Is a German Tax Return
Worth It For You?
Most employees in Germany aren't required to file — but those who do voluntarily get an average refund of ~€1,100. Enter your situation below for an instant personalised estimate.
Your approximate marginal tax rate
This determines how much each deduction is actually worth. Not sure? Use the gross salary band below as a guide.
~19% (under €25k)
~28% (€25–45k)
~33% (€45–65k)
~38% (€65–90k)
~42% (over €90k)
Commuting (Pendlerpauschale)
€0
0.30€/km for first 20km · 0.38€/km from km 21 onwards · one-way distance only
Home Office (Homeoffice-Pauschale)
€0
€6 per day worked fully from home · max 210 days (€1,260) per year · no separate office room required
Work Equipment (Arbeitsmittel)
€0
Items bought with your own money and used primarily for work. Items under €952 (incl. VAT) can be deducted in full in the year of purchase.
Laptop / computer
Work-only or mixed use (50%+ work qualifies)
€
Desk, chair, monitor, peripherals
Home office furniture used for work
€
Books, software, tools
Fachbücher, subscriptions, professional tools
€
Work clothing (uniform/protective only)
Only specific protective/uniform clothing — not regular business dress
€
Education & Training (Fortbildungskosten)
€0
Work-related courses, seminars, certifications, language classes for work. Includes travel and accommodation costs to attend.
Courses, seminars, certifications
Must be work-related — not hobby or personal development
€
Phone & Internet
€0
20% of your monthly bill (up to €20/month max) is accepted without proof if you use your personal phone/internet for work.
Monthly phone + internet bill
20% will be automatically calculated as work-use deduction
€/mo
Relocation (Umzugskosten)
€0
Did you move to Germany or within Germany for this job? The Umzugspauschale is €964 (2025) without receipts, plus actual removal costs.
I relocated for this job
Moved to Germany or within Germany for the role
Other Deductions
€0
Other common deductions that reduce your tax. These are Sonderausgaben (special expenses) — they reduce your taxable income directly.
Union or professional association fees
Gewerkschaftsbeiträge — 100% deductible as Werbungskosten
€/yr
Charitable donations
Spenden to registered German charities — Sonderausgaben
€/yr
Job application costs
€8.50 per postal application, or actual costs for travel to interviews
€
Employed for only part of the year
Joined mid-year, left a job, or had a gap — tax may have been overpaid
Paid church tax (Kirchensteuer) this year
Kirchensteuer is deductible as a Sonderausgabe