Many millions of citizens are currently struggling to submit their property tax returns. The route via the state tax portal is not the only option. What help real estate owners can use.
The deadline is running: millions of citizens have to submit their property tax returns to the tax office by October 31 at the latest. This is done via the electronic tax portal Elster. However, those affected can use tools to determine the necessary data. What is available and how much does the help cost.
Anyone who submits the required information about Elster needs luck or patience. Because the portal is not always up to the onslaught of citizens. In addition, citizens need access. It will take some time for the login data to arrive at home.
Experts also complain that not everyone affected understands the “tax talk” on the website. The “Handelsblatt” points this out.
If you are looking for professional help with the property tax return, you should look around for a tax advisor. Your advantage: With the help of the necessary documents, you take over the task completely. But that costs. Owners must reckon with amounts between 200 and 1000 euros, as stated in the report. The amount of the fee depends on the size of the real estate assets and the federal state in which the house and land are located.
The property tax return must be submitted by October 31, 2022: With the “GrundsteuerErklärung” software from Steuertipps.de, you can master the task yourself in no time at all.
Christian Lindner’s (FDP) Federal Ministry of Finance offers a free alternative. The data can also be determined via the website www.grundsteuererklaerung-fuer-privateigentum.de. The offer is praised by the rather critical taxpayers’ association (BdSt). The declaration can be processed relatively easily via the state website, according to the report with reference to the BdS.
However, this free model can only be used by those who live in one of the eleven federal states that use the so-called federal model for the calculation. Five federal states are deviating and have different models:
The large FOCUS Online guide answers all important questions about the subject of property tax reform on 19 pages.
Anyone who does not want to afford a tax consultant and/or lives in one of the five “excluded” federal states can use software. There are several brands. However, not for free.
Owners who only need to submit a declaration for a house or apartment can use property tax online from the provider Wolters Kluwer for EUR 14.95.
The property tax return also costs EUR 14.95. However, this software is not browser-based and must be installed on the computer. And only works on Windows devices.
Finally, if you are looking for professional help including tax consultant liability, you will find it at Deutsche Grundsteuer. The provider advertises its solution with the following statement: “Commission your property tax in less than 7 minutes – without research. With a tax advisor.”
Accordingly, tax professionals use the relevant data to create the property tax return. After approval by the property owner, the provider sends the figures digitally to the tax authorities. This offer has different price models. A declaration for a home or a condominium or a vacant lot costs 189 euros.
If you are looking for personal advice and value consultant liability, you are probably in the right place here. Anyone who dares to do their own work with the help of software can use one of the other offers.
