Can I deduct the cost of a German language course in my Austrian tax return?
If German is not your mother tongue, you might have spent some time in a German class in Austria, but can those expenses be deducted from your taxes?
Many foreigners living in Austria who don't have German as their mother tongue end up taking a German course at some point. There are countless options, many of them very cheap or subsidised, but costs can still add up, of course.
A common question among those who have taken German classes is whether they are tax-deductible. As many prepare their tax returns in the early months of the year, can you add your German class costs as an expense?
Training and further education
According to Austria's tax authorities, anyone who attends courses or training programmes to improve their professional skills or acquire new ones can claim the costs incurred.
READ ALSO: What are the best ways to learn German quickly in Vienna?
"The essence of training is that it enables you to practise a profession in the future. You can only deduct the costs if this training is related to your current profession or a related activity", according to Austria's tax book.
READ ALSO: The tax benefits that parents and families receive in Austria
The idea is the same when it comes to language courses. They will be recognised as training if you need the language skills for your current or related profession—in the case of a German language course, it's very easy to justify the connection with basically any profession.
The government talks about "foreign language acquisition", but also makes it clear that German can count as a foreign language if it's not the person's mother tongue.
What if I travel for a language course?
If you are taking a language course abroad - a German course in Germany or an Italian one in Italy, for example - you can also deduct "pure course costs" as long as the language skills are professionally relevant.
Austria's Chamber of Commerce cites some examples of professions where (foreign) language skills would be necessary or advantageous: service employees, secretariat workers, salespeople, and telephone operators. Of course, many other professionals could benefit from speaking a second or third language—and all of them will benefit from German skills if they work in Austria.
READ ALSO: What foreigners in Austria should know about taxes
Regarding travelling for a language course, you'd be able to write off travelling and accommodation expenses if they are "almost exclusively work-related". That means that the planning and implementation of the trips follow a specific curriculum, the programme is tailored to people in a specific professional group, the language skills are used professionally, and the programme offers no more free time than an ongoing full-time job.
As with all tax issues, many things are very individual and will depend on personal circumstances. So, getting professional advice if you have any questions might be worth it.
Do you have any questions about filing taxes in Austria? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments
See Also
Many foreigners living in Austria who don't have German as their mother tongue end up taking a German course at some point. There are countless options, many of them very cheap or subsidised, but costs can still add up, of course.
A common question among those who have taken German classes is whether they are tax-deductible. As many prepare their tax returns in the early months of the year, can you add your German class costs as an expense?
Training and further education
According to Austria's tax authorities, anyone who attends courses or training programmes to improve their professional skills or acquire new ones can claim the costs incurred.
READ ALSO: What are the best ways to learn German quickly in Vienna?
"The essence of training is that it enables you to practise a profession in the future. You can only deduct the costs if this training is related to your current profession or a related activity", according to Austria's tax book.
READ ALSO: The tax benefits that parents and families receive in Austria
The idea is the same when it comes to language courses. They will be recognised as training if you need the language skills for your current or related profession—in the case of a German language course, it's very easy to justify the connection with basically any profession.
The government talks about "foreign language acquisition", but also makes it clear that German can count as a foreign language if it's not the person's mother tongue.
What if I travel for a language course?
If you are taking a language course abroad - a German course in Germany or an Italian one in Italy, for example - you can also deduct "pure course costs" as long as the language skills are professionally relevant.
Austria's Chamber of Commerce cites some examples of professions where (foreign) language skills would be necessary or advantageous: service employees, secretariat workers, salespeople, and telephone operators. Of course, many other professionals could benefit from speaking a second or third language—and all of them will benefit from German skills if they work in Austria.
READ ALSO: What foreigners in Austria should know about taxes
Regarding travelling for a language course, you'd be able to write off travelling and accommodation expenses if they are "almost exclusively work-related". That means that the planning and implementation of the trips follow a specific curriculum, the programme is tailored to people in a specific professional group, the language skills are used professionally, and the programme offers no more free time than an ongoing full-time job.
As with all tax issues, many things are very individual and will depend on personal circumstances. So, getting professional advice if you have any questions might be worth it.
Do you have any questions about filing taxes in Austria? Let us know in the comments below.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.