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Which letter is this?

Two questions instead of a photo: who sent it, and which word is above the text? Then you see what the letter is, which deadline applies and what you can do. Nothing is stored.

1. Who sent the letter?

Top left or in the letterhead.

2. Which word is in the heading or subject line?

Usually bold, above the actual text.

General classification by sender and heading – not an assessment of your case. What your letter says is what counts.

All letter types

Tax office (Finanzamt) Tax assessment one month after notification Family benefits office (Familienkasse) Child benefit one month after notification Fines office (Bußgeldstelle) Fine notice two weeks after service Company or debt collection agency Reminder / debt collector no statutory deadline Jobcenter Jobcenter one month after notification German Pension Insurance Pension one month after notification Health insurance fund (Krankenkasse) Health insurance one month after notification Immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) Immigration office one month after notification City, broadcasting fee office, public order office Other authority one month after notification Landlord or property manager Service charges twelve months after receipt Landlord or property manager Rent increase until the end of calendar month 2 after receipt Employer Dismissal (job) three weeks after receipt Landlord Notice (flat) deadline depends on the end of the tenancy Provider (electricity, phone, gym …) Contract / price increase no statutory deadline Local court (Mahngericht) Court payment order two weeks after service Local court (Mahngericht) Enforcement order two weeks after service Local court (Amtsgericht) Penalty order two weeks after service Fines office or police Hearing form no statutory deadline Long-term care fund (Pflegekasse) Care level one month after notification Employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) Unemployment benefit one month after notification Employers' liability insurance (Berufsgenossenschaft) Accident insurance one month after notification Social welfare office (Sozialamt) Social welfare office one month after notification Pension office (Versorgungsamt) Degree of disability one month after notification Parental allowance office (Elterngeldstelle) Parental allowance one month after notification Housing benefit office (Wohngeldstelle) Housing benefit one month after notification Student finance office BAföG one month after notification Beitragsservice / broadcaster Broadcasting fee one month after notification Main customs office (Hauptzollamt) Vehicle tax one month after notification Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) Administrative fine (Ordnungsgeld) 6 weeks after receipt Bailiff (Gerichtsvollzieher, at the local court) Bailiff (Gerichtsvollzieher) no statutory deadline Doctor, hospital or lab Doctor's letter / findings no statutory deadline

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out what kind of letter this is?

Choose who wrote it and which word stands above the text, such as »Bescheid« or »Mahnung«. You then see the letter type, the deadline with its calculation and the next steps.

Is my data stored?

No. The calculator runs in your browser; the page sends nothing and sets no cookies.

Is this legal advice?

No. irot Brief explains in general terms and calculates deadlines with fixed rules and a visible calculation. Whether a decision is correct or an objection is worth it is for advice centres, consumer advice centres or lawyers to assess.

Do you advise people with official letters?

Migration counselling, social and debt advice, integration courses: irot Brief calculates deadlines reliably and explains letters in the language of the people you help.

irot Brief for advisors