Frankfurt At Commerzbank and its online subsidiary Comdirect, more customers are still waiting for their annual tax certificate than expected. The institute recently admitted that there are currently delays for customers with several depots.
However, several customers who only have one depot and only one customer number seem to be affected. This is suggested by numerous entries in the user forums of the Commerzbank subsidiary Comdirect, and 13 customers also contacted the Handelsblatt directly.
The annual tax statements are usually sent out in the spring, which is why the resentment of those affected is great. It is unclear why individual customers are still missing the certificates. “There is no uniform reason for these cases,” said a spokesman at the request of the Handelsblatt.
The bank examines “every single case with the aim of finding a good solution for the customer”. The institute did not provide any information on the number of customers affected.
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According to the bank, it is not due to the software problems that lead to the difficulties for customers with several custody accounts. Numerically, this is the larger group.
“We are working hard to implement the shipping”
In financial circles there is talk of a four-digit number of affected customers. Customer advisors at the institute are said to have informed affected customers of this magnitude.
The bank does not comment on specific figures, but says: “The late shipment mainly affects customers with several customer numbers.” She also emphasized that the majority of customers have received their annual tax certificates.
The reason for the delays for customers with multiple depots is a software problem. The institute had to adapt its software in order to be able to issue a consolidated income statement for customers with several accounts and securities accounts. The bank originally wanted to outsource its securities processing to the major British bank HSBC, which would then also have been responsible for this overall overview.
Because this outsourcing failed, the responsibility for the overall certification remained with Commerzbank, which was not set up for it. “We are working flat out to implement shipping and are making good progress here,” said the spokesman.
The failed IT project, which is considered one of the reasons for the delays, led to a special write-off of 200 million euros and additional provisions in the tens of millions.
The IT director at the time, Jörg Hessenmüller, who had only informed about the problems late, had to go. The bank also reduced his bonus as well as that of his predecessor, Frank Annuscheit.
More: Commerzbank is struggling with problems with annual tax certificates