June 24, 2023, 12:28 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
Filing taxes is a necessary evil that many can’t avoid. However, there are now several apps that allow you to complete this task relatively quickly and easily. TECHBOOK explains what the most well-known tax apps can do.
Elster was supposed to make filing taxes significantly easier. However, many taxpayers find it difficult to warm up to the official software from the tax administration. It’s too complicated, confusing, and especially not very useful on a smartphone. Additionally, there’s no help available for problems, so you might end up needing a tax advisor after all. Apps like Steuerbot and Taxfix promise to guide users through the tax jungle. But how well does this work in practice, and can tax apps really replace a tax advisor?
Overview
Deadline for Submitting the Income Tax Return
This year, the income tax return for 2022 is due. Those who file their taxes on their own can submit them to the tax office by October 2, 2023. This year’s deadline is slightly shorter than last year’s, which ended on October 31, 2022. However, those who get help from a wage tax assistance association or a tax advisor can take until July 31, 2024 to submit their return.
By the way, those who seek advice for their tax return can still submit it for 2021 this year. The deadline for this is August 31, 2023.
After submitting the income tax return, the tax offices get to work. How long they take to process it depends heavily on the state, according to the German Taxpayers Association in a recent analysis. Generally, it seems that processing times are a bit longer this year. On average, applicants have to wait 4 to 16 days longer for their tax assessment than last year. One reason is the many property tax returns that have been processed alongside income tax returns since July 2022. According to the analysis, tax offices in Berlin are once again the fastest at processing, followed by Hamburg, then Saxony, Bavaria, Thuringia, and Rhineland-Palatinate. On average, taxpayers in Brandenburg and Bremen have to wait the longest.
The majority of Germans now have to submit their tax returns digitally. Exceptions are rare and apply only to employees, retirees, and pensioners who have no other taxable income. For this reason, tax programs have increasingly come into focus in recent years. Through “Mein Elster,” the income tax return can be electronically and freely submitted to the tax office. However, the platform is not particularly user-friendly, which is why many users now turn to alternative programs or tax apps. It’s good to know that these also rely on Elster, transmitting data in the background via the tax administration’s software. Below, we present four recommended tax apps.
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Taxfix
“Taxfix” is one of the most well-known tax apps with an intuitive user interface. You don’t have to fill out form fields; instead, you go through a predetermined list of questions. A major advantage of “Taxfix” is that you can also complete your tax return via PC or notebook, as the service works equally well in a web browser.
In the free mode, you can already calculate the expected tax refund, with fees only incurred upon submission. These are 39.99 euros for singles and 59.99 euros for married couples and registered partnerships. This is undoubtedly cheaper than a local tax advisor. However, whether the tax savings are the same depends on the specific case. Additionally, self-employed individuals or freelancers are currently excluded from “Taxfix,” according to the homepage.
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Steuerbot
Similar to “Taxfix,” “Steuerbot” uses a playful chat mode to gather all the necessary information for preparing the tax return. The transmission of all data to the tax office is then done via the standardized Elster interface. Here, too, there is a free preliminary calculation of the expected tax refund.
For additional questions, a support team of tax experts is available, responding within 24 hours. An advantage over “Taxfix”: If the refund is less than 100 euros, usage is free, provided there is no obligation to file a tax return. All other users pay 29.95 euros per tax return, with a ten-euro discount for short-time workers.
WISO Steuer
Buhl Data Service has long been known for its “WISO” tax software. In comparisons, such as with Finanztest, the program has been quite convincing in the past. A major plus compared to other apps is that “WISO Steuer” runs not only on Android and iOS smartphones but also on PC, Mac, and in the browser. Unlike the competition, self-employed individuals can explicitly prepare their tax returns with WISO.
The app is also suitable for investors, property owners, or retirees. In the standard version, WISO Steuer costs 34.95 euros per tax year, allowing up to five returns to be filed. Starting at 134.95 euros, there is also a “Profi-Check” option, which allows you to have your tax return professionally reviewed.
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Kontist Tax Service
A very interesting alternative to the previously mentioned tax apps is “Kontist.” The app is primarily known as a bank account for freelancers. However, the Berlin-based company has also been offering a personal tax service for freelancers for some time, which can be booked in addition to the checking account in the “Kontist” app. There is a significant difference from all previously mentioned offerings: You don’t have to fill out the tax return yourself; this is done by tax advisors specifically trained for solo self-employed individuals.
This makes “Kontist” undoubtedly the most convenient solution among all tax apps, although this is also reflected in the price. The offer includes private and business tax returns, VAT pre-registration, and annual financial statements. Prices start at 179 euros per month.
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Is a Tax App Worth It?
“WISO Steuer” offers the best overall package among the mentioned tax apps in many aspects. It is also quite comparable in price to “Steuerbot” and “Taxfix,” but explicitly includes self-employed individuals as a professional group. “Taxfix” and “Steuerbot,” on the other hand, are essentially only suitable for employees, with standardized queries. In more complex tax cases, the apps quickly reach their limits. “Kontist” is a special case in comparison, but for solo self-employed individuals, it is by far the best solution, as when VAT and depreciation are involved, there is no way around a tax advisor for this professional group.