Employees or self-employed people who have paid for a language course themselves as part of a professional advanced training scheme can be reimbursed by the tax office. The requirement is that the language course was undertaken in a professional capacity, according to Michael Kern from the advanced training provider KERN Training, which has over 40 training centers nationwide. Employees can declare the costs as work related tax deductions and self-employed people can declare them as operating costs in order to make them tax deductible.
Frankfurt am Main. In accordance with certain requirements, you can doubly profit from an advanced training scheme, such as a language course for example. “If the language course is professionally required and, is in line with the practiced profession, the tax office will acknowledge the costs. Private motives should only play an underlying role,” says Michael Kern, a member of the executive board at KERN Training. The professional reason for the language course should be documented in the tax declaration. “The employee can simply verify this with a certificate from the employer. A list of the course contents and a justification of how the content is meaningful for the profession can also be sent to the tax office,” recommends Michael Kern.
As well as the course fees, other costs can be reimbursed in this way. Such costs include, for example, examination fees, printing costs for educational work or travel costs to classes, as well as catering costs. Moreover, work equipment can be calculated as part of work related tax deduction. “Those who would like to deduct the language course fees from tax expenses should accurately collect and submit all evidence and certificates” says advanced training expert Michael Kern.
About KERN Training
As a family company with over 40 training centers across Germany, KERN Training offers a broad, diversified portfolio of services: from tailored language training for professionals and executives to competence training for management skills, right through to intercultural training. The contents and form of every training program are based on the individual requirements of the participant: whether it is face-to-face training, coaching, blended learning, or live teaching in a virtual classroom. KERN Training is a state recognized educational provider and is certified according to ISO 9001 and AZAV (Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung – Further Training Approval Ordinance) of the TÜV Hesse) The training center in Frankfurt am Main offers internationally recognized language certificates such as TOEFL, LCCI, TFI, TOEIC or telc.