smartsteuer

What smartsteuer is

smartsteuer is an online tax-return service for employees, self-employed people, retirees, and students filing in Germany. Its guided interview asks relevant questions step by step, and smartCheck looks for errors, plausibility issues, and possible tax-saving opportunities. VaSt can retrieve tax data from the tax office to prepare a pre-filled return, while users can carry data over from previous years. Self-employed users can send EÜR data from Lexware Office bookkeeping through an interface. Completed returns are transmitted electronically to the tax office using ELSTER; amended returns and rental income are supported. The service runs in a browser on desktop, tablet, or smartphone without installation. smartsteuer says it encrypts data, stores it in German data centres, and cites PCI DSS and SAS 70 Type IIb standards. It also says its systems receive BSI checks and ongoing internal security tests. Support is available by email, and an AI chatbot provides tax answers 24/7. The plan costs €39.99 a year, billed by tax year, and includes five submissions for one tax year. A free trial is available.