Schwerin (dpa / mv) – Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania rejects the proposal by Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) to extend the deadline for submitting property tax returns. October 31, 2022 was set in order to be able to guarantee a constitutional collection of property tax from 2025, the Schwerin Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday at the request of the German Press Agency.
The tax offices would have to process the huge number of declarations in good time to give the municipalities enough time to set the assessment rates and draw up the budget plans. A spokeswoman for MV Finance Minister Heiko Geue (SPD) emphasized that it is important that nationwide agreements on the deadlines remain.
Lindner had suggested giving property owners more time to process and submit their declaration. “I am very much asking that the federal states take up the proposal and that we agree on a different timetable,” said the Federal Minister of Finance. “Now, due to the heavy workload of the various parties involved, we have other priorities than just looking at one or two months.”
The submission deadline is at the end of October. It is not based on a federal regulation, but on determinations made by the federal states. From 2025, a new property tax calculation will apply. To do this, almost 36 million properties in Germany have to be revalued. This is done on the basis of information that all owners must submit – the tax authorities have been receiving the data since July 1st.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, just over every fifth declaration has been received by the responsible tax offices. Many citizens feel overwhelmed. The Schwerin ministry reported an increasing number of inquiries on Tuesday and has set up a hotline. The appointment-free office hours of the tax offices have been extended.
Property tax is one of the most important sources of income for municipalities. Before the Corona crisis, it covered around 15 percent of its tax revenue. After a decision by the Federal Constitutional Court, it had to be reorganized.
