Which advertising expenses can I claim in my income tax return?
December 20, 2022 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Andreas Stricker
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Ingo Kuhn and I work as a self-employed graphic designer. For my work, I regularly need a powerful computer, specialized software, and various materials such as paper, colors, and pens. Additionally, I have also attended some further education courses to expand my expertise and stay up to date.
In the past, I have already claimed some business expenses in my income tax return, such as the costs for my home office, professional literature, and training courses. However, I am unsure if there are any other business expenses that I can deduct which I may have overlooked.
My concern is that I may be missing out on financial benefits by not considering all relevant business expenses in my income tax return. Therefore, I would like to ask you what business expenses I can still claim as a self-employed graphic designer and how to correctly report them in my tax return. Are there perhaps any new regulations or changes in tax law that I should be aware of?
I greatly appreciate your support and thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Ingo Kuhn
Dear Ingo Kuhn,
Thank you for your question and your interest in my online consultation. As a self-employed graphic designer, you do have the opportunity to claim a variety of business expenses in your income tax return to reduce your tax burden. In addition to the costs you have already mentioned for your home office, professional literature, and further education, there are other expenses that you can deduct as business expenses.
Possible business expenses include the costs of purchasing and repairing work equipment such as computers, software, printers, and office furniture. The costs of materials such as paper, colors, pens, and other consumables can also be claimed as business expenses. Furthermore, you can also deduct the costs of your internet and telephone connection, as well as the costs of professional journals and literature.
You can also declare travel expenses related to your professional activities as business expenses. This includes, for example, transportation costs to clients, suppliers, or further education events. Overnight and meal expenses can also be deducted as business expenses under certain conditions.
It is important that you carefully document all your expenses and keep receipts to be able to prove them to the tax office if needed. In your tax return, you can then indicate the business expenses in the appropriate form, in annex N, under the respective categories.
Regarding possible changes in tax law, it is advisable to regularly stay informed about current developments. There may be new regulations or changes in the law that could affect your tax situation. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a tax advisor or a tax expert to ensure that you consider all relevant business expenses in your tax return.
I hope that this information is helpful to you and that it helps you not to miss out on any financial benefits in your income tax return. If you have any further questions or need assistance, I am happy to help.
Best regards,
Andreas Stricker
