Yes, certain funeral expenses can be claimed as extraordinary burdens (German: außergewöhnliche Belastungen) for tax purposes – but only if you covered the costs yourself and they weren’t reimbursed by the estate or a funeral insurance policy.
Deductible expenses include, for example:
Purchase and maintenance of the gravesite
Coffin or urn
Funeral flowers (e.g. wreaths, bouquets)
Obituaries or death notices
Not deductible are:
Catering costs for the funeral service
Gravestones with particularly high decorative value
Who is this relevant for?
Primarily for close relatives, such as:
Spouses
Children
Parents
Siblings (if they can prove they covered the costs)
You must be able to provide proof of expenses, such as invoices and bank statements. Additionally, the tax office will check whether the costs are considered reasonable or exceptionally high.
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