What does a tax advisor need for the tax return? (checklist)
In order for your tax advisor to be able to correctly prepare your tax return, he needs certain documents. You should provide them in full and on time. The exact documents you submit for the tax return depend, among other things, on whether you are employed as an employee in a company, a landlord, a small business owner or self-employed.
In any case, the better you structure your tax return documents and the more meticulously you ensure that they are complete, the more efficiently your tax advisor can work. After all, he uses the documents for his evaluation. With the right approach, you can therefore save time and money and also prevent queries.
Here you can find out which tax documents you need and at the same time receive a practical checklist for your tax return.
The technical platform is operated by Integral Services GmbH. All reserved tasks are performed by Integral Tax GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft.
The key points
Structured preparation
Good organization saves time, effort and money — and makes things easier for your tax advisor.
Know mandatory documents
Regardless of your status — employed or self-employed — there are documents that every tax return should include.
Coordinate processes
Some tax advisors work with fixed processes. Clarify early on how you can best support him.
More effort for self-employed people
Small business owners and managing directors generally have to submit more than private individuals. A clean document organization helps.
Legal security
A tax advisor ensures that all regulations are met — and is familiar with flat rates and optimizations.
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What documents does everyone need for their tax return?
Regardless of whether you are employed or self-employed, and no matter which type of income is relevant to you: There are a few documents that must be included in every tax return.
Tax return documents:
- Insurance certificates:
They show how high the contributions you pay for your health, long-term care, liability or accident insurance are. You can claim these expenses on your tax return.
- Documents relating to special issues:
Classic special expenses include donations, church tax and contributions for retirement provision.
- Documents relating to your exceptional burdens:
Extraordinary burdens include illness and care costs or maintenance payments.
- Invoices for household-related services/craftsman services:
You can also partially deduct these amounts from tax. A typical example of a household-related service is cat sitting, for example, when the caregiver performs the service in your home.
Pay attention to all documents In any case, to an easily comprehensible structure. In this way, you avoid queries and ensure transparency right from the start.
The tax return: What documents does the tax advisor need?
The documents that Your tax advisor For the tax return, depend on the prevailing type of income and on the question of whether you want to work independently or as a small business owner or have a tax return prepared as a private person. The aim should always be to keep the effort that your tax advisor has to prepare your tax return as low as possible. This means that he should be able to navigate your collection of documents easily.
In the following sections, you will find out what your tax advisor needs for your tax return. If you are unsure, you should definitely contact him and have a brief consultation. This also applies to how you prepare the relevant data. Many tax advisors have developed an individual system here over time. Should you your old Tax advisor terminated , it may be that the new one must comply with other requirements.
Individuals: Documents for employees and landlords
When you submit your tax documents as a private person, a lot revolves around proof of income and expenditure receipts. One of the most important documents The income tax certificate is for employees. Information about your salary, tax deductions, and social security contributions is included here.
In addition, employees must provide proof of their insurance, any special expenses and exceptional charges if they want to claim the respective amounts
.If you are a landlord, you should also provide rental agreements, complete overviews of your rental income, receipts for utility bills created and invoices for renovations, repairs and property management. In addition — if this is relevant in your case — loan agreements and the associated interest certificates must also be submitted.
Self-employed and small business owners: Specific documents
In most cases, the tax returns that self-employed persons or small business owners must file are more extensive than those from private individuals. Among other things, because an EER (income surplus statement) or a balance sheet with profit and loss statement must be prepared here. The latter is mandatory for companies subject to accounting obligations.
As a self-employed person or as a small business owner, you must also collect and organize all invoices, receipts, cash books and account statements.
Other specific tax documents that may be relevant include:
- Evidence of your operational expenses, such as costs for office supplies, office rent, training, vehicles, etc.
- Contracts that you have concluded with your business partners
- (in case you employ employees) payslips, social security statements and any notifications to the professional association
If everything is well prepared and fully available, neither your tax advisor nor the tax office will have to ask many questions in the end.
Checklist for your tax return: Comprehensive preparation for tax advisors
The following tax return checklist will help you avoid queries, improve cooperation with your tax advisor and make optimal use of your tax options — regardless of whether you file your tax return as a private person, as a landlord, self-employed person or small business owner.
Organize your filing Many tax advisors today work digitally. It therefore makes sense to store your documents well structured in digital (and appropriately labeled folders). The same applies to paper documents. The better everything is structured, the easier it is for uninvolved third parties to find their way around and the easier it is to prepare your annual financial statements in the end.
A lot of information on the subject of “taxes” can also be found on the website of the Federal Chamber of Tax Advisors. Here you can, among other things, read about changes to tax law and learn about the Tax Consultant Remuneration Code and thus about the Tax advisor costs, with which you should calculate.
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Tax returns & deadlines under control
Your tax advisor prepares your sales, income and business tax returns — punctually and with reliable deadline management.
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Whether it's an agency, e-commerce or SaaS: You benefit from accounting that is based on the specifics of your industry.
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Individual dashboards provide you with regular insights into profit, liquidity and investment leeway — for well-founded decisions.
Strategic tax planning
Take advantage of benefits such as § 7g EStG, check your legal form or plan reserves — together with a tax-savvy sparring partner.
Proactive Alerts & Monitoring
Warnings in the event of budget deviations, new legal information or prepayment deadlines — your tax advisor has everything at a glance.
Support during tax audits
In the worst case, you are not alone: Your tax advisor takes care of the preparation, communication and appeal management.
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The technical platform is operated by Integral Services GmbH. All reserved tasks (Vorbehaltsaufgaben) are performed by Integral Tax GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft.
Benefits of a tax advisor: Why the assignment is worthwhile
There are many reasons to hire a tax advisor. It is also certain that your tax advisor can “only” help you prepare your tax return — even though this is one of the tasks that are outsourced particularly often.
The following benefits are likely to particularly convince most people who work with a tax advisor:
- Tax advisors have the know-how needed to correctly handle all tax issues. They know the current laws and know what has changed at what point in time.
- When working with a tax advisor, you can make the most of the savings potential available to you. The experts will show you how you can optimize your tax (and thus also improve your business success).
- With a tax advisor at your side, you save time. You can focus on your day-to-day business while he takes care of the rest. Especially when your business is growing and you may no longer be a small business owner at some point, this is a huge relief. After all, accounting often becomes more complex over time.
- Many who work with a tax advisor often feel more secure — whether as managing director of a GmbH or a UG or as a self-employed person. You don't have to worry about whether you have booked “document XY” correctly or have taken into account the current package. A tax advisor therefore also has your back from a legal point of view.
- On request, a tax advisor will also remind you of deadlines that must be met with regard to advance and back payments. Anyone who misses the set deadlines here often has to pay late fees. That is exactly what you can avoid with an expert by your side.
- Tax advisors can not only relieve you of your tax return, but also in “normal everyday life.” On request, you can take over ongoing bookkeeping and payroll (if you employ employees) and take care of your advance sales tax returns. You decide for yourself what exactly you give in and what you take care of.
The above list shows that hiring a tax advisor can be worthwhile not only in terms of smooth processes in connection with your tax. With an expert at your side, you can save time, effort and ultimately nerves.
When it is worthwhile to seek support depends on several factors. Most self-employed people are likely to think about hiring a tax advisor in particular when processes become more complex, for example due to multiple types of income or due to hiring employees. If necessary, it is then also worthwhile to to change tax advisors.
Ready for your tax return?
Regardless of whether you are an employee, generate rental income, work independently or as a small business owner: With the right preparation and effective cooperation with your tax advisor, you can make your everyday life easier. If you sort your documents in advance and submit them in full, you can save time and avoid queries.
The information above provides you with some important tips when it comes to creating the basis for your tax return and taking advantage of any tax benefits.
And if you don't have the time or desire to deal with your tax return yourself, you should work with a tax advisor. This helps you to be legally on the safe side and supports you when it comes to bringing order to invoices, receipts, etc.
Prepare your tax return perfectly — Contact tax advisors now!
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Frequently asked questions: What does the tax advisor need for the tax return?
Which documents the tax advisor needs for your tax return depends on your individual situation. In general, documents relating to your income, insurance, special expenses and exceptional charges will almost always be relevant. If you are self-employed, submit supporting documents of your operating income and expenses. It is best to talk to your tax advisor so that you can also make optimal use of your tax benefits in the end.
For income tax year adjustment, your tax advisor needs, among other things, an income tax certificate, insurance certificates, donation receipts, receipts of exceptional charges and documents relating to advertising costs and household-related services. He also needs the latest information about children, church tax and your address.
First, sort your receipts by different categories, such as “income,” “insurance,” etc. Everything should be complete and easy to read. If you have questions (or want to prevent questions), you can also write down the relevant considerations or information in a separate document. Whether with paper or digital documents, always ensure that the structure is comprehensible.
Working with a tax advisor for tax returns is worthwhile, among other things, because the experts are well informed about tax benefits and current legislation. Among other things, this also allows you to optimally exploit potential savings. You also save time by working with the tax advisor. On request, he can also take care of communication with the tax office for you.
There is no general answer to this question. The time that your tax advisor needs depends primarily on the scope and your preparation. If everything is ready and no questions arise, the tax return should be completed within a few weeks. The more complex the individual case is, the more time you should plan for. It is best to ask your tax advisor when he needs the documents at the latest in order to be ready on time in any case.
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