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I received a letter from the Finanzamt: what is it?

A letter from the Finanzamt (tax office) is routine in most cases. It is usually about your tax return: the Finanzamt sends a decision, reminds you to file, or asks a question.

What matters is the type of letter. It is almost always printed in bold in the subject line or as a heading. The type tells you whether a deadline is running.

What the letter looks like

At the top you find the name of the Finanzamt, your Steuernummer (tax number) or Identifikationsnummer (tax ID) and the date. The most common types are:

  • Steuerbescheid (tax assessment): the Finanzamt has calculated your tax. You get money back or you have to pay more. At the end there is the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung (the paragraph that explains how to object).
  • Aufforderung zur Abgabe der Steuererklärung (request to file a tax return) or a reminder: the Finanzamt is waiting for your tax return and names a date.
  • Vorauszahlungsbescheid (advance payment notice): you are asked to pay tax in advance, usually in fixed instalments on fixed dates.
  • Question about your tax return: the Finanzamt asks for documents or an explanation.
  • Mahnung (payment reminder): a payment is missing. Often a Säumniszuschlag (late payment surcharge) is added.
  • Steuer-ID: the letter with your tax ID comes from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern. It is only a notification. Keep it in a safe place.

What to do now

  1. Read the subject line: which type of letter is it?
  2. Find the date, the amount and the deadline. Put the deadline in your calendar.
  3. For a Steuerbescheid: compare the numbers with your tax return.
  4. Pay by the date in the letter, or send the documents by the date in the letter.
  5. Need more time? Ask the Finanzamt in writing for an extension before the deadline ends.
  6. You do not agree with the assessment? You can file an Einspruch (formal objection): in writing, electronically (for example through ELSTER) or in person at the Finanzamt (§ 357 AO).
  7. You do not understand the letter? Ask the Finanzamt, a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein (income tax help association) or a tax adviser. An app like Postklar can explain the letter in your language.

Which deadlines apply

The date in your own letter and the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung at the end always decide. This page only explains the general rule.

  • Einspruch: within one month after the Bekanntgabe (official notification) of the assessment (§ 355 AO).
  • Bekanntgabe: an assessment sent by post inside Germany counts as notified on the fourth day after it was posted. This does not apply if it did not arrive or arrived later. In case of doubt the Finanzamt has to prove that it arrived (§ 122 Abs. 2 AO).
  • Payment: by the date in the letter. An Einspruch does not automatically stop the duty to pay (§ 361 AO). For that there is a separate request, the Antrag auf Aussetzung der Vollziehung (request to suspend enforcement).
  • Säumniszuschlag: if you pay late, you pay an extra 1 percent of the open tax amount (rounded down) for every month that has started (§ 240 AO).
  • Deadline missed through no fault of your own: you can apply for Wiedereinsetzung in den vorigen Stand (restoration of the deadline) within one month after the obstacle has ended (§ 110 AO).
  • Tax return and documents: the date in the letter applies.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving the letter unopened. The deadline runs anyway.
  • Looking only at the amount and not reading the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung.
  • Thinking that an Einspruch automatically postpones the payment.
  • Only announcing the Einspruch by phone. It has to be made in writing, electronically or in person on record at the Finanzamt.
  • Not reacting to a reminder about the tax return. The Finanzamt can then estimate your tax and add a surcharge.
  • Clicking on an email “from the Finanzamt” and entering bank details there.

Finanzamt letter: real or fake?

Fraudsters send emails, text messages and also letters in the name of the Finanzamt, ELSTER or the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern. The authorities themselves point this out:

  • The tax administration never asks by email for your tax number, bank account, credit card number or PIN. It also never tells you directly in the text of an email about a payment or a refund (notice from ELSTER).
  • The Bundeszentralamt für Steuern normally sends payment requests by post. Payments go only to a German account of the Bundeskasse.
  • Warning signs according to the Bundeszentralamt: you are asked to open a link or to transfer money to an account abroad, the text has language mistakes, or there is no contact person with contact details.

Not sure? Do not open any link or attachment. Call your Finanzamt. Take the phone number from the official website, not from the letter. If you have already entered data or transferred money, inform your bank and the police immediately.

For a general method, see how to read a German official letter.

Frequently asked questions

I received a letter from the Finanzamt. What can it be?

Mostly it is a tax assessment (Steuerbescheid), a request to file your tax return, an advance payment notice, a question about documents or a payment reminder. The type is in the subject line.

Can I get a Finanzamt letter in English?

The letter itself comes in German. You can ask the Finanzamt, a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein or a tax adviser to explain it, or use an app like Postklar that explains the letter in English.

How do I know if a Finanzamt letter is fake?

Warning signs are links, payments to an account abroad, language mistakes and missing contact details. The tax administration never asks for bank details or a PIN by email. If in doubt, call your Finanzamt using the official phone number.

How long do I have to object to a tax assessment?

One month after the Bekanntgabe (§ 355 AO). An assessment sent by post inside Germany counts as notified on the fourth day after posting (§ 122 Abs. 2 AO). The Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung in your own assessment decides.

What happens if I pay the tax late?

A Säumniszuschlag is added: 1 percent of the open amount (rounded down) for every month that has started (§ 240 AO). If you cannot pay on time, talk to the Finanzamt before the payment date.

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This page explains in general what such letters mean. It is not legal advice and does not replace advice on your individual case. What your own letter says always comes first.

More letters explained

Sources

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