Hello,
I got this letter from the Finazamt to file the tax returns for 2023 or I will be fined.I have only requested for a tax return for 2021 long back and never bothered to submit returns since because I am an International student and don't work often.
Is this normal, what should I submit?

by Devaj201

16 comments

  1. You have to file a statement for income tax. You have to do it or write them that you have no income, if you have no income.

  3. If you don’t pay, they will break into your house and take everything

  5. Yeah go to the website they stated and do your taxes. Are you private or employee?

  8. Quick Life-Hack for living in Germany:

    Treat all letters from the ‘Finanzamt’ with the utmost priority. If you have no clue what they’re about, call them. They will help you.

    But they are required by law to fine you (possibly twice: Säumniszuschlag/Zinsen), and these can accumulate really fast. You have effectively no chance of getting out of that, and they will seize your money and assets if you don’t cooperate.

  9. >have only requested for a tax return for 2021 long back and never bothered to submit returns since

    You do it once and then you’re required to keep doing it 😛

  10. There could be some dues which you haven’t paid, did you do over work , did you earn more than 12k € per year somehow?

  12. It’s not a tax return, it is a tax declaration. It is even on the Finanzamts English site wrongly worded. As soon as you declared taxes the first time in Germany and you still live within its borders as a legal resident you are on the hook for filing each year. If you don’t have anything to declare, you declare basically in your tax declaration ‘nothing to declare’ by putting in zeros in income etc. Best to recheck with them.

  13. Someone who worked for the Finanzamt here:

    This letter means they have reason to assume you are obligated to make your taxes for 2023 for whatever reason. They gave you a deadlinee until 17.03.2025 to file your taxes, or they will set a penalty payment of 200€.

    If you miss that deadline you will recieve another letter with the 200€ penalty payment.
    If you STILL dont react, they will start over again. New announcement of a penalty payment, new setting of a penalty payment. Probably with a higher amount that time. Repeat until you finally hand in your tax declaration.

    Handing in your declaration will halt this entire process immidiatly. The entire point is to get you to make your taxes afterall.

  14. Ask them why they want you to do it.

    As a German, once you have submitted a voluntary tax return as a taxpayer, you are not automatically obliged to do so in future. You can decide each year whether or not to submit the tax return to the tax office.

    Maybe it’s different for you because of your status?

  15. Hi, I got the exact same letter a few months back. Been working here for over 10 years (same job, below average income) and I could have sworn doing my taxes used to be optional, so I called them to ask what the deal is. The guy was very chill and basically said “don’t worry, these get sent out by a silly machine”. He just asked if there was anything unusual about my employment / income during that year, and when I said no, he changed my case to ‘resolved’ right away. Never ever ignore the Finanzamt, but they are as serious about helping you as they are scaring you. 🙂

  16. Most Finanzamts have open office hours (Sprechstunde). Go in person & chat with them to find out what you need to do.
    They are typically very nice.

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