Tax Assessment Notice
Those who filed their tax returns receive a tax assessment notice (Steuerbescheid) from the tax office (Finanzamt) about six to eight weeks after submitting thier tax return (this can vary based on deadlines and workloads). This notice informs the taxpayer how much their tax refund will be or if they are required to make an additional tax payment.
Statistically, one in every 5 to 7 tax assessment notices contains an error - carefully reviewing your tax assessment notice could save you money. Within a month of receiving your notice, you are permitted to make an appeal. To do this, you can simply write an informal letter to the tax office stating that you’d like to make an appeal.
Here are some articles that cover important information concerning tax assessment notices:
- Incorrect tax assessment notice: Reading the tax office’s comments will let you know which expenses were recognized and which weren’t
- The structure of a tax assessment notice: Provisional notice, tax liabilits, personal data, comments
- Reading your tax assessment notice correctly: How to decipher bureaucratic German
- Additional tax payment: Checking the “Feststellung” (assessment) section on your notice determines why/if you have to make an additional payment
- Reasons for an additional payment: If there was incorrect information, certain expenses weren’t recognized, a lump sum wasn’t observed, etc.
- Informal request for an amendment: If a small correction needs to be made to your tax assessment notice, you can submit an informal request (formloser Antrag)
- Making an appeal: If certain expenses weren’t observerd, data was reported incorrectly, the tax office miscalculated, rulings weren’t taken into account, etc.
After your tax return: tax back, or tax back payment?
How do I file an appeal against the tax notice? (Einspruch gegen Steuerbescheid einlegen)
When will I get my tax refund from the tax office? (Steuerrückzahlung)
How to read your tax assessment notice (Steuerbescheid Aufbau)
What should I do if there are errors on my tax notice? (fehlerhafter Steuerbescheid)
How to Read Your Tax Assessment Notice (Steuerbescheid)
