Dear All,
I came to Germany with my wife + 6 month-old (now 1 year-old) last year June. I am working from June 2016 under tax class I. My wife is not working. Unfortunatly I did not change the tax class to III. If I inform the burgeramt will they return the balance money, which I would get if I was in class III? what is the process?Or do I need to inform during the tax declaration? I have not yet applied for kindergeld.
Please help me in these 3 process (tax class change, tax declaration, kindergeld)!
Thanks and regards,Raji.

Hi,

you have to visit your local finance office (Finanzamt). Take your marriage certificate and your childs birth certificate. They will change your tax class and the new tax class III will automatically appear in the system of your accounting office, outsourced or at employer, and you will see it on your next salary slip.

To get back the overpaid taxes you have to make a salary tax declaration (Lohnsteuerjahresausgleich).  Google 'lohnsteuerjahresausgleich hilfe' and find  some help for this in your area.

Good luck
Detlef

Dear Detlef,
So from your message I hope that the over paid taxes (tax class III and kindergeld) can only be obtained by filing Lohnsteuerjahresausgleich and not from tax declaration? I googled Lohnsteuerjahresausgleich and got to know that it can only be applied with the help of employer?
Best regards, raji.

Hi Raji,

I recommend to visit your local Finanzamt and speak to your case worker. Ask all your questions, they are obligated to inform you and they do not bite ;-

This is the safest way and sometimes one is lucky and gets an individual solution.

Good luck
Detlef

Hello,
I am writing this message becuase it might be helpful to others.
I got my full kindergeld (from the date, which I recevied our blue card till this month). It seems one can get up to 4 years retroactively. The usual forms need to be submited to familienkasse. But from Jan 2018 the retoractive period is only 6 months.
Regards, Raj