Which deductible business expenses can I claim in my tax return?
August 4, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Anneliese Schaaf
Dear Sir or Madam,
My name is Peter Altmayer and I have a question regarding my tax return. I work as an employee in an office and would like to know which work-related expenses I can claim in my tax return.
Currently, I have some expenses related to my job. These include costs for the trips between my place of residence and my workplace, as well as the purchase of work tools such as a laptop and office supplies. Additionally, I have attended further training courses to enhance my professional skills.
I am concerned that I may overlook potential work-related expenses and miss out on tax benefits. Therefore, I would like to know specifically which expenses can be considered as work-related expenses in my tax return and how I can best provide evidence for them.
Could you please provide me with an overview of the most common work-related expenses and suggest possible solutions on how to properly report my expenses in the tax return? I want to ensure that I maximize all opportunities to minimize my tax burden.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Peter Altmayer
Dear Mr. Altmayer,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding your tax return and your business expenses. It is understandable that you want to ensure that you claim all possible expenses in your tax return to minimize your tax burden.
As an office employee, you do have various options to claim business expenses to reduce your taxes. The most common business expenses include travel expenses between your residence and your workplace. You can deduct either the actual costs of the trips or the standard mileage rate of 0.30 euros per kilometer. It is important that you can provide evidence of the trips, such as fuel receipts, tickets, or a mileage log.
Furthermore, you can claim the costs of purchasing work-related items such as a laptop or office supplies as business expenses. Again, it is important to keep receipts to be able to prove the expenses. If the purchase costs exceed 410 euros, you will need to depreciate the purchase over the useful life.
Training costs can also be deducted as business expenses if the training is job-related and improves your professional skills. Again, it is important to be able to provide receipts for the costs.
There are other possible business expenses, such as costs for professional literature, further education, work clothing, or professional insurance. It is advisable to carefully document all expenses and keep receipts to be able to claim them in your tax return.
To accurately report your business expenses in your tax return, I recommend referring to the appropriate forms and attachments provided by the tax office. It may also be beneficial to seek advice from a tax advisor or a wage tax assistance association to ensure that you take full advantage of all opportunities for tax reduction.
I hope this information is helpful to you and that you can make optimal use of your business expenses in your tax return. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Anneliese Schaaf
