1. What is ELSTER?
ELSTER stands for:
“Elektronische Steuererklärung” (electronic tax return).
It is the official online portal of the German tax authorities (Finanzamt) for filing tax returns over the internet.
The platform is completely free of charge and is designed for:
private individuals (employees, pensioners, freelancers)
companies and business owners
accountants and tax advisers
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Submit a tax return (Steuererklärung) | Fully electronic, no paper forms needed |
| File Umsatzsteuer-Voranmeldung | Monthly / quarterly VAT returns |
| Request a tax refund | Receive overpaid taxes directly to your bank account |
| Change address or bank details | Without visiting the Finanzamt in person |
ELSTER is useful for anyone who wants to file their tax return online on their own, especially:
employees and pensioners
people with side income
self-employed persons and small business owners (Selbstständige)
Small businesses and freelancers also use ELSTER for VAT advance returns and other tax forms.
Go to the official website: www.elster.de
Click on “Benutzerkonto erstellen” (create user account).
Enter your personal data and choose a login method (usually via a certificate file – Zertifikatsdatei).
You will receive an activation code by post within a few days.
After activation you can log in using:
your username
your password
and your certificate file (Zertifikatsdatei) for secure access
Select Einkommensteuererklärung (income tax return).
Add the relevant forms (Anlagen) according to your situation, for example:
Anlage N – for income from employment
Anlage Kind – if you have children
Anlage Vorsorgeaufwand – for insurance and pension-related deductions
Fill in all required information carefully:
personal details (address, tax ID, marital status, etc.)
salary and wage data from your Lohnsteuerbescheinigung
deductible expenses (Werbungskosten, insurance, children’s costs, etc.)
your bank account details for potential refunds
Use the preview of the tax calculation (Vorschau der Steuerberechnung) to see a first estimate.
Submit your tax return electronically to the Finanzamt.
You can download and save a PDF copy of your submitted return.
| Situation | Regular filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Without tax adviser | 31 July of the following year |
| With Steuerberater | Up to 28/29 February of the year after |
(Deadlines may change due to legal adjustments or transition rules.)
After a few weeks you will receive your tax assessment notice (Steuerbescheid) by post or electronically.
It shows whether you will receive a refund or need to make an additional payment.
If you are entitled to a refund, the amount is transferred to your bank account.
| German term | English meaning | Arabic translation |
|---|---|---|
| ELSTER | electronic tax portal | البوابة الإلكترونية للضرائب |
| Steuererklärung | tax return | الإقرار الضريبي |
| Anlage N | form for employee income | استمارة دخل الموظفين |
| Steuerbescheid | tax assessment notice | إشعار الضريبة الرسمي |
| Zertifikatsdatei | certificate file for secure login | ملف التوثيق للدخول الآمن |
The editorial and writing team of our website makes every effort to provide accurate information based on in-depth research and multiple sources. However, errors may occur or some details may not yet be fully confirmed. For this reason, you should treat the information in this article as an initial guideline only and always consult the competent tax office or a professional tax adviser for binding and up-to-date information.
