Received a Letter From the Finanzamt? German Tax Appeals (Einspruch) in English

TWO.TAX is the international brand of TWOTAX GROUP. The group includes Steuerbee & Partner, TwoTax LLC, TwoTax Ltd. and its Canadian affiliated company. It provides cross-border tax consulting for people and businesses whose affairs involve Germany and another jurisdiction.

The responsible entity, office, jurisdictions and deliverables are identified for every engagement.

For a scoped review, use the contact page and include the jurisdictions, tax years, deadlines, relevant correspondence and requested deliverable.

Got a threatening letter from the German tax office?

Estimated assessments, late-filing penalties and enforcement notices can carry strict deadlines. A document review can clarify the letter and the available response options.

When to appeal

• Estimated assessments (Schätzungsbescheid) because returns were not filed — usually far too high, and correctable
• Wrong assessments: missed deductions, foreign income taxed twice, misapplied treaty rules
• Late-filing penalties (Verspätungszuschlag), enforcement measures (Kontopfändung — account garnishment), Zwangsgeld

Key deadline

One month is a common deadline for an Einspruch. The applicable deadline and options depend on the notice and facts.