smartsteuer
 | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial software |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Area served | Germany |
| Services | Online tax preparation |
| Parent | Haufe Group |
smartsteuer is a German online tax preparation service operated by smartsteuer GmbH, a company based in Hanover. Launched in 2010, it allows individuals and self-employed taxpayers to prepare and electronically submit German tax returns. The company is part of the Haufe Group.[1][2]
History
[edit]Smartsteuer launched its online tax service in 2010.[1] In 2013, Haufe-Lexware acquired a majority stake in the company.
Haufe had previously used smartsteuer technology for its QuickSteuer Online service, and the two products were subsequently combined.[3]
In 2018, smartsteuer acquired Steuerbot, a Stuttgart-based company that had developed a chat-based tax-return application. At the time, smartsteuer employed 23 people in Hanover.[4] The same year, it began cooperating with ING in Germany on a service that allowed customers to prepare partly pre-filled tax returns through ING's online banking platform.[1]
Smartsteuer used also machine learning to analyse anonymised tax cases. Submitted tax returns were compared with later tax assessments to identify differences and improve the software's behavior.[1]
In 2023, Haufe sold Steuerbot to the Berlin-based tax software company Taxfix. Steuerbot continued to operate as a separate service after the acquisition.[5]
Service
[edit]Smartsteuer uses a guided interview in which users enter information about their income, expenses and personal circumstances. The software calculates an estimated tax result during the process and can submit tax returns electronically to the German tax authorities.[2]
The service was initially aimed mainly at employees but was later expanded to support more complex cases. These include income from self-employment and rental property, profit calculations and business and value-added tax returns.[2]
Smartsteuer is integrated with Lexware Office, Haufe's cloud accounting software. Users can transfer data from their income–expenditure statement (EÜR), as well as information for the annual VAT return, directly to smartsteuer for completion and electronic filing.[6]
Reception
[edit]Heise tested smartsteuer in 2023 using two real tax cases involving employment, freelance work and retirement income. It reported that the program's calculations closely matched the corresponding tax assessments.[2]
In 2024, WirtschaftsWoche described smartsteuer as comparatively comprehensive for an online tax service, highlighting its support for self-employment and rental income.[7] Stiftung Warentest also included smartsteuer in its 2026 comparison of German tax software and tax applications.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Kutsche, Katharina (10 June 2019). "Geld zurück". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German).
- 1 2 3 4 Wagenhäuser, Rainer (13 January 2023). "Smartsteuer im Test: Praktische Hilfe bei der Online-Steuererklärung". Heise (in German).
- ↑ Riechers, Kersten A. (24 January 2013). "Haufe übernimmt Smartsteuer". Gründerszene (in German). Business Insider Deutschland.
- ↑ Wölbert, Christian (10 September 2018). "Smartsteuer kauft Steuerbot". Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung (in German).
- ↑ Schlenk, Caspar Tobias (27 February 2023). "Taxfix übernimmt Steuerbot". FinanceFWD (in German).
- ↑ "Wie übertrage ich meine Daten aus Lexware Office an smartsteuer?". Lexware Office Help Center (in German). 3 June 2026. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
- ↑ Hoyer, Niklas (12 April 2024). "Smartsteuer: Ohne Installation und trotzdem leistungsstark". WirtschaftsWoche (in German).
- ↑ "Steuerprogramme und Steuer-Apps im Test". Finanztest (in German). Stiftung Warentest. 21 April 2026.