How do the sample letters help me?
Lohnsteuer kompakt offers you numerous template letters and applications on various tax topics.
These templates assist you in drafting letters to your tax office or local authority. They include an appropriate standard text and placeholders for required data, allowing you to easily create a personalised document.
If you have already provided certain information, such as the tax number, as part of the tax return, it will be used automatically.
Simply select a letter from the list of template letters. An input field will then appear where you can select, edit or add information. Once you have entered all the details, you can generate a PDF file or copy the finished text and further edit it in a text program.
You can currently handle a large part of the communication with the tax office by email, as long as a handwritten signature is not required by law.
According to the federal and state tax authorities, an objection to the tax assessment can also be made by simple email. This view is confirmed by the clarifying amendment to § 357 para. 1 AO made in the E-Government Act of 25.7.2013.
How do the sample letters help me?
Is it possible to communicate with my tax office via email?
Of course, communication with your tax office via email is also possible. As a rule, you can send all simple letters and applications (e.g. application to amend a tax assessment, enquiry about processing status, application for extension of deadline) or objections to tax assessments by email to your tax office.
However, please note that the delivery risk, especially for time-sensitive letters, lies with you.
Emails are similar to postcards in the postal service. Unauthorised persons may be able to read your emails. Encrypted email communication is currently not possible with the tax offices.
Please also note that emails to the tax office are sent at your own risk. Lohnsteuer kompakt cannot guarantee the security and integrity of the emails.
Is it possible to communicate with my tax office via email?
Which matters can I handle by e-mail?
You can send all simple letters and applications (e.g. amendment to tax assessment or extension request) or objections to tax assessments by email to your tax office. However, please note that the risk of delivery, especially for time-sensitive documents, lies with you.
Not permitted by email is the submission of applications, declarations, and other documents if a handwritten signature is required by law. This applies, for example, to tax returns, income tax reduction applications, notices of assignment, or when absolute certainty about the sender is required (e.g. when providing bank details for refund purposes).
Your tax office will endeavour to provide you with the requested information. However, they are only allowed to give you simple tax information and provide corresponding assistance in filling out applications and declarations.
Your tax office is not permitted to advise you on the best tax strategy to achieve a particular goal or to inform you of all legal options and means. These tasks are legally reserved for advisory professions (tax advisors, tax agents, etc.).
Which matters can I handle by e-mail?
What should I bear in mind when communicating with the tax office by email?
Matters you can handle by email
You can handle all matters by email for which a simple letter is sufficient, e.g.
- simple communications, such as answering queries or notifying a new address,
- applications for amendments to tax assessments, and
- objections to tax assessments and other administrative acts, as well as withdrawals of objections.
Matters that cannot be handled by email
- if the law requires a handwritten signature for validity (e.g. tax returns) or
- when absolute certainty about the sender's identity is required (e.g. exemption from tax confidentiality).
Necessary sender details
The relevant office can only process your request as quickly as possible if you can be clearly identified. When creating the letter with Lohnsteuer kompakt, please provide your name, address, and, if possible, your telephone number in addition to your email. The automatic indication of the email sender address is usually not sufficient for the tax office to adequately determine the sender. If you use the sample letters from Lohnsteuer kompakt, this information will be automatically added in the logged-in area!
In tax matters, you should also provide your tax office with your tax number - if you already have it.
You can customise the addressing of your email message. As standard, Lohnsteuer kompakt suggests the email of the mailroom at your local tax office for contact. The respective mailroom of the tax administration checks which office is responsible for your request and forwards your message there.
However, for reasons of equal treatment, the tax office is obliged to treat incoming emails in the same way as normal postal mail. Therefore, you cannot expect your request to be processed significantly faster by communicating via email. However, you will benefit from the elimination of postal delivery times.
Response from the tax office and exemption from tax confidentiality
Due to the lack of data security, the tax office may only reply to you by email for very general questions.
For the transmission of content subject to tax confidentiality, official secrecy, or data protection, the tax office must generally use secure communication channels such as letter, fax, or telephone.
Deviating from this, the tax office may reply by email in individual cases if the taxpayer or their tax representative expressly requests this and the tax office is exempted from tax confidentiality in this respect by written declaration in accordance with section 30 paragraph 4 number 3 of the Fiscal Code (AO).
What should I bear in mind when communicating with the tax office by email?
