From BZ/dpa
Does the property tax return give you a headache? It doesn’t have to be. Stiftung Warentest has tested programs designed to make the bureaucratic process easier.
Anyone who has to submit a property tax return this year has a number of options.
Stiftung Warentest has tried the two free financial management programs and two fee-based alternatives (Wiso property tax and Smartsteuer property tax). At least one of the alternatives is convincing.
The programs should solve two sample cases.
magpie, the free online portal of the financial administration, leads, according to the product testers, through the property tax return in a structured way, but uses a lot of technical terms and has a complex registration process. That can be challenging for laypeople.
Free alternative does not benefit all those affected
Easier and also free: The property tax portal of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
There, specific questions and detailed information texts guide you quickly through the property tax return. The help is also clearly arranged and has a reasonable length, according to the verdict.
Disadvantage: The program is only tailored to private individuals who have to provide information on single and two-family houses, condominiums and undeveloped properties.
In addition, the service can only be used in countries that follow the federal model. The tool is of no use to those affected in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse and Lower Saxony.
Paid program calculates the property tax value
Of the two paid programs, the testers were only convinced by Wiso Grundsteuer for just under 30 euros.
The ease of use of the software was particularly pleasing. In addition, taxpayers receive important additional information, for example where the required data can be obtained. The explanation is particularly easy for laypeople to understand.
Unique selling point of the application: Wiso is the only program in the test that calculates the probable property tax value. This makes it easier to check the tax assessment at a later date.