Avoid these common mistakes in tax refunds in Austria.
At the beginning of March, all citizens in Austria can apply for Steuerausgleich (tax reconciliation), but many of them make common mistakes that can affect the refund amounts.
The most important mistakes to avoid: Not claiming the family bonus (Familienbonus Plus) Even if you receive the bonus monthly as part of your salary, you must register it when submitting your tax settlement. Failing to do so may result in amounts owed instead of a refund. Forgetting to account for the commuting allowance (Pendlerpauschale) when changing jobs If you changed jobs during the year and the Pendlerpauschale was calculated for you in your previous salary, you must also include it when submitting the tax settlement; otherwise, the tax calculation will be incorrect.
How do you reclaim your money from taxes? You can submit the application online through the finanzonline platform or using a paper form, taking into account the deadlines for each method. Deductible costs include: Pendlerpauschale (commuting allowance) Familienbonus Plus (family bonus) Additional health insurance costs for covered relatives Education and training expenses Exceptional expenses such as medical costs or childcare expenses.
The deadline for submitting the application You can submit a Steuerausgleich application until the end of the fifth year following the tax year, which means you have until December 2025 to apply for the year 2020. If you are required to submit the application mandatorily, there may be earlier deadlines. For more details, you can visit oesterreich.gv.at.