Until when do I have to submit my tax return?

Once again this year, the deadline is 31. May. How this will look like in the future and how you can extend the deadline, you can find out here.

This is what every taxpayer dreads: the preparation of the tax return for income tax. Pore over endless receipts and documents, make copies and enter numbers into cryptic sheets. The preparation of the tax return is really no walk in the park. Rather gray, boring dull work. But it is worthwhile in most cases. Because quite a few employees and other taxpayers get something back from the tax office.

And that’s what everyone wants: Instead of paying to the tax office, you get money back from the state and the net income you can keep increases.

Deadline

But before the freestyle comes the duty, and that is the preparation of the tax return. And as always in Germany, there is also for the submission of the income tax return (ESt.) exact specifications and deadlines. Thus, there are prescribed forms, online procedures (ELSTER) and submission deadlines.

Only those who commission a tax advisor or an income tax assistance association to prepare the tax return for you are in the clear. These two groups still have a little longer to file their tax returns. For all other taxpaying citizens, the deadline is 31.May

Only from next year there is a little more time for all taxpayers. Then the deadline will be postponed to 31. July 2019.

This year, however, it remains with the old deadline. The 2017 income tax return must be filed by 31. May be filed with the appropriate tax office.

How can I still extend this deadline?

There are certainly many reasons why you might not make this deadline. Building a house, moving, staying abroad, missing documents, illness, own laziness – all of these are understandable reasons why the 31. May for the delivery of your tax return is not to be created. Even though you shouldn’t necessarily actually give the tax office all of these reasons.

You can request a deadline extension for the deadline with a request. Of course, you should not necessarily give all the actual reason. Because not all excuses will want to recognize your tax office.

As always, personal contact also helps when dealing with the tax office. Your own agent in the tax office is your contact person, and usually these people are much more sociable than commonly assumed. The contact to the processor is on the last tax notice. By telephone, fax or also by E-Mail this should be attainable.

But in Germany is usually only valid, what was recorded in writing in black and white. That’s why it’s safer if you submit a written request to extend the deadline.

The consequences of procrastination

Anyone who fails to submit a tax return by the deadline and does not apply for an extension will usually receive a reminder letter a few days or weeks later, depending on how busy the tax office responsible is at the time. In this notice, the taxpayer is requested to submit the tax return by a final deadline set by the tax official.

If this deadline is not met, the tax office will estimate the income and issue a tax assessment. With this tax assessment, the taxpayer will usually be worse off, because special expenses and higher income-related expenses are not taken into account. In addition, the tax office can impose a late payment penalty on the taxpayer for the delay.

You now have 4 weeks to file an appeal against this tax notice. If you do not do this, the tax is fixed after the 4 weeks have passed. Later changes are then usually no longer possible.

It is better not to let it come to this, and submit the tax return on time or apply for an extension of the deadline. Then you are definitely on the safe side and save yourself trouble and additional costs.