Income tax return 2019: forms, deadlines, tips

While the deadline for the mandatory 2019 tax return (also with tax advice) has already expired, now is the perfect time for the voluntary submission. But beware: it is only possible this year.

Get your 2019 tax back by filing voluntarily. In this guide, we explain how this works in 2023 and how you can maximize the refund. Find out the most important things about advertising expenses, simple programs for your tax return and other tips.  

If you  have not yet submitted your mandatory tax return for 2019, you should do so as soon as possible.  Reason: yours will increase with each additional month that has started potential late fee (German). However, the tax office grants more time if you submit voluntarily.

The tax office allows voluntarily handing in for 4 years.

Deadline for the 2019 tax return (voluntary submission): December 31, 2023

Why you should submit the income tax return (ESt. 2019) right away:

• With Taxfix you can see how much you can get back without obligation and free of charge . Simply answer the understandable questions
• now you know best how much money you had for advertising costs and special expenses, how it was with the trips and what donations you made. So the risk of forgetting something is small. 
• you have this guide open right now, so you are dealing with the topic at this moment - so why not just do it now?

Your income comes mostly from non-self-employed work ? Then income-related expenses are a central means of saving taxes. The advertising expenses  (German) are divided into many different areas - which is why you certainly have such expenses that are incurred for the work, but which the employer does not reimburse.  Examples of this can be:

• Work equipment (e.g. computer, smartphone, writing pads)
• technical literature
• expenses for commuting
• Relocation costs for a job-related change of location
• Business trips and training
• Professional insurance (e.g. professional liability insurance) and more...

You can also deduct private expenses. Work that you have done in the house can, for example, reduce your tax burden in the tax return. You set them as  household services  (German) or handyman services (German) away:

• cleaning costs
• renovation costs
• janitorial services

among the special editions  (German) in your 2019 income tax return, there may also be a place for these additional private expenses :  

• Health, pension or life insurance
• childcare costs
• church tax
• Donate

Unpleasant and tragic circumstances that occurred in 2019 can be considered in the tax return.  

• Illness, care and funeral expenses
• Disabled conversion
• Reconstruction after natural disasters
• maintenance services

Your income comes mostly from non-self-employed work ? Then income-related expenses are a central means of saving taxes. The advertising expenses  (German) are divided into many different areas - which is why you certainly have such expenses that are incurred for the work, but which the employer does not reimburse.  Examples of this can be:
Exceptional costs  (German) can be for example:

The 2019 tax year is characterized by simplifications and higher flat rates . Here is an excerpt of the changes in tax law for 2019:  

• higher child allowance (192 euros more per child) or child benefit! More information is available here (German)
• Tax-free job ticket: drive and save on public transport. All information (German)
• Minimum wage for mini-jobbers: 9.19 euros per hour, which can also have tax consequences.

The tax return doesn't have to be complicated - especially with Taxfix you probably even have a little fun doing it! 

In any case, you should have a few documents ready so that you can fill out the 2019 tax return without any problems. 

Follow this guide and get your tax return as relaxed as possible.

Perfect start: the most important documents

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

• Tax identification number (Tax ID) : This number is used by the tax office to uniquely identify you. You can find it on your income tax statement, for example.
• Income tax certificate 2019 : You should have received this document from your employer by the end of February 2020. It includes, among other things, information about your tax class, your church tax characteristics and the number of child allowances.
• Account statements from 2019 : On your account statements, you will find all income and expenses in 2019. You can use these as receipts for expenses, e.g. for advertising costs.

Refund with the tax return for 2019: other useful supporting documents

Use tax tips and legal tax tricks for 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 we know flat rates and tax hacks! 🙂   

Find receipts and invoices for these expenses right from your documents: 

Advertising costs :

• textbooks
• Further training, work conferences and meetings
• Moves you have made because of work
• Other income-related expenses and how to deduct them (German)

Special Editions : 

• maintenance services
• vocational training
• Donations and membership fees 
• and more... All special expenses (German)

Exceptional loads

• Expenses for a spa stay
• care costs
• Replacement costs (for damage caused by natural disasters or fire)
• even more cases and possible flat rates (German)

Flat rates: add up stress-free instead of receipts

If you get the tax return over with as quickly as possible, you may save time with lump sums. Our Overview of allowances and flat rates (German) gives you information about tax options. You will also receive in our 12 legal tax tricks (German) even more inspiration for tax savings!  

Difficult to remember? We remember you!

Opaque tax jungle? It can actually seem that way sometimes... Fortunately, Taxfix's clever and simple tax app asks you about your expenses, and you enter them conveniently - so you certainly don't forget any of your costs for the tax year 2019. 

The classic way to submit a tax return is via the official online program of the tax office, "Mein ELSTER". 

There you enter your tax situation in extensive forms and show the tax office what you earn, what you have spent etc.  

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

• Form ESt 1 A (formerly "Mantelbogen" : For your personal, personal data
• Appendix N for employees: space for wages and income-related expenses
• Annex N-AUS : foreign income
• Appendix R : for retired people, i.e. pensioners (German)
• Appendix child  (for each child individually): intended for the amount of your entitlement to child benefit, for childcare costs or possible relief amounts 

Maybe that's a bit too complex for you - and in general, ELSTER is probably not the tool with the highest user-friendliness. Due to the level of detail and sometimes complex tax terms, the tool is unpopular with many . 

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

Help filling out the 2019 tax return

Taxfix comes in two forms – as a browser-based tax tool and as a mobile smartphone app. The good thing about this: Both have an identical structure and are constantly synchronized. You can switch between the programs during your tax return.  

Entering your data is very easy: Instead of endless forms, you enter your tax situation playfully using the question-and-answer procedure. In understandable German, we only ask you what is relevant to you.   

After you have answered the questions, Taxfix directly estimates your expected tax result and it's still completely free .  

If you submit your tax return with Taxfix, we charge a fee for the transmission via the secure Elster interface. On the side of Taxfix costs  you can find the current prices.

Intuitive question and answer process instead of complex forms

• Works even without tax knowledge
• Plausibility check of your information
• Expected tax result can be viewed without obligation
• Encrypted transmission of the tax return via the ELSTER interface
• English use possible
• Free calculation before submission to the tax office
• Or use it expert service and have your tax return prepared by independent tax consultants

By the way, you can claim the costs for Taxfix in the tax return in the year of payment.

Start your tax 2019 so now - without obligation and free of charge, from anywhere.
And be sure that Taxfix has everything you need for your correct, simple and quick tax return for 2019.