How can I claim my business expenses as an employee for tax purposes?
December 10, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Georg Nitsche
Dear tax advisor,
my name is Phillip Stamm and I work as an employee in a medium-sized company. In recent years, I have incurred a number of work-related expenses that could be claimed as deductible business expenses. These include costs for professional literature, further education, work tools, travel expenses, as well as the use of my personal computer for work purposes.
However, so far I have not included any of these expenses in my tax return because I am unsure of how to correctly and effectively claim them. I am aware that deductible business expenses can reduce my tax burden and potentially lead to a tax refund. Therefore, I would like to know how I can optimally utilize my business expenses as an employee for tax purposes.
My concern is that I may have been giving away money by not including my business expenses in my tax return. I want to make sure that I take advantage of all the tax benefits available to me while acting in a correct and law-abiding manner.
Could you please explain to me which business expenses are recognized as deductible, how I should provide evidence for them, and in what amount I can include them in my tax return? Are there specific forms or proof that I need to submit? What documents should I collect and keep for the upcoming tax return in order to effectively claim my business expenses?
Thank you in advance for your support and expertise.
Sincerely,
Phillip Stamm
Dear Mr. Stamm,
Thank you for your question regarding the tax deductibility of work-related expenses. Business expenses are costs that arise in connection with your work as an employee and can be claimed for tax purposes to reduce your tax burden. It is important that you take advantage of all the tax benefits available to you and act in a correct and lawful manner.
Work-related expenses that can be recognized as business expenses include the costs you mentioned for professional literature, further education, work equipment, travel expenses, and the private use of your computer for work purposes. However, these expenses must be work-related and verifiable. To do this, you should collect and keep receipts such as invoices, receipts, and travel expense reports.
To report your business expenses in your tax return, you must fill out the "Anlage N" form. In this form, you enter your business expenses and submit the corresponding receipts as evidence. Depending on the amount of your business expenses, you can reduce your tax burden and possibly receive a tax refund.
It is important that you collect and keep all relevant documents for the upcoming tax return. In addition to receipts for your work-related expenses, these documents include items such as pay stubs, certificates of paid taxes and insurance contributions, as well as any evidence of extraordinary expenses. By carefully storing these documents, you can ensure that you can claim your business expenses optimally.
I hope that this information has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions, I am happy to assist you. Thank you for your trust and support.
Sincerely,
Georg Nitsche
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