FinanzOnline: five settings to get right at the start
The minimum you should do right after your first login — so you don't have to search for letters in paper mail.
FinanzOnline is the default channel through which Finanzamt communicates with you. A letter you never saw is still considered delivered. That is why five settings at the outset are not about convenience — they are about not missing a deadline.
Five settings worth configuring straight away
First: enable electronic document delivery and make sure to enter an e-mail address for notifications about new items in your Databox. Without this, letters arrive in the portal silently.
Second: switch to ID Austria login instead of a password. It is more secure and saves you when the password is lost right before a deadline.
Third: enter your bank details for refunds. An overpayment without an account on file simply waits in the system until you remember it.
Fourth: set up access for your tax advisor — and restrict it to the level that is actually needed. Shared access is convenient until the advisor changes.
Fifth: make it a habit to check your Databox once a week. Two minutes on a Friday cost less than a penalty for a missed deadline.
Finanzamt rarely penalises a mistake in a figure. It penalises silence in response — and that is the part that is easy to configure once and for all.
If the portal is already set up, one small thing remains: check that the e-mail address for notifications is current. The most common reason for a missed letter is an address created three years ago that has long since gone unread.
We help with ID Austria, FinanzOnline and other digital public services. This rubric breaks procedures down into steps — without the jargon.