Checklist for your annual tax return
Receipts and records to be submitted to the German IRS (if applicable)

To fill out the form please download the Checklist-tax-data.pdf (1.2 MB).

I. General

• Bank details
• Forms of tax assessment
• Advance tax payments
• Religous denomination
• Changes in marital status
• Tax number and personal ID No.
• Last tax statement
• Splitting or basic rate, etc.

II. Employment, wage replacement benefits and income-related costs

• Annual electronic income tax statement(s)
  
• Severance pay
  
• Partial retirement
  
• Records of wage replacement benefits, such as unemployment benefits (ALG I), short-time work, insolvency benefits, sick pay, etc.
  
• Records of other work-related expenses
• Records of periods without employment
  
• Foreign income
  
• Professional associations
  
• Work equipment
  
• Specialist literature
  
• Business trips
  
• Work errands
  
• Business travel
  
• Job applications
  
• Tax counseling
  
• Computer equipment
  
• Maintenance of two households
  
• Continuing education
• Capital investment benefit records for a savings bonus
  
• Determining the distance to the workplace, etc.

III. Insurance, special expenses, pension expenses

• Life insurance
  
• Private annuity / social insurance
  
• Accident insurance
  
• Private health insurance
  
• Private long-term care insurance
  
• Private liability insurance
  
• Car insurance
  
• Pet owner liability insurance
  
• Other insurance
  
• Matrimonial maintenance
  
• Annual certificates of savings for Riester and Rürup pensions
  
• Tuition fees, vocational training fees, etc.
  

IV. Donations

• For non-profit or charitable organizations and political parties
  – please include donation receipts and proof of payment –

V. Extraordinary expenses

• Proof of a physical disability
  
• Support for indigent persons
  
• Employment of domestic help
  
• Lawyer and court costs
  
• Own expenditures for medical care
  
• Medical expenses, medicine, optician, convalescent care, care services
  
• Household and maintenance services, moving costs, etc.
  – Please include invoices and proof of payment – e.g. the service charge bill of the landlord
  

VI. Children

• Birth certificate
  
• Education and training certificates
  
• Personal income of the child
  
• Childcare and school fees
  – Please include invoices and proof of payment –
  

VII. Pension and retirement income

• Recent pension records, effective date of pensions

VIII. Capital assets, income from rent and lease

• Business comparison of revenue and expenditure
  
• Annual tax statements of financial institutions, etc.
  
• Interest credit, etc.
  
• Revenue and expenditure records for rented apartments or houses