smartsteuer

What smartsteuer is

smartsteuer is an online tax-return service for people filing in Germany, including employees, self-employed people, retirees and students. Its guided interview asks relevant questions step by step, while smartCheck reviews a return for errors, plausibility problems and possible tax-saving opportunities. VaSt can retrieve tax data from the tax office for a pre-filled return, and users can transfer data from prior years. An interface sends EÜR data from Lexware Office bookkeeping to smartsteuer, and completed returns are submitted electronically to the tax office using ELSTER. The service supports amended returns and rental income, but does not cover special cases such as profit determination for agriculture and forestry. It runs in a browser on desktop, tablet or smartphone without installation; listed platforms also include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. The paid plan is €39.99 per year, billed by tax year, and a free trial is available. smartsteuer says it encrypts data, stores it in German data centres and cites PCI DSS and SAS 70 Type IIb standards.

Who it suits

It is for people preparing tax returns in Germany, including employees, students, retirees and self-employed filers. It may suit users who want guided preparation and electronic submission, provided their tax situation does not depend on unsupported special cases.

Limits

The smartsteuer plan is €39.99 a year, billed by tax year, and includes five submissions for one tax year. Profit determination for agriculture and forestry cannot be recorded.

Getting started

1. Open the smartsteuer website in a browser.
2. Start the free trial or choose the paid smartsteuer plan.
3. Use the guided interview to enter relevant tax information.
4. Transfer prior-year data or retrieve tax data with VaSt if applicable.
5. Submit the completed return electronically using ELSTER.

Verdict

smartsteuer offers guided German tax-return preparation with pre-filled data options and electronic filing. Its stated limitation for certain agricultural and forestry cases is worth checking before choosing it.