Can I still reclaim trade tax retrospectively?
March 19, 2024 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Jens Meier
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Louis Schulze and I have been running a small sole proprietorship in the field of business consulting for several years. In recent years, I have been regularly making trade tax payments without considering whether they were calculated correctly. Now I have heard from a colleague that under certain circumstances, it may be possible to claim back trade taxes that have already been paid.
My concerns are that I may have paid too much trade tax in the past and would like to reduce these financial burdens afterwards. However, since I am not familiar enough with the topic of trade tax, I do not know if and how I can initiate a possible refund.
Could you please explain to me if it is indeed possible to claim back trade taxes that have already been paid? If so, what are the requirements that need to be met and how should I proceed to apply for such a refund? Are there any deadlines that I need to be aware of?
I would greatly appreciate it if you could assist me with this matter, as I would like to have certainty about whether I may have overpaid trade tax and how I can possibly reclaim excess amounts paid.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Louis Schulze
Dear Mr. Schulze,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding trade tax. I am happy to help shed light on the subject and answer your questions.
In general, it is possible to reclaim trade taxes that have already been paid under certain circumstances. This is especially the case when the trade tax was set too high due to incorrect calculations or false information. If it turns out that you have paid too much trade tax in the past, you can request a refund accordingly.
To apply for a refund of overpaid trade tax, certain requirements must be met. First, you should review your trade tax assessments from the past years to determine if there were any calculation errors. If you find any discrepancies, you should act promptly.
To apply for a refund, you usually need to submit an application to your local tax office. In this application, you should clearly explain the reasons for requesting the refund and specify the specific errors that were made in determining the trade tax. It may also be helpful to seek advice from a tax advisor or a specialist in tax law to ensure that your application is correctly and legally formulated.
There are no specific deadlines to adhere to when requesting a refund of overpaid trade tax. However, it is advisable not to wait too long after discovering an error or overpayment, as statute of limitations may apply, limiting your claims.
I hope this information has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions or need assistance with requesting a refund, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Jens Meier, Tax Advisor
