Kassel is moving forward: the tax office is testing automated tax returns!

Kassel is moving forward: the tax office is testing automated tax returns!

Tax returns made easy – that is the goal of an innovative pilot project that is currently being tested in the Kassel tax office in northern Hesse. Automation is being introduced here to make it easier for employees without tax advisors to submit their tax returns. Watson reports that the tax office will in future be able to fill out tax returns itself based on existing data such as wages, pensions and insurance. This means that the first tax assessment is no longer a big mystery for citizens, but rather a suggestion that can be examined at leisure.

Citizens also have the opportunity to add their other costs, such as tradesmen's bills or donations, via the Elster online platform. The authority will then check this information and send the final decision. This test project is aimed primarily at those who often suffer from the jungle of tax forms - and, if it proves successful, could even be expanded to the whole of Hesse.

Comparison to other countries

A look across borders shows that similar systems are already established in other countries such as Austria and Sweden, where ready-made tax returns are proactively provided by the state. In Germany, this step could be a real blessing for many who struggle with tax returns.

Current events in the Middle East

CNN. Disturbing videos have been released showing the hostages in a deplorable condition - one of the hostages, Evyatar David, appears severely emaciated and is filmed digging a hole which he describes as his grave. Hamas is currently holding around 50 hostages, at least 20 of whom are said to be in good health.

Among the protesters increasingly calling for an end to the war was US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with the families of the hostages and called for a comprehensive solution for the hostages' release. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was shocked by the published images and assured that everything would be done to get the hostages back.

The situation in Gaza

The situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly dramatic. A UN-backed food safety agency has warned of a possible famine. Thirteen people have died of malnutrition in the last 48 hours and health services are overwhelmed. The Palestinian health minister reports a staggering 104 deaths and over 1,300 injuries in this short period.

Meanwhile, the hostages also have to reckon with catastrophic conditions and a lack of food, while talks about a possible ceasefire have stalled. There seems to be no end to this dramatic situation in sight, while at the same time the embattled regions are overwhelmed with press reports about Hamas's suspicious attitude towards the International Red Cross.

So while people in Germany are likely to be happy about the news about tax returns, what is happening in the Middle East stands in sharp contrast to this development and is affecting the world. This makes it all the more important to keep an eye on and pursue such topics.

The United Arab Emirates are now on the fast track economically. This region has grown from oil-rich to a major global trading center in recent decades, with a population made up of diverse cultures, making the country a tourist magnet.