GERMAN TAX RETURNS FOR EXPATS

Moved to Germany? You may have paid too much tax.

Send your German Lohnsteuerbescheinigung(s) and a few details. Your situation will be checked manually and you will receive an email with a preliminary refund estimate and, if worthwhile, information about the next steps.

Get my free tax refund check Why a refund can arise →

Free preliminary checkMultiple tax yearsNo obligationManual professional review

Certified German Tax Advisor (Steuerberater)Specialized support for international employees

SIMPLE FIRST STEPUpload once. Get a personal assessment by email.

No long DIY tax questionnaire and no fee before you know whether your case appears worthwhile.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Your payroll withholding is not necessarily your final German tax.

A refund can be particularly relevant when you started working in Germany during the year, when your spouse joined you later, or when payroll did not reflect your final annual situation.

You can also ask for previous German tax years to be checked, including years before you left Germany.

The first review focuses on payroll, residence, marital status and relevant foreign income. Detailed deductible expenses can be reviewed later and may improve the final result.

Started work during the year

Part-year German employment can create substantial over-withholding.

Your spouse joined Germany later

Joint assessment may produce a very different annual result from tax class I or IV payroll.

Several years to check

Upload all available certificates together, including certificates from different employers and years.

HOW IT WORKS

Three steps. No automated tax result required.

1. Send your documentsUpload all Lohnsteuerbescheinigungen you want reviewed.

2. Your situation is checkedThe initial estimate is prepared manually based on your certificates and answers.

3. Decide after the estimateYou receive the preliminary outcome and fee information by email before deciding whether to proceed.

FREE PRELIMINARY REVIEW

Send your details securely.

You can upload several PDF certificates at once, including different tax years and both spouses.

First and last name *Email address *

When did you move to Germany?If you already left Germany, when?

Marital status

Foreign employment income Anything else I should know?

Upload your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung(s) *PDF only · up to 20 files · max. 12 MB each. Please upload all certificates for the years you want checked, including your spouse's certificates where relevant.

Your tax certificates are stored in a private area and are not attached to ordinary email. The advisor receives secure, expiring links. Files are scheduled for deletion after 7 days. See the Privacy Information for details.

FAQ

Before you submit

Do I need to know how much refund I should receive?

No. The purpose of this first review is to estimate that for you.

Can I upload several tax years at once?

Yes. Upload all available Lohnsteuerbescheinigungen for the years you want checked. Multiple employers and spouse certificates are welcome.

Do I need to list all deductible expenses now?

No. Detailed relocation, commuting, home-office and other expenses are intentionally left for a later stage.

What happens if no material refund appears available?

You can be told that before deciding whether professional tax-return preparation is worthwhile. Some situations may nevertheless involve a legal filing obligation and require separate advice.

The free check is a preliminary assessment based on the information and documents submitted. It is not a tax assessment or binding legal/tax advice. The final tax result is determined by the Finanzamt.