Moving to Germany but still supporting your parents back home financially? You are not alone. Do you know that you may deduct these maintenance payments (Unterhaltszahlungen) in your German tax return? It is not easy but it is worth it, especially if you are sending a lot of money and if you are in a high tax bracket.
In this article, I will share my personal experience of deducting maintenance payments in my German tax return. I will also explain how you can do the same and some tips to increase your chance of deducting your maintenance payments successfully.