Can I deduct travel expenses from my taxes as an employee?
September 29, 2022 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Elvira Klinger
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Erik Netz and I work as an employee in a company that is unfortunately located a bit outside of my place of residence. Therefore, I commute to work and back every day by car. I have heard that there is the possibility to deduct travel expenses from taxes.
My monthly expenses for gas and wear and tear of the car are significant, and I am wondering if I can claim these costs on my taxes. However, I have never done anything like this before and I am unsure if it is even possible.
I am worried that I may be giving away money that I am entitled to if I do not deduct the travel expenses. At the same time, I do not want to make any mistakes and avoid unpleasant consequences from filing a wrong tax return.
Can you please explain to me if and under what conditions I, as an employee, can deduct travel expenses from taxes? Are there specific requirements that I need to meet in order to claim these costs? And how exactly should I proceed?
I would be very grateful if you could assist me with this matter to improve my understanding and ensure that I fill out my tax return correctly.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Erik Netz
Dear Mr. Netz,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the possibility of deducting travel expenses from taxes. As a tax consultant, I am happy to assist you and explain under which conditions you, as an employee, can claim travel expenses.
In general, employees can declare their travel expenses to work as business expenses in their tax return in order to reduce their tax burden. However, there are some requirements that must be met. Firstly, the travel expenses must be work-related, meaning that you actually have to travel to work to perform your job.
Furthermore, you must be able to prove that the travel expenses were actually incurred. This can be done, for example, by providing fuel receipts or repair invoices for your car. It is also important to have a plausible justification for the necessity of the trips, for example because your workplace is further away than usual or because you cannot use public transportation.
The amount of deductible travel expenses depends on the distance between your place of residence and your workplace. For each kilometer you travel to work, you can claim a specific flat rate of currently 0.30 euros per kilometer. It does not matter whether you are traveling by car, bike, or public transportation.
To deduct travel expenses from taxes, you must include them in your tax return under the "business expenses" section. You must fill out a form in which you list and provide evidence of the expenses incurred in detail. It is important to keep all necessary receipts carefully and be able to present them in case of an audit by the tax office.
I hope that I could assist you with this information and I am available for any further questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if needed.
Best regards,
Elvira Klinger
