Munich · Tax · Steuer-ID

Finanzamt + Steuer-ID in Munich

How the Steuer-ID arrives, what the Finanzamt does, and how to file your first Lohnsteuer return.

Germany has two tax identifiers you'll encounter:

• Steuer-ID (Steueridentifikationsnummer) — an 11-digit number that stays with you for life. You'll give it to employers, banks, tax filings, and even your Kita.
• Steuernummer — a different number for filing tax returns; comes from your local Finanzamt, not the federal office. Most employees never need to know it.

How you get your Steuer-ID

The envelope comes from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt), not from Munich. It's a plain letter; easy to miss if you're not looking for it.

Lost your Steuer-ID?

Two options:

1. Online retrieval at the BZSt website. You fill a short form, and the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern mails your Steuer-ID to your registered address (2–4 weeks). ^bzst.de
2. Employer or bank — if you've already shared it once, it's on your first payslip or bank welcome letter.

Finanzamt München — three offices, one system

Munich's Finanzamt is split across three regional offices:

• Finanzamt München Abteilung I — central Munich
• Finanzamt München Abteilung II — north + west
• Finanzamt München Abteilung III — south + east

Your Finanzamt is assigned by your home address — not your choice.

Filing your first tax return (Einkommensteuererklärung)

Most employees:

• Can file (voluntary) and often get €500–€1,500 back, especially in the first year when you bought furniture, had moving costs, or paid German Sprachkurs fees.
• Must file if you have multiple employers, side income > €410/year, or claimed Lohnsteuerermäßigung.

Tools that make it easy

• ELSTER (elster.de) — the free official portal. Now supports English partially.
• Taxfix or Steuergo — paid apps (~€35) that walk you through in English.
• WISO Steuer — desktop software; German only but well-liked.
• A Steuerberater — human tax adviser; ~€150–€400 for a simple return. Worth it for freelance + self-employment.

Common first-year deductions

• Moving to Germany — flight + shipping + relocation costs (partially deductible as Werbungskosten if for a job).
• Sprachkurs — German language course fees.
• Home office Pauschale — €6/day, max €1,260/year.
• Commute — €0.30/km one-way (Entfernungspauschale).
• Job-application costs — CV prints, travel to interviews.
• Furnishing a second home — if your "real" home is elsewhere.