When is the Lohnsteuer kompakt application available for the new tax year?
Lohnsteuer kompakt can be used for various types of income after the end of the respective tax year - from January of the following year.
You will be automatically informed as soon as further functions and types of income are added.
We will keep you regularly updated on current updates in our newsletter and on Facebook.
When is the Lohnsteuer kompakt application available for the new tax year?
Is Lohnsteuer kompakt the official programme of the tax office?
No! You can find the official ELSTER software on the tax administration portal.
However, Lohnsteuer kompakt has full ELSTER functionality integrated and offers significant advantages that save you a lot of time and money. After all, tax offices have no interest in helping you save on taxes.
As a genuine internet application, Lohnsteuer kompakt also spares you the frustrating work with official tax forms and the annual hassle of purchasing, licensing, installing, registering, updating, and repairing typical tax software on CD or DVD.
The internet application Lohnsteuer kompakt is developed by forium GmbH, based in Berlin, and operated on servers in modern high-security data centres in Germany. forium GmbH is independent and a leading provider of financial information on the internet.
Is Lohnsteuer kompakt the official programme of the tax office?
For which tax years can I use Lohnsteuer kompakt?
With the latest version of Lohnsteuer kompakt, you can process your tax matters for the following years:
- Tax return for 2021
- Tax return for 2022
- Tax return for 2023
- Tax return for 2024
- Tax return for 2025
Please use Lohnsteuer kompakt for the following tax years only after consulting your tax office or if you are requested to submit the tax return!
- Tax return for 2016 (available until 31/03/2026)
- Tax return for 2017
- Tax return for 2018
- Tax return for 2019
- Tax return for 2020
For which tax years can I use Lohnsteuer kompakt?
How do I enter my data?
With Lohnsteuer kompakt, all necessary forms are created based on your input. All data is collected through easy-to-understand questions in an interview format. You will find help texts for all relevant entries to assist you in completing the individual fields.
The individual sections of the tax return are hierarchically structured and can be accessed via the navigation tree. In this process, parent pages can have a direct impact on child pages, for example, by showing or hiding them.
Once you have completed a page, click the Next button at the bottom right of the page to proceed to the next step. You do not need to save your entries yourself: as soon as you leave an input field, it is automatically saved in the background.
Use the Back button to return to the previous page in the interview structure. The order in which you accessed the pages is not taken into account.
How do I enter my data?
Are all my entries saved automatically?
Yes, you do not need to save the data you enter in the tax return at Lohnsteuer kompakt again.
As soon as you leave an input field, your entry is automatically saved in the background. Once you have completed a page, click the "Next" button at the bottom right of the page to proceed to the next step.
Accidental data loss is therefore excluded (see Delete account).
You can, of course, access and change any entries you have already made at any time later. Simply use the navigation to jump to the desired section.
Are all my entries saved automatically?
When and for how long is my data stored?
During data entry, Lohnsteuer kompakt saves your information in the background each time you move to a new field, without any disruption. This means you won't lose any data if you log out or are automatically logged off the server after 20 minutes of inactivity.
All data is initially stored indefinitely as part of your user account. This means you have access to your data anytime, anywhere.
When and for how long is my data stored?
Can I declare all types of income with Lohnsteuer kompakt?
Although almost all taxpayers in Germany can prepare and submit their tax return with Lohnsteuer kompakt, the following special cases should ideally be clarified individually with a tax advisor due to their complexity:
- Form § 34a - Retained earnings relief
- Form § 7g - Reserve depreciation
- Income from business sales (entry possible with Lohnsteuer kompakt but without calculation; part of forms G and S)
- Commercial animal breeding / husbandry / forward transactions (part of form G)
- Income from investments (part of form KAP)
- Shares in income (part of form SO)
- Persons with limited tax liability in Germany
These types of income and tax cases cannot be processed with Lohnsteuer kompakt until further notice.
Can I declare all types of income with Lohnsteuer kompakt?
What are the technical requirements for Lohnsteuer kompakt?
The online tax return Lohnsteuer kompakt is the simple way to complete your tax return. There is no need to install software or updates.
System requirements
You can start your tax return immediately. All you need is an internet connection, a modern web browser, and a printer.
Operating system and internet connection
There are no restrictions regarding the operating system with Lohnsteuer kompakt. The programme can be used independently of the platform and across platforms on any computer.
The operating system (iOS, Windows, Linux or Android) is irrelevant, as is the device used. This sets the tax software apart from most other software packages. Mac and Linux users are welcome.
You can switch between notebook, tablet PC, and desktop PC as you wish. All you need is a modern web browser and an internet connection. We recommend a broadband internet connection (DSL, cable or LTE) to process the tax return quickly and efficiently.
Modern web browser
We recommend using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome for processing your tax return. However, Lohnsteuer kompakt also works on other common web browsers. The current version of Lohnsteuer kompakt is continuously tested with the following browser versions (in the latest version):
- Mozilla Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari (with Mac OS X)
To use the programme optimally, we recommend a screen resolution of at least 1280 x 1024 pixels for your monitor. Lower resolutions will of course also work.
If you use a different web browser and notice a display error, please let us know. We will try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Printer
Finally, you will of course need a printer to print out your tax return. You then simply need to sign the printed copy and send it to your tax office.
What are the technical requirements for Lohnsteuer kompakt?
How can I ensure the receipt of emails from Lohnsteuer kompakt?
Here is a brief guide on how to ensure you reliably receive emails from Lohnsteuer kompakt. You should add the domain "lohnsteuer-kompakt.de" to the whitelist of your email programme:
Step 1: Access your email settings
- Open your email programme and go to the settings. Look for a section related to spam filters, junk email, or blocked senders.
Step 2: Find whitelist settings
- Within the spam or junk email settings, you should find an option to define safe or trusted senders. This is often referred to as "Whitelist", "Safe Senders", or "Trusted Senders".
Step 3: Add domain
- Add the domain "lohnsteuer-kompakt.de" to the list of safe or trusted senders.
Step 4: Save changes
- Save your changes before leaving the settings.
By adding the domain "lohnsteuer-kompakt.de" to the whitelist, you help your email programme recognise that messages from Lohnsteuer kompakt are safe and desired. This reduces the risk of missing important notifications and updates.
How can I ensure the receipt of emails from Lohnsteuer kompakt?
How many tax returns can I create?
Lohnsteuer kompakt is fully multi-client capable. This means you can prepare any number of tax returns for different years or individuals. Billing is always per completed tax return.
How many tax returns can I create?
Is it possible to use Lohnsteuer kompakt to process tax returns for 2013 or earlier?
With the latest version, you can edit your tax return for the following years:
- Tax year 2015 (available until the end of March 2025)
- Tax year 2016
- Tax year 2017
- Tax year 2018
- Tax year 2019
- Tax year 2020
- Tax year 2021
- Tax year 2022
- Tax year 2023
- Tax year 2024
We no longer offer the processing of tax returns for tax years 2014 and earlier.
Is it possible to use Lohnsteuer kompakt to process tax returns for 2013 or earlier?
