Hi

         Last year 23rd November my spouse came to germany first time.  For the registration in Germany it took little longer than we expected.

I applied for tax class change which is in December.

They change tax class I to III but it is effective from first of January.

Will i be able to get the tax benefit for the last year when i apply for tax returns?  

Thanks in advance for the help.

Thanks & Regards,
Nagi

When did apply at Finanzamt for a change in Tax Class. If you have applied on or before 15th December you should have got the tax class change effective from 1.Dec. But if you have applied after 15th, the tax class change will be effective from the next month i.e Jan.
PS: I am not an expert o nthis topic,just my expereicen with Tax class change in 2010.
 -coolguy

While filing your tax return mention your date of marriage. For example if it was June last year then from June till December they will reimburse the difference. That means if you save say € 400 per month due to change in your tax class then you will be returerned €400 * 6 months. So it does not matter when your steuerklasse was changed but when it would have change in your marital status. They know it that you can not change your tax-class until your wife was in Germany.

@tonygill:

tax class will change only when the spouse is registered in germany. Here the date of joining and registering in Germany counts and not the date of marriage.

If OP is married in june and if his wife has come to germany in Dec and registerd after 15.Dec the tax class change will be effective from Jan.

Although the Op can claim the family maintainence from the time of marriage to her joining in Germany.

-coolguy

Hi,

       Thank you all for the information. I got married in May. My spouse came here on 23rd Nov.  We registered here in 1st week of December. I guess i need to some work with tax consultant regarding this.
 
Thanks & Regards,
Nagi

Hello Nagi,

did you get the tax return for for whole year or only of dec?