Can I deduct my further education costs in my tax return?
January 2, 2022 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Wolfgang Lenzner
Dear tax advisor,
My name is Lukas Beck and I work as a Marketing Manager in a company. This year, I completed a part-time further education in the field of Online Marketing to expand my knowledge and advance my professional development. The costs for the further education amount to a total of 2,500 euros, which I have completely paid for myself.
Now I am wondering if I can claim the further education costs in my tax return and if they are tax deductible. I have heard that under certain conditions, further education costs can be deducted as business expenses, but I am unsure if my further education qualifies for this deduction.
My concern is that I may be missing out on money if I cannot claim the costs on my taxes. Therefore, it is very important for me to know if I can declare the further education costs in my tax return and how I should proceed to take advantage of any tax benefits.
Could you please help me and let me know if I can deduct the further education costs? If so, what documents do I need and what steps do I need to follow in my tax return?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Lukas Beck
Dear Mr. Beck,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the tax deductibility of your further education costs in the field of online marketing. I am happy to provide you with information and tips.
In general, further education costs can be claimed as business expenses in your tax return under certain conditions. This is especially the case if the training is related to your current professional activity and serves to expand your knowledge or advance your professional development. Since you work as a marketing manager and have completed further education in online marketing, it is very likely that the costs are tax deductible.
You can declare the costs you mentioned, amounting to 2,500 euros, as business expenses in your tax return. It is important that you carefully keep payment receipts and invoices for the further education costs as proof for the tax office. Additionally, you should be able to provide a certificate of participation in the further education as well as a confirmation from your employer that the training is related to your professional activity.
In your tax return, you can indicate the further education costs in the corresponding section for business expenses. Here, you can enter the costs for the further education and provide any other relevant information about the training if necessary. It is advisable to seek assistance from a tax advisor when preparing your tax return to ensure that all relevant information is correctly provided.
By considering the further education costs as business expenses in your tax return, you can benefit from tax advantages and potentially receive a tax refund. Therefore, it is recommended to include the costs in your tax return and carefully keep the relevant documents.
I hope this information is helpful to you and I am available for any further questions. I wish you success with your tax return and utilizing the tax advantages through the deduction of further education costs.
Best regards,
Wolfgang Lenzner, Tax Advisor
