Survey: Two thirds submit tax returns electronically

Tax returns are increasingly being submitted digitally: two-thirds (65 percent) of those who have already submitted a tax return did so electronically. This is 7 percentage points more than in the previous year (58 percent). Only one in five (20 percent) still uses pen and paper—after a quarter (25 percent) in the previous year. This is the result of a representative Bitkom survey of 1003 people aged 16 and over.

According to the survey, the Elster platform is ahead for the first time: 31% of taxpayers used the tax office's portal directly, compared to 23% in 2024. This puts Elster ahead of commercial tax software for PCs or notebooks, which 27% used. These programs usually offer additional plausibility checks and information. Smartphone apps were used by 7 percent, compared to 9 percent in 2024. 15 percent used professional tax advice.

Desire for pre-filled forms

Around half (51%) of taxpayers would like the tax office to fill out forms with existing data that then only needs to be approved. Among 16- to 29-year-olds, the figure is almost two-thirds (62 percent). A corresponding pilot project is currently underway at the Kassel tax office.

AI support conceivable

A quarter (27%) of respondents can imagine an AI completing their tax return—among 16- to 29-year-olds, the figure is as high as 38 percent. More than a third (37 percent) favor a mandatory electronic tax return for everyone.

For the vast majority, however, the tax return remains a necessary evil: around two-thirds (63 percent) put it off until the last minute. At least one in ten (10 percent) enjoy doing their tax return. The survey took place between August and September 2025, shortly after the 2024 deadline for filing income tax returns. The rush to use Elster by the 2023 deadline was already noticeable.

“The electronic tax return proves that the German administration can successfully digitalize its processes and that people are accepting this,” says Bitkom CEO Bernhard Rohleder. “The next step is to utilize digital technologies in such a way that, ideally, taxpayers only need to check and submit the tax return they have already prepared.”

(mack)