The First Mobile App in Russian for Tax Declaration in Germany

The first half of the year in Germany always means a hectic phase for mandatory tax returns.

Last year, over 22 million taxpayers in Germany filed their tax returns online. Most of them either used the help of a tax advisor or handled their tax returns themselves. Among these taxpayers are Russians, who can receive an average of 1007,- EUR in refunds annually through their tax return.

However, there is a lack of good solutions on the market to assist with tax returns. And the official, state-operated ELSTER software is only available in German. Additionally, the presentation of this software leaves a lot to be desired.

The Berlin startup Taxando makes it easier for Russians working in Germany to submit their tax returns.

Taxando offers software specifically developed for Russians in Germany. The application is available in Russian, German, and English and guarantees a 100% online tax return. All without the hassle of printing, signing, and sending the tax return to the tax office.

“Our top priority is to maximize the simplification of filing a tax return in Germany through modern and intelligent software solutions” – confirms Maciej Szewczyk, a co-founder of the Berlin startup www.taxando.de.

“Currently, we serve clients from Germany, Poland, and Great Britain. We are the only mobile app on the market with so many language versions. Additionally, we distinguish ourselves from other providers through the optional help of a state-certified tax advisor, who checks the tax return and guarantees the accuracy of the submitted tax return. This is a great help and relief for anyone who may not feel completely confident in tax matters” – adds Maciej Szewczyk.

The free app is available on Google Play and the App Store. Also via any browser on the internet at www.taxando.de/ru/ accessible.

A very useful and helpful feature of the app is that the data from the income tax certificate can be automatically read via a photo and entered into the corresponding fields of the tax return. This significantly facilitates and speeds up the completion of the tax return in Germany.

Are taxes in Germany complicated?

Many people are worried when they file a tax return that the data is not correctly entered, and the tax office will carry out additional checks due to an incorrect tax return. The concerns are unnecessary. In Germany, there is always an option to appeal against the decision of the tax office and to provide additional explanations.

There are also only people working at the tax office, and of course, they know that the average taxpayer is not an outstanding tax expert. However, it’s worth having a guarantee in the form of a review by a German tax advisor. In correspondence or telephone calls with the tax office, the tax advisor takes the lead and responsibility. Therefore, it’s worth considering submitting the tax return potentially with the support of a specialist.

How long does one wait for refunds from the tax office for an online tax return?

The average waiting time is 2 to 6 months. After submitting the tax return, one receives a tax assessment. It will state the due tax refund. By the way, the Taxando app offers the option to download the tax assessment online. You receive a notification that the tax assessment has been issued and can be downloaded as a PDF. This is convenient and a huge relief for the taxpayer.

Is it worth submitting the tax return online using the Taxando app?

In the past 3 years, interest in such online services has grown enormously. This applies not only to taxpayers but also to most services and products. The digitization process has been further accelerated recently by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are increasingly looking for fast and secure solutions in many areas of life, including in relation to tax returns in Germany.

Therefore, it is worthwhile to keep up with the times and submit the German tax return via the app. Not to mention the guarantee and support of a tax advisor. And finally, there is a tax refund averaging 1,007,- EUR. Not a small amount of money in these challenging times.