Vienna

Please be aware of major changes in the field of VAT such as application of open market value, point in time of input VAT deduction, electronicly sent invoices and input VAT deduction, invoicing in foreign currency, etc from beginning of 2013 on.

After the Superior Administrative Court ("Verfassungsgerichtshof") had ruled that the Act on Court Filing Fees ("Gerichtsgebührengesetzes") cannot apply the tax base of the Real Estate Transfer to calculate the filig fees for entry in the land register beyond the end of 2012 anymore the new law requires the fair market value to be applied for means of calculating the filig fees for entry in the land register. This inlcudes gifts and inheritances from Jan. 1st, 2013 on. Several pleasing exceptions apply. Beware of changes in the Real Estate Transfer Tax due to a Superior Administrative Court ("Verfassungsgerichtshof") ruling.

Top Earners are subject to a so called solidarity surcharge („Solidarabgabe“) due to the 1st Stability Act 2012 (1. Stabilitätsgesetz 2012): the so called "Gewinnfreibetrag" as well as the flat 6% tax rate on other income ("begünstigter Steuersatz für sonstige Bezüge") will deteriorate for the years 2013 to 2016.

Due to new regulations the financial authorities will electronically deliver administrative decisons ("Bescheidzustellung") under certain circumstances in FinanzOnline.