Checklist for your Tax Return
Extraordinary expenses
- Severe disability ID [Schwerbeschädigten-Ausweis]
- Medical expenses
- Divorce expenses
- Funeral expenses
- Maintenance of needy relatives / certificate of need [Bedürftigkeitsbescheinigung], proof of income of the person supported (Formulare).
- Care for needy relatives
Income
- Electronic payroll tax certificate(s) – and, if necessary, special payroll tax certificate(s)
- VL annex for capital-forming payments [vermögensbildende Leistungen]
- Sick pay / temporary allowance (certificate of health insurer or underwriter)
- Unemployment benefit (benefit certificate of job center – notice of revocation [Aufhebungsbescheid] or provisional notice [Zwischenbescheid], not notice of approval [Bewilligungsbescheid] or notice of amendment [Änderungsbescheid])
- Severance pay, severance pay agreement and proof of payment
- Complete notice of pension award (for first-time pension payment)
- Pension adjustment notice
- Original tax certificates and interest certificates
- Rental income
Children over 18 years of age
- Training contract, institution/course enrolment documentation
- Electronic payroll tax certificate(s) – and, if necessary, special payroll tax certificate(s)
- Bafög [German Education Support Act] notices (for 1st and 2nd half-year!)
- Benefit award / benefit adjustment notice – concerning receipt of half-orphan benefit
- Unemployment benefit and, if necessary, registration with job center to find trainee positions
- Proof of military / civilian service
Special expenses
- Party contributions and donations (trade union contributions are income-related expenses)
- Training expenses for a job that is not practiced (studies, advanced training)
- Insurance
- Operating expenses invoice from your lessor (the one you have most recently received)
- Proof of the performance of tradesman services in your place of residence
- Riester retirement plan: certificate pursuant to § 10a ESTG [German Income Tax Act] or § 92 ESTG and your social security number
Income-related expenses
- Work resources (including, among other things, work-related PC use and office equipment)
- Journeys from home to the workplace (km – one-way journey)
- Proof of multiple-location employment and travel
- Company car: proof of operating expenses (only for logbook method)
- Work-related journeys (employer’s certificate, details of reimbursement by the employer)
- Trade union contributions
- Work clothing (make sure that the invoice is correctly made out)
- Work-related literature (please give title(s))
- Second home [doppelte Haushaltsführung] expenses (rental agreement, rental expenses, number of journeys, distance)
- Telephone expenses (employer’s certificate, original invoices)
- Job application expenses (with letters of rejection from the relevant companies!)
- Legal expenses insurance with professional cover
- Accident insurance