materials, that I would like to include in my tax return.
My concern is that I might forget important documents and therefore miss out on potential tax benefits. Therefore, it would be very helpful for me to receive a detailed list of the required documents in order to correctly and completely fill out my tax return.
Could you please let me know which documents I need for preparing my income tax return and if there are any specific forms or proofs that I need to submit? Are there also any deadlines that I should be aware of?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Eva Niemeyer
Dear Mrs. Niemeyer,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the preparation of your income tax return. I would be happy to help you gather the necessary documents and explain how to proceed.
For the preparation of your income tax return, you will generally need the following documents:
- Your ID card or passport
- Your tax identification number
- Your wage tax certificates from your employer(s)
- Evidence of your bonus payments and any special payments
- Receipts or invoices for work-related further education
- Proof of your business expenses such as commuting to work, work equipment, etc.
- Certificates of your health and long-term care insurance contributions
- Receipts for donations or other tax-deductible expenses
- Other income such as rental income or capital gains
It may also be helpful to inform yourself in advance about possible tax benefits or deductions to ensure you do not miss out on any advantages. In your case, for example, you could claim work-related further education as business expenses if they were work-related. Your business expenses such as commuting to work or work equipment can also be considered for tax relief.
For submitting your income tax return, you will generally need the attachment N (for employees) and possibly additional attachments depending on your personal situation. You can either fill out these forms online and submit them electronically or submit them in paper form at your local tax office.
It is important to adhere to the deadlines for submitting your tax return. Generally, the income tax return must be submitted to the tax office by July 31 of the following year. If the tax return is done by a tax advisor, the deadline is usually extended to February 28 of the year after next.
I hope this information helps you with the preparation of your income tax return. If you have any further questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Andreas Stricker
Tax Advisor
