What does Finanzamt mean?
The Finanzamt (tax office) is the office for taxes. It checks your tax return and sends you the Steuerbescheid.
das Finanzamt · die Finanzämter (plural)
Which Finanzamt is responsible usually depends on where you live. Its name is at the top of its letters.
Many employees do not have to file a tax return. It is often still worth it, because you get money back.
Against a Steuerbescheid (tax assessment), you file an Einspruch, not a Widerspruch. The deadline is in the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung.
You can usually also write to the Finanzamt online through ELSTER.
Example sentence
Das Finanzamt hat Ihre Einkommensteuererklärung für 2025 bearbeitet.
The Finanzamt has processed your income tax return for 2025.
What you can do
Write your Steuernummer on every letter to the Finanzamt. Keep receipts for several years.
Related words
- Steuerbescheid A Steuerbescheid (tax assessment) tells you how much tax you must pay or will get back. It usually comes from the Finanzamt.
- Steuernummer The Steuernummer (tax number) is your number at your Finanzamt. It is at the top of the Finanzamt's letters and notices.
- Steuer-ID The Steuer-ID (tax ID) is your personal number for taxes in Germany. It has eleven digits and stays the same for life.
- Einspruch With an Einspruch, you challenge certain decisions, for example from the Finanzamt (tax office) or a Bußgeldbescheid (fine).
- Nachzahlung Nachzahlung means money paid afterwards. Depending on the letter, you have to pay more, or you get money.
- Stundung Stundung (deferral) means you may pay a debt later than it is actually due.