Werbungskosten Calculator — Maximise Your Tax Deductions
Enter your work-related expenses below. The tool compares your total against the €1,230 flat rate and calculates your estimated tax saving. Based on §9 EStG.
Commuting (Pendlerpauschale)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.4 EStG — distance allowance to first workplace
€0
▼
One-way only. Use the shortest reasonable route.
Typically 220 days. Subtract home office days.
Enter your distance to calculate
Home Office (Homeoffice-Pauschale)
§9 Abs.5 EStG — €6/day, max 210 days (€1,260/year)
€0
▼
Max 210 days. Days worked from home only — not commuting days.
€6 per day × your days (max €1,260)
Work Equipment (Arbeitsmittel)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.6 EStG — laptop, desk, chair, tools
€0
▼
Fully deductible in year of purchase per BMF 22.02.2022, regardless of price. 50% if also used privately.
Desk, chair, bookshelf, headset etc. Under €800 net = full deduction in year of purchase.
Over €800 net = depreciated over useful life (typically 3–13 years). Enter total cost — we’ll calculate one year’s depreciation at 3 years.
Enter equipment costs to calculate
Professional Training & Education (Fortbildungskosten)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.7 EStG — courses, books, subscriptions
€0
▼
Work-related only. Language courses count if required for your job.
Technical books, professional journals, trade publications.
Enter training costs to calculate
Job Application Costs (Bewerbungskosten)
§9 EStG — travel, photos, materials. No statutory cap.
€0
▼
Travel costs to interviews are deductible at €0.30/km (one-way × 2). Enter average km per interview below.
€2.50 per online application, up to €15 per postal application with folder are accepted without receipts.
Enter application details to calculate
Union & Professional Fees (Gewerkschaftsbeiträge)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.3 EStG — deductible in full from 2026
€0
▼
From 2026: Gewerkschaftsbeiträge are deductible even if total Werbungskosten stay below the €1,230 flat rate (Steueränderungsgesetz 2025).
Enter union fees to calculate
Internet & Phone (private, work proportion)
BMF guidance — 20% of bill, max €20/month (€240/year)
€0
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20% of your monthly bill is deductible as Werbungskosten, capped at €20/month (€240/year). No proof needed for the 20% flat.
20% of your bill, max €240/year
Bank Account Fees
BMF administrative practice — €16/year without proof
€0
▼
Note: €16 is accepted administrative practice, not a statutory figure. Safe to claim even with a free account.
€16 flat rate accepted by Finanzämter
Professional Clothing (Berufskleidung)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.6 EStG — uniforms & protective gear only. Suits NOT deductible.
€0
▼
Only uniforms, protective gear, medical whites, pilot/police uniforms, and workwear with prominent employer logos qualify (BFH VIII R 33/18). Suits, blouses, and everyday business clothing — even if worn exclusively at work — do NOT qualify.
Enter qualifying clothing costs
Double Household (Doppelte Haushaltsführung)
§9 Abs.1 Nr.5 EStG — second home for work, max €1,000/month
€0
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Max €1,000/month deductible for accommodation costs. Furniture & equipment for the second home may be separately deductible — see cluster post.
Actual rent × months, capped at €1,000/month
Business Travel Meal Allowance (Verpflegungsmehraufwand)
§9 Abs.4a EStG — overnight business trips only, not daily commuting
€0
▼
€28/day. Full calendar days away from home and first workplace with overnight stay.
€14/day. Only for arrival/departure days where you also stayed overnight. NOT for single-day trips without overnight stay.
This applies to overnight business trips only — not daily commuting
Work-Related Relocation (Umzugskosten)
BMF-Schreiben 28.12.2023 — flat rate from March 2024
€0
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Relocation must be work-related (new job, employer transfer). The flat rate covers misc. moving expenses — actual removal costs are additionally deductible with receipts.
€964 + €643 per additional person (from March 2024)
Your deduction summary — 2025
Total Werbungskosten
€0
your itemised total
Flat rate (Pauschbetrag)
€1,230
automatically applied
Benefit of itemising
€0
above flat rate
Estimated tax saving
€0
at your marginal rate
Enter your expenses above to see whether itemising beats the flat rate.
Line-by-line breakdown
Claim these deductions on your German tax return — in English
Wundertax guides you through every deduction. Free refund estimate — pay only when you submit.
Claim with Wundertax →
Note: Estimates based on §9 EStG and BMF guidance. Marginal tax rate is approximate — actual saving depends on your full tax situation including social insurance, Sonderausgaben, and other deductions. Verpflegungsmehraufwand applies to overnight business trips only, not daily commuting. Professional clothing deduction requires typische Berufskleidung — suits and everyday business clothing do not qualify (BFH VIII R 33/18). Always keep receipts for all claimed expenses. Consult a Steuerberater for your personal situation.