Hi, I am going to work for a company in Germany where my details show that i would have to give around 20,000 Euros PA as Income tax. Since I am an Indian by citizen, am I eligible to get back some amount from my tax or once I pay it then its all gone.´Does anyone have such experience in getting back tax returns, what are the steps or cases upon which I can get some back.

You can get part of your Income Tax back when you file the yearly tax report. Use a Tax Consultant(Steuerberater) and you will get something.

Dear Friends,

Here are some important information regarding Tax Returns based on my knowledge and experiences.

Übrige Werbungskosten (Relocation Expenses):
- Special cost for relocation(can be claim w/o Bills) aroung € 1500
- Application cost (Bill needed)
- You can claim only Kitchen Stove (Bills needed). No other furniture as per rule.
- Relocation expenses like travel cost(Taxi, Train or air tickets both in India and Germany), temporary housing for certain period etc. (all this Bills needed, if your employer doesnot pay for you).

Arbeitsstätte
- Travel cost from home to work, if the distance exceeds 20 Kms.

Arbeitsmittel für Heimarbeitsplatz
- 70% of Laptop/Computer (Bill needed)
- 20% of your Internet Bill
- Computer Table and Computer Chair.
- Books and Magazine related to your work.
- German Course, if it is needed for your work.
- Home Office (Proof from employer), then you can claim part of your house rent, electricity, telephone bills, heating cost.


Mehraufwendungen doppelter Haushalt:
Double Housing
- 100% House rent in Germany
- Max. 90 days * € 24
- Air tickets to India to see your family

Außergewöhnliche Belastungen (6% of your gross salary):
- Medical Bills
- Family Support to your parents and wife

Please feel free to update more information on this to know every other members.

Best regards,
Zameer Mohammed

Hi Zameer,
i think u have written full info.
But i dont think that u can claim Airticket to India (to see u r parents)?
have you claimed on this?

Thanks for the info Zameer.. but i m really quite surprised bcoz i didnt get most of these..

i went a week b4 for tax clearance..

for relocation (umzug): i.e from one place to another place if u r changing job.. i didnt get any.. the steuerberater showed me the rule reg relocation cost.. it is mentioned that if someone have some problems with their health.. then they can claim relocation cost.. otherwise not.. they returned my bank statement..

Zameer could u please explain wht that double housing means??

Reg flight ticket to india.. have u claimed it b4.. for me they told that it is my Urlaub ..

coming to medical bills.. he told that if the medical cost is above 2000 € then i can claim that.. otherwise not..

I have a question abt sending money to home country for supporting parents (1920/year n 160/month).. for year 2007 i didnt send money for the first 8 months.. on sept i made it.. i had the money transaction slip of about 2000 €.. i thought i will get a percent of this back.. but it was not so.. he told that finanzamt will calculate only for the last 4 since the first transaction was on sept.. i.e. 160*4=640.. is this correct???

please provide me information..

thank u,
karthik.

Claiming tax on money send to India.Is that possible to claim by showing the transaction slip.I think now they don't accept any such slips or bank statement we need to get some form signed from Indian Authority.
This form is called Unterhaltsbescheinigung and very difficult to get it signed from some authority in India as it contains too many clause.
Did anyone got success with getting this form signed if you are sending money to India to support your family members.

@prasadp

I tried last year, but did not succeed. But i came to know many points regarding unterhaltsbescheinigung.
1. As u told it shud be signed by indian authorities. It is not much difficult if u r parents are *really* retired (dependent).
2. I heard that from 2007 the rule has changed that only parents above 64 or 65 will be eligible as a dependent (My tax berater told me).
3. If the finanzsamt people are not satisfied even if u are eligible for above cases they *may* ask you bank statements that the money you transferred to your parents account are drawn by your parents every month (The primary reason for this tax return is that u r supporting u r parents every month).

All the above points are faced by me last year. It also depends on Tax berater.

@sinu78,
You can claim Air Tickets to India, if your wife is residing in India.

@karthik82
- I have claimed relocation cost, better to go for good lawyer.
- I have claimed my Airtickets to India.
- You can claim medical bills under section which I have specified. I got my returns on that.
- Regarding supporting parents, I already got Tax returns @1920 per supporting person. You have to provide proofs for that.

@prasadp
- Unterhaltsbescheinigung should be signed my MRO Officer in your area.

Hope I have answers your questions.

Can some one please tell me how much tax u get back on the amount of 1920 sent to parents per year. Thanks.

Exg

You earn 10,000 Euros
At 25% Tax, you paid 2500 Euros to the gov

Now with this 1920 Euros it works like this

Taxable income = 10000 - 1920 = 8080

At 25 % Tax you should pay 2020

Tax returns = 2500 - 2020 = 480 Euros

Is this 25% tax only lohnsteur or it includes all other taxes like health insurance, rente versicherung, job insurance etc. What i mean is that overall total tax will be reduced or some specific tax like lohnsteur will be reduced. Thanks.

I am asking so as my salary is over 50k and i am paying around 43 percent including lohnsteur, health and many other insurances. So will it reduce the overall 43 percent tax or only my lohnsteur tax.

It is complicated and i am no Tax Consultant. But as far as i know your Taxable income reduces by the supported amount.