Income tax 2019: Forms, deadlines, tax tips

Know if you’re still eligible to file your 2019 tax return in 2021, how to save on taxes, and what you need to submit taxes.

Voluntary submission of the 2019 tax return

Although the deadline to file your mandatory 2019 tax return (even with tax advice) has already passed, it’s still possible to file a voluntary tax return.

In this guide, we explain how to get back (maximised) refunds from your 2019 voluntary tax return in 2021. Learn relevant facts about income-related expenses, discover easy programmes for filing your annual tax return, and other tips.

You'd rather try out filing than reading? Start the intuitive question-and-answer process now and file the easiest tax return ever. Also, it's free of contractual obligation.

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How long do I have to file my tax return for 2019?

If you have not yet filed your mandatory tax return for 2019, you should do so as soon as possible. The reason for this is that your potential penalty increases with each passing month. However, the tax office will give you more time if you file voluntarily.

Voluntary submission of tax returns for a particular year is possible for 4 successive years.

Deadline for the voluntary 2019 tax return: December 31, 2023.

Why you should file your income tax return for 2019right away:

at Taxfix you can get your tax return calculation without obligation and free of charge. Simply answer the easy to understand questions.
certain relevant tax information is till fresh in your memory. These include income-related expenses (Werbungskosten) special expenses (Sonderausgaben), and donations you’ve made. With time, you risk forgetting tax deductible items.
you have this guide open right now, so you’re reading about filing 2019 taxes as we speak, so why not just get it done now?

Note on 'Income tax return 2019': Colloquially, the income tax return (Einkommensteuererklärung) of employees is also sometimes called 'wage' tax return (Lohnsteuererklärung). Strictly speaking, however, this term does not exist. When filing taxes, regardless of whether you are employees or not, you file the 2019 income tax return by default, not the 2019 wage tax return.

The term 'Lohnsteuer(jahres)ausgleich' or (annual) wage tax compensation is also not something for which employees need to take responsible. The employer takes responsibility for this task if certain criteria are met.

This is how it works

What can are deductible in my 2019 tax return?

Does most of your income come from non-self-employment work? Then, income-related expenses (Werbungskosten) are a key way to save taxes. Income-related expenses pan across various areas and cover work-related expenses for which there is no reimburement. Examples include:

Work equipment (laptop, mobile phone, stationery, etc.)
Technical literature
Daily commute costs
Job-related relocation costs
Business trips and training
Purchase and maintenance of professional clothing

You can also deduct some private expenses from your taxes. For instance, if you’ve hired someone to help you host a wedding at home, you can deduct the services as household-related services or craftsmen’s services:

Cleaning costs
Renovation costs
Caretaker charges

Special expenses or ‘Sonderausgaben’ allow you to list additional private expenses in your 2019 tax return. some of them include:

Health, old-age, or life insurance
Childcare
Church tax
Donations

It’s possible to declare unexpected expenses entailing unpleasant and tragic circumstances that took place in 2019. Extraordinary expenses (außergewöhnliche Belastungen) can include:

Sickness, care, and funeral costs
Construction of universally accessible spaces
Rebuilding after natural disasters
Alimony

Tax changes in 2019 compared to 2018

The 2019 tax year brought simplifications and higher fixed benefits. Here is an excerpt of the changes in tax law for 2019:

Higher child allowance (192 euro more per child) or child benefit
Tax-free Jobticket: use public transport and save money.
Minimum wage for mini-jobbers raised to 9.19 euros per hour

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How do I file a 2019 tax return?

Filing your tax return doesn’t have to be complicated, especially with Taxfix. You’ll probably even have a little fun doing it!

However, you should have a few documents ready so that 2019 tax filing goes smoothly.

Follow this guide and your tax return will be as quick and stress-free as possible.

Perfect start: Important documents for the 2019 tax return

To get started with your tax return, you need certain information. You should have the following documents and records at hand:

Tax identification number (tax ID): This number is used so that the tax office can clearly identify you. You can find it, for example, on your income tax certificate.
Annual pay-slip 2019: Your employer must have sent you this document by the end of February 2020. It includes information on your tax bracket, your church tax status and the number of child allowances.
Bank statements from 2019: You can find all income and expenses in 2019 on your bank statements. You can use many of these as receipts for claiming costs like income-related expenses.

Other useful evidence when filing your 2019 tax return

Apply tax tips and legal tax tricks to your 2019 tax return. Then you can expect a decent tax refund. All you need is receipts – proof of your expenses – and our tips! Because lump sums and tax hacks we know! 🙂

Look for receipts and invoices for these expenses right out of your records:

Income-related expenses (Werbungskosten):

Technical literature
Further training, work conferences and meetings
Work-related relocations
Miscellaneous professional expenses

Special expenses (Sonderausgaben):

Alimony payments
Vocational training
Donation and membership fees

Extraordinary expenses (außergewöhnliche Belastungen):

Expenses for staying at a health resort
Care costs
Replacement costs (in the event of damage caused by natural disasters or fire)

Standard fixed amounts: Tax-deductible without receipts

If you want to get your tax return done as quickly as possible, standard fixed amounts (lump sums) may save you time, as explained in this blog.

Hard to remember? We’ve got you!

Opaque tax jungle? You’re not alone, it’s easy to feel lost. Luckily, Taxfix’s smart and simple tax app asksyou to enter specific expenses and makes it convenient to do so. you can be sure not to forget any of your 2019 tax year expenses when filing your return.

Your tax-return in less than half an hour

Designed with the help of tax experts, the Taxfix app empowers you to reclaim overpaid taxes each year. Simple, fast, secure, ELSTER-certified.

Income Tax 2019: Necessary tax forms

The classic way to file a tax return is through ‘My ELSTER’, the official online programme of the tax office.

It consists of numerous forms. You enter your tax situation and show the tax office what you earn, have spent, etc. There’s a lot of tax jargon (in German) to work through so make sure you keep a couple of hours aside for this task.

For an employee, the following forms of the 2019 tax return are particularly relevant:

Mantelbogen ESt 1 A: Tax form for entering your personal data.
Anlage N for employees: Tax form for your salary and income-related expenses.
Anlage N-AUS: Form for declaring foreign income.
Anlage R: Relevant if you are a pensioner and receive old-age benefits.
Attachment when you have children (for each child separately): Enter the amount you receive as child benefit, child care costs, or apply for a relief amount if you are a single parent.

Perhaps this is already a bit too complex. In general, ELSTER is not known to offer the highest level of user-friendliness. The level of (sometimes irrelevant, depending on your tax case) detail and complex tax terms make the tool unpopular with many people.

Alternatives lie in software solutions as computer downloads, browser programs and smartphone apps. One such app is Taxfix.

Help with filling out the 2019 tax return

Taxfix comes in two forms: as a browser-based tax tool and a mobile smartphone app. The good thing here is that both have identical user interface and constantly cross-synchronise. So, you can switch between the programmes during your tax return without an issue.

Entering your data is very simple: Instead of filling out endless tax forms, you enter your tax data in a simplified question-and-answer process. We only ask you what is relevant to your tax return. No tax jargon.

After you have answered the questions, Taxfix estimates your tax return on the spot and for free.

If you want, we can submit your tax return directly via the ELSTER interface. Find out on the costs page which costs apply for submitting.

Advantages of filing with Taxfix

Simple intuitive questions instead of complicated forms
No tax knowledge necessary
Plausibility check of your data
Estimation of your possible refund
Encrypted transmission of the tax return via ELSTER interface
Available in German and English
Free tax calculation before submitting to the tax office

If you want to submit through Taxfix, we have good news: you can deduct the Taxfix fee from the next year’s tax return as an income-related expense.

Start your 2019 tax now, without obligation and with a free of charge tax refund calculation, from anywhere. Taxfix has everything you need for a correct, simple and fast tax return for 2019.

About Taxfix

Lino Teuteberg and Mathis Büchi founded the fintech startup Taxfix in 2016. Taxfix helps hundreds of thousands of people file their annual tax returns quickly, correctly, and without stress. Experienced tax experts, lawyers, and developers collaborate at Taxfix to demystify taxes and create an intuitive tax-filing app. The goal: simplify tax returns to make refunds accessible to all taxpayers.