Income Tax Adjustment 2025: How to Get Your Money Back in 2026
Every year, Austrians give millions of euros to the state because they don't file their income tax adjustment (officially: Arbeitnehmerveranlagung, or employee assessment) or file it incompletely. In 2026, this is particularly unfortunate, as many deductible amounts have significantly increased due to inflation adjustment ("abolition of cold progression").
No matter if you worked full-time all year, were on parental leave, or switched jobs – almost everyone gets money back. In this guide, we'll show you what to pay special attention to this year.
1. Key Dates for 2026
You can now submit your assessment for the year 2025 via FinanzOnline.
- Automatic Assessment: If you do nothing, the tax office will conduct an automatic assessment for you in the second half of the year. But beware: Many individual deductible amounts (like income-related expenses) are not considered in this process. If you want to get more back, you need to take action yourself!
- Deadline: You have five years to apply for the income tax adjustment retroactively.
2. The "Cash-Bringers": What You Can Deduct in 2025/26
2.1. Home Office Flat Rate & Ergonomics
The home office is here to stay. For 2025, you can save big again:
- 3 Euros per day: You can claim the home office flat rate for up to 100 days a year (maximum 300 Euros).
- Ergonomic Furniture: Did you buy an ergonomic desk chair or a height-adjustable table? You can deduct up to 300 Euros per year, provided you worked at least 26 days from home.
2.2. Family Bonus Plus
This is the biggest tax lever for parents. For children under 18, you can get up to 2,000 Euros directly deducted from your tax liability (not just from the tax base!). For children over 18, it's still up to 700 Euros.
2.3. Income-Related Expenses (Werbungskosten): Everything for the Job
Income-related expenses are costs you incurred professionally that your employer did not reimburse:
- Further Training: Course fees, professional literature, and even travel costs to seminars.
- Work Equipment: Laptop, headset for video calls, or commercially used software. If the price exceeds 1,000 Euros, it must be depreciated over several years.
- Commuter Flat Rate (Pendlerpauschale): Be sure to check with the Ministry of Finance's commuter calculator (Pendlerrechner) if you are entitled to the commuter euro.
Checklist: Documents for the Income Tax Adjustment
Before you log into FinanzOnline, have the following receipts ready:
| Document | Status |
|---|---|
| Donation confirmations (usually automatically submitted) | [ ] |
| Invoices for work equipment (PC, furniture, internet) | [ ] |
| Receipts for training costs & travel expenses | [ ] |
| Medical expenses (dental prostheses, glasses – if above deductible) | [ ] |
| Confirmation of church contribution | [ ] |
3. New in 2026: Valorization of Deductible Amounts
Due to the abolition of cold progression, almost all deductible amounts (e.g., sole earner tax credit, multi-child supplement) have been adjusted by the inflation rate. For you, this means: with the same salary and expenses, you effectively get more money back than in the previous year.
4. Avoiding Common Mistakes
- Forgetting special expenses: Donations and church contributions are usually reported automatically, but a quick check in FinanzOnline is worthwhile to ensure everything has been correctly registered.
- Not submitting anything because you "earn too little": Even with low incomes (below the tax threshold), there is the so-called Negative Tax (SV-Rückerstattung, or social security refund). So it always pays off!
- Not keeping receipts: You don't have to submit the invoices, but you must keep them for 7 years for a possible audit by the tax office.
Conclusion: Your Money is Waiting for You
With good preparation, the income tax adjustment takes barely longer than 30 minutes, but on average, it brings back several hundred euros. It's the easiest way to boost your budget for 2026.
Learn Tax Tricks in Tandem! The financial system can seem daunting. On Skill Tandem, you'll find partners who have already navigated the income tax adjustment. Exchange ideas: What's new this year? What did the tax office approve for you? Saving together is more fun and brings more success!
FAQ: Quick Questions About the Income Tax Adjustment
When will the money be transferred?
Typically, it takes between two and eight weeks after submission for the notice to arrive and the money to be credited to your account.
Can I use both the home office and commuter flat rate simultaneously?
Yes, that is possible. The commuter flat rate is calculated for the days you actually travel to your workplace, while the home office flat rate applies to the days you work from home.
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