The federal government should intensify the campaign for the property tax declaration

Just last week, Hamburg's finance senator Andreas Dressel (SPD) expressed annoyance at a rush by the Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), who had played an extension of the deadline for the property tax return into the political debate. But now Hamburg also agreed to this measure. However, Dressel links them to demands on the federal government. "In addition to the efforts of the federal states, the Federal Ministry of Finance should once again intensify the information and advertising campaign for the declaration," he said on Thursday after the decision of the finance ministers' conference to extend the deadline once from the end of October to the end of January 2023.

"Even if Hamburg is three percent above the national average in terms of return of declarations, the response rate of around one third two weeks before the deadline at the end of October is well below expectations," said Dressel. And Lindner also got a swipe: "The repeated, uncoordinated communication on the part of the Federal Minister of Finance did not make the return easier."

The tenor of the conference was that the new deadline must be observed at all costs. "And we appeal together to the citizens and tax consultants to ensure that declarations are continuously returned and to use the comprehensive information and support services that are already available for this purpose."

Property tax returns from property owners are necessary because the new property tax calculation is to apply in Germany from 2025. To do this, the tax authorities need data from all owners. Usually it is about the land and living space, the type of building, years of construction and the so-called standard land value.