Fill in Form ESt 1 A online
Paper income tax return (main form ESt 1 A and schedules) for people who may still file on paper instead of through ELSTER.
Do not sign this form electronically. Form ESt 1 A has to be signed by hand, in person or through the agency’s own filing system. You can type your details into the PDF here, then print it and follow the official instructions to sign and submit it.
Form ESt 1 A at a glance
- Official name
- Einkommensteuererklärung (ESt 1 A) und Anlagen
- Issued by
- Finanzverwaltung (Formular-Management-System)
- Country
- Germany
- Category
- Tax
- Language
- German
- Who uses it
- Employees and others who don't file through ELSTER.
- Signature
Print and sign by hand
§ 25(3) EStG requires a personally signed (eigenhändig unterschrieben) return; on a joint return both spouses sign. Print the paper return and sign it by hand.
The ESt 1 A is the main form of the German income tax return (Einkommensteuererklärung), filed with schedules (Anlagen) such as Anlage N for employment income. Employees and pensioners without business income may still file on paper instead of through ELSTER. Get the forms from the federal form server, open them in BunnyDoc's free Sign PDF tool, type your details into the fillable fields and download them to print and sign by hand. The PDF is handled in your browser and never leaves your device.
How to fill in Form ESt 1 A
Get the forms for the right year
Open the federal Formular-Management-System from this page and choose the year, for example Einkommensteuer 2025 with all schedules. Save the PDFs you need and open them in Sign PDF.
General details (lines 1 to 29)
Enter your tax number and tax office, then the personal details of person A and, for joint assessment, person B, including religion and marital status.
Assessment type and bank details (lines 19 and 30 to 33)
Choose joint or separate assessment if you are married, and give the account for any refund.
Further information (lines 34 to 37)
Tick if you apply for the employee savings bonus, report wage replacement benefits such as parental allowance in lines 35 and 36, and add supplementary information in line 37 if needed.
Add the schedules you need
Common ones are Anlage N (employment), Anlage Vorsorgeaufwand (insurance), Anlage Kind, Anlage KAP (capital income), Anlage R (pensions), Anlage V (rental income), Anlage Sonderausgaben, Anlage Haushaltsnahe Aufwendungen and Anlage Außergewöhnliche Belastungen.
Sign and send to your tax office
Print everything, sign the main form by hand (both spouses on a joint return) and send it to the tax office for your home address, or hand it in. Do not email it.
What you need before you start
- Your tax number and tax identification number.
- Your annual payslip data (Lohnsteuerbescheinigung) from each employer.
- Records of costs you want to claim, such as commuting, insurance, donations or childcare.
- The official instructions (Anleitung) for the tax year.
Can I still file on paper?
Yes, if you have no business, self-employed or farming income. § 25(4) EStG requires electronic filing through ELSTER for those incomes, and Berlin's tax administration notes that paper returns from them are treated as not filed except in hardship cases. Employees and pensioners can still use the paper forms.
Paper returns must be signed by hand under § 25(3) EStG. A return sent by email is not valid.
Deadlines
- If you must file, the deadline for the 2025 return was 31 July 2026, according to the official Anleitung. Returns prepared by a tax adviser have a later deadline.
- If you file voluntarily (Antragsveranlagung), for example to get a refund, the 2025 return must reach the tax office by 31 December 2029.
Form ESt 1 A: frequently asked questions
Where do I send my paper tax return?
To the tax office (Finanzamt) responsible for where you live. You can post it or hand it in. It cannot be sent by email.
Do both spouses have to sign?
Yes. On a joint return (Zusammenveranlagung), § 25(3) EStG requires both spouses to sign the return by hand.
Can I sign the ESt 1 A electronically?
Not the paper form. The electronic route is ELSTER, which uses its own authentication. A printed return must carry your handwritten signature.
Do I need to attach receipts?
Generally no. Keep them and send them only if the tax office asks, with some exceptions such as foreign tax certificates.
What is the deadline for the 2025 return?
31 July 2026 for people who must file without an adviser. A voluntary return for 2025 can be filed until 31 December 2029.
Is BunnyDoc connected to the German tax authorities?
No. BunnyDoc is not affiliated with the Finanzverwaltung, ELSTER or any tax office. We link to the official forms and give you a free tool to fill them in your browser.
BunnyDoc is not affiliated with Finanzverwaltung (Formular-Management-System). Always download the latest edition from the official site and follow its instructions for signing and filing.
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