Tax deadline with a tax consultant

[apfel]

Hello,
The tax deadline for year 2023 is at the end of Aug. 2024 and as far as know, if the tax declaration is going to be done by a tax consultant (Steuerberater), the deadline is at the end of May 2025.
I am trying to find a tax consultant but so far I was not successful. None of the ones that I talked to have any free capacity.

I was wondering if I need to inform Finanzamt that I will submit my tax declaration via a consultant so that they will extend my deadline? Or shall the consultant inform them? If yes, is there any deadline, like by the end of Aug. which is the deadline for individuals?

[Alberto]

Sorry, not answering your question.

But yes, finding a Steuerberater is notoriously not easy. I guess our friend Panda will reply with some good hint.

You could if course learn doing the Steuererklärung yourself, for many of us is very doable, although of course a very painful torture prone to potentially expensive mistakes.

Good luck.

[apfel]

You could if course learn doing the Steuererklärung yourself, for many of us is very doable, although of course a very painful torture prone to potentially expensive mistakes.

You are absolutely right. I did by myself for the past few years with online tools and it was quite ok, but since I am getting busy in personal life and my tax cases are also getting a bit complicated, I do not have the needed time to spend on it.

[Bayrisch_Dude]

I am trying to find a tax consultant but so far I was not successful. None of the ones that I talked to have any free capacity.

Corona buggered it all up.

I found mine through facebook, oddly. In the Allgäu, we have groups such as "Spotted: Oberallgäu". I made a post about the need for one and three responded. Been happy with her thus far.

Perhaps you've tried something similar already. Just think on something different. Perhaps the Frag-einen.com might be of use. There could be other means to find one. I'd done my own, made mistakes a business owner should no be making, got sorted by a very gifted and patient tax advisor who did a one-off and immediately searched and found one.

[Alberto]

I bet there should be a list of all qualified approved Steuerberater in Germany, somewhere online, with contact details etc.
No?

Another options is Lohnsteuerhilfeverein, or whatever they're called, I have mixed experience with them.

[PandaMunich]

I was wondering if I need to inform Finanzamt that I will submit my tax declaration via a consultant so that they will extend my deadline?

That won't change anything, your intention to hire a Steuerberater or a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein is not enough.

Or shall the consultant inform them?

Yes, that's the only thing the Finanzamt recognises.

If yes, is there any deadline, like by the end of Aug. which is the deadline for individuals?

As soon as a Steuerberater or Lohnsteuerhilfeverein signals to the Finanzamt that they represent you, the deadline gets extended automatically for you, even if this only happens after the deadline for unrepresented people.

[PandaMunich]

I bet there should be a list of all qualified approved Steuerberater in Germany, somewhere online, with contact details etc.

You can find an English-speaking Steuerberater here (choose in “Fremdsprache”: englisch): https://www.datev.de/kasus/First/Start? ... e=&submit=

[apfel]

About a month ago, I talked to a consultant and provided him with my documents. He was supposed to respond regarding whether we could work together, including a quote and the terms. I haven’t received a reply yet. I also called him as a reminder, and he told he would get back to me in a few days.

Now, I would like to know based on your experience if this delay is normal or if I should consider it a red flag and move on to another consultant. The consultant has excellent reviews on Google over several years.