Can I deduct the tax consultant costs from my taxes?
December 1, 2023 | 60,00 EUR | answered by Petra Lehmann
Dear tax consultant,
My name is Erwin Brandes and I am currently a bit unsure about the deductibility of my tax consultant costs. Last year, I engaged a tax consultant for the first time to professionally prepare my tax return. Now I am wondering if I can deduct the costs for the consultation and support provided by the tax consultant on my taxes.
I am an employee and earn an average salary. Filing my tax return is a big challenge for me every year, as I do not have the necessary expertise to consider all tax aspects correctly. That is why I decided to hire a tax consultant to help me with the preparation of my tax return and to maximize any potential tax benefits.
Now I am thinking about whether the costs for the tax consultant are deductible on my taxes. I have already found some information on the internet, but I am still not sure if I meet the conditions to actually deduct the tax consultant costs. Therefore, I would like to know from you under what conditions I can deduct the costs for the tax consultant on my taxes and what steps I need to take.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could assist me with this and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Erwin Brandes
Dear Mr. Brandes,
I am pleased that you have approached me with your question regarding the deductibility of your tax advisor costs. I am happy to provide you with a detailed answer on this topic.
In general, the costs for using a tax advisor are tax deductible as professional expenses. The prerequisite for this is that the advisory costs are related to your professional activity. Since you are employed and preparing your tax return is a challenge due to lack of expertise, the costs for the tax advisor can be claimed as professional expenses within the scope of your income from employment.
To be able to deduct the tax advisor costs, you must be able to provide the corresponding invoices and payment receipts. It is important that the services of the tax advisor are clearly and unequivocally related to the preparation of your tax return. You should ensure that the costs for the tax advisory are reasonable and customary. Extravagant or disproportionately high costs could be objected by the tax office.
To declare the professional expenses in your tax return, you need to fill out the form "Anlage N". There, under the section "professional expenses," you can specify the costs for the tax advisor. It is important that you attach the corresponding receipts and invoices as proof.
In summary, you can deduct the costs for the tax advisor as professional expenses if they are related to your professional activity and are reasonable. Make sure to keep all receipts and properly declare them in your tax return.
I hope this information was helpful to you. If you have any further questions, I am at your disposal.
Sincerely,
Petra Lehmann
