Free tool · 2026 rules

Germany probably owes you money

The average tax refund is €1,240 (Destatis), most employees are not even required to file, and since 2026 every commute kilometre counts €0.38, up from €0.30. Estimate what your Steuererklärung could return.

Gross salary / month

€4.000

Commute distance (one way)

12 km

Every km counts €0,38 per office day. New flat rate since Jan 2026.

Days you commuted this year

180 days

Home-office days

40 days

€6 per day, up to 210 days (€1,260).

Work equipment bought

€300

Laptop, monitor, desk, chair, work phone; also partly-private items.

Other job costs

€100

Courses, certificates, application costs, professional memberships.

Estimated extra refund

€70 /year

Commuting (Pendlerpauschale)€821
Home office€240
Equipment + other€400
Total deductions€1.461
− flat allowance everyone gets−€1.230
× your marginal tax rate30%

The average German refund is €1,240 (Destatis), and filing is voluntary for most employees, with up to 4 years to do it retroactively.

Understand your tax class

Estimate for single employees, tax class I, no church tax; computed with the shared 2026 §32a tariff engine, the €1,230 Werbungskostenpauschale, the new flat €0.38/km Pendlerpauschale and the €6/day home-office allowance. This is an estimate, not tax advice. A Steuerberater or tax app computes your exact figure.

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The forms are in German. You can be too.

ELSTER, Bescheid, Werbungskosten. Learn the German that deals with German paperwork.

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