CHURCH TAX in Germany 💶 [Everything you NEED to know as an EXPAT]

Рет қаралды 12,356

Күн бұрын

#expats #germany #expatsingermany #lifeingermany #expattips
Not all religions pay church tax in Germany. In this video, we explain how you get registered as a church taxpayer. We also talk about the benefits of being in the church and how to leave it in case you no longer want to be part of a religious community.
Info on how to stop paying church tax in Germany (Kirchenaustritt):
www.kirchenaustritt.de/englis...
📼 RELATED VIDEOS:
German payslip EXPLAINED [A Guide for Expats]:
• German payslip EXPLAIN...
✨ RELATED GUIDES:
Church Tax In Germany: bit.ly/3wUnyuV
Anmeldung in Germany: bit.ly/3gabhg0
German Payslip Explained: bit.ly/3g691q0
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:24 - What is church tax?
01:21 - How do I register to pay church tax as an expat?
03:43 - What religious communities pay church tax in Germany?
04:48 - How do I pay the church tax?
05:30 - How much is church tax?
05:55 - Benefits of paying church tax
06:27 - How to stop paying church tax
07:51 - Consequences of not paying church tax
📺 Subscribe to our channel if you want more information on life in Germany as an expat:
/ simplegermany
We know how frustrating and painful it might be to move to a new country, especially if you don't fully speak the language. That's why we created Simple Germany.
Simple Germany provides tips & information in English about living in Germany as an expat. We talk about services that are friendly and easy to use to beat German bureaucracy. We also cover the cultural aspects of living in Germany. All of this brought to you from the eyes of an expat and a German duo. We want to help you settle in Germany more smoothly.🍻
🍿 Visit our website for more in-depth information on life in Germany:
www.simplegermany.com/
☕️ 💜 If this video was helpful to you and saved you time of research, please consider buying us a coffee as a small donation:
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Пікірлер: 128

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

❗️NOTE: The 8% or 9% of church tax gets calculated based on your income tax, NOT on your gross salary! 😉

@untergehermuc 3 жыл бұрын

Was just in the motion to write an angry correction. ;)

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

@@untergehermuc 🙈😇

@wflerin 3 жыл бұрын

you also get a different funeral, and a speach from a pastor.. without it you have to pay for a person that held a speach

@TremereTT 3 жыл бұрын

Taxes work the following way: Unwanted behavior is getting taxed. Carbon tax, Alcohol tax, Nicotin tax, Luxury tax, Church tax... That's why I am in favor church taxes. It makes me happy inside... Also I think the churches use the taxes well. Without we wouldn't have all the beautifull and well maintained churches. I'm kind of exactly the other way around than many people who say they don't need an evil church to believe in God, I just don't care for the magic, but I realy like the evangelic church. IF you want to evade taxes of your church, by not ticking the box, you will officially leave the worldwide church automatically. There is a reason for the church tax. There were a big reforms in Germany, the Citizens no longer belonged to nobles and clerics also the land the clerus (Evangelic and Catholic) owned was taken from them. This lands produce and these peoples work was the cleruses source of income. So they were given to tax every member of their own believe and the state would collect this tax for the clerus as the clerus was stripped of most of it's worldly power.

@JaimeGarcia-sg9xj 3 жыл бұрын

I still would never pay it. There's a way to avoid paying it.

@PalmyraSchwarz 2 жыл бұрын

I once read that the church tax was introduced to compensate for secularization in the 19th century, because at that time many expropriations were carried out on church property, but the churches continued to run hospitals, old people's homes, etc., which have a social value and are wanted. At that time in Germany it consisted mainly of Roman Catholic and Protestant institutions.

@oliverhuhn9889 3 жыл бұрын

There is a prominent example that has been in the media. The Italian professional footballer Luca Toni played for Bayer Munich for 3 years and earned € 43 million. The club had completed the papers and did not specify his religious. He was, of course, Catholic and after his return to Italy, the German tax office suddenly demanded €1.7 million in church tax.

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

😱😱

@NikosKatsikanis Жыл бұрын

as a Christian I find this disgusting

@GhostGamer799 5 ай бұрын

@@NikosKatsikanisas a Muslim i share your disgust

@andreacamille3918 2 жыл бұрын

I got the church tax letter in my mailbox 2 weeks after moving to Germany 🇩🇪, I proceeded by writing a letter informing them I quit religion

@ultrajorge Жыл бұрын

That's exactly the reason why this tax exists. They want people to leave religion. You just did what they wanted you to do

@annehipolito7305 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Jen and Yvonne! I really love your channel. I'm learning German language and I know a little about Germany. Thank you for explaining this clearly as always. Im from the Philippines. :)

@louisefitzgerald8918 3 жыл бұрын

I wrote that I'm not religious in my anmeldung as I do not practice and have not done in years. I do however come from Ireland and was brought up Catholic but just don't participate since my teenage years. I then received a church letter asking specifically if I've been baptized. I had to tell the truth, saying that yes I was. It turns out that with being baptized in Ireland, I signed up for German church tax. I had to pay the previous year and leave the church. They said they will inform Ireland...the Catholic guilt is real!..it costs 30 in Berlin, was also tough to make an appointment during Corona and hugely frustrating as someone who doesn't identify as a Catholic, I feel me ticking 'not religious' in my anmeldung should have been enough, the burocracy, time I had to book off work for the appointment, paying to leave...all in all I found stressful and I feel that it's a money making thing. I'm not sure if it's true, but these letters seem to be more often sent to people from countries where there is a dominance of one of these religions. I do however agree that the taxes should be separated, but only if I specifically say I'm a practicing Catholic, which was not the case for me...love your videos, thanks for the content..VG aus Berlin

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Louise, thanks for sharing your experience. This is a great example to show how important it is to know about the church tax and its processes. Thanks for your support 😊

@louisefitzgerald8918 3 жыл бұрын

We actually had to pay a lot more for my first few months that I lived here, much more than a 8/9% percentage from my wages (which were lower than my husband)...they wrote and said that we're a mixed belief couple 😂 that means that my husband had to pay a large amount of backpayment for this, although he has never had anything to do with the church. I'm really glad it's all over 🙌

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

@@louisefitzgerald8918 Oh what?? Never heard of such a thing. Crazy!

@louisefitzgerald8918 3 жыл бұрын

@@simplegermany I know, either had we Glaubensverschiedeneehe or something like that. We kinda found it funny because of the name and the fact that we don't actually have different beliefs but frustrating none the less... anyway, it's thankfully behind us 😁

@folgerf 3 жыл бұрын

Did they charge you the amount for all the years you have been in Germany or the last 4 years, I'm in a similar situation but I have seen people in the internet saying that its better not to reply or give any information to the Kirchensteuerstelle (church tax office) but I'm not sure about it, did you see for tax advice in this topic in Berlin?

@flavioborgestv 2 жыл бұрын

you guys are doing a great job vielen danke !!

@sinisternightmare 3 жыл бұрын

Even when you're not part of the church and you don't pay church tax, a small part of your tax money STILL ends up in the pockets of the church anyway. And on top of that a lot of christian institutions are also financed by the state.

@cortshyspewpewcortshmanpew6451 3 жыл бұрын

Hi both of you, just a small correction. It's actually not 8% (Bavaria / BW) /9% rest of Germany from your gross salary (e.g. 4000€ ->8% = 320€. It's 8%/9% of your wage tax amount. (e.g. @4000€ your income tax amountis 660,50€. Based on that you get taxed 8% = 52,84€). That percentage differs depending on how much you get paid of course. That makes a huge difference ;). Best regards.

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your feedback! We noticed after we published it and pinned a comment to try to clarify it :)

@omnia54360 Жыл бұрын

Very informative!!

@lorenauribe8534 2 жыл бұрын

Your videos are awesome ! thank you

@sabrinacastellana7950 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video! I am Italian and when I did my anmeldung I left the religion box blank. However, the person who registered me, after noticing this, asked me to confirm because it seemed strange to her that as an Italian I was not baptized. I replied that yes, I am baptized, but I do not identify myself as a Christian and do not want to have access to church facilities. At this point she informed me that it is not possible to leave this part blank because it would be committing fraud! If you have been baptized, the only way to not pay this fee is to leave the church.

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

Ah interesting. Thanks for your feedback. In this case, they just put another bureaucratic hurdle on you. Here is our guide on how to leave the church: www.simplegermany.com/church-tax-germany/#How_do_I_leave_the_church_in_Germany_-_Your_guide_to_get_through_the_bureaucracy

@arjosephine Жыл бұрын

Hi Jen and Yvo! Could you please clear my doubt ? I am planning to donate some euros to my church in home country India. How that works! Will I get some percentage of amount in tax returns, do I have to submit any form or proof for that. ?

@user-no4mo6ij3r Жыл бұрын

Pls answer, compare the church tax to the benefits of being in the religion is it worth the tax? Like the special housing u mentioned ? Are there christian/catholic privileges in germany?

@saevaroa Жыл бұрын

Do I have to register If my church has its own church buildings and I am already paying my thithing to my church. I dont want to pay tax to use some other churches facilities?

@ritikkothari2787 10 ай бұрын

What about international students ? Do they have to pay church tax out of the block account or the Anmeldung form is different for them ?

@simplegermany 10 ай бұрын

No - church tax only gets paid when you are employed.

@Vonkater 3 жыл бұрын

I pray to God for free and I am not controlled by dogma or bureaucrats trying to take my money to pray to God. I don't have to pay any man to speak to God In Prayer.

@impact0r 2 жыл бұрын

You are still paying a tax for baseless and/or demonstrably false beliefs, which is deducted from you in form of money, time and - most importantly - ability to take the most beneficial decisions within reality you exist in, since your reasoning apparatus is compromised. Also, even more importantly, you may and will impact negatively people who are in some way dependant on you (from family members to other citizens who are bound by laws set by people you're voting for) to a lesser or greater extent.

@Vonkater 2 жыл бұрын

@@impact0r What I am saying is I don't need a middle man to pray or pay someone which is not in the bible. In America we have religious freedom. It's not a debate over being an atheist or religious so your comment makes no sense. Anyway we all get to meet our maker and realize how wrong dogma is. Man does not own God as something to pay for. Enjoy your medieval religious tax system in germany. 😆

@impact0r 2 жыл бұрын

@@Vonkater I don't live in a country with a church tax. Also, I already met my parents.

@Vonkater 2 жыл бұрын

@@impact0r creator of your soul who you really are not your body. That's like saying your clothes are who you are. Don't worry you will eventually understand.

@impact0r 2 жыл бұрын

@@Vonkater And that's precisely the kind of beliefs you are paying the tax on with the well-being of yourself and people around you.

@ravanpee1325 3 жыл бұрын

You should mention that with the church tax also social institutions like kindergarten, schools or home for the elderly are funded which are open to people of every religion. Many educated muslim parents put their kids in christian schools if the school has a good reputation. Also your local kindergarten often has a church as operator and not directly the state.

@beldin2987 3 жыл бұрын

I never paid for it, and i also planned to leave church before i have to, but then i did it even a bit earlier when my one grandma died. May sound harsh for some, but i just didn't wanted to sit there in the church at her funeral with folded hands pretenting that i believe in that stuff, so that was the point i officially left the church. Btw.: my grandma (that one) also never believed in god, so that was also a reason for me and at least the priest has enough respect to say something : "i don't know how her relation to god was", else if he had told some bullshit that would also really had upset me, but so it was better than expected at least.

@devstuff2576 Жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣 so stupid

@dihavssom1463 2 жыл бұрын

Can you explain on tax on land and housing on germany? Surprisingly there are very less information on that and this subject is quite unexplored.

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

Not quite sure what you mean exactly. Do you mean tax on property or when buying a house in Germany? We have a guide on that: www.simplegermany.com/buying-a-house-in-germany/

@thomasdamke1385 3 жыл бұрын

It can also happen if you leave church or stop paying church Taxes that you loose your job, especially if you work a job owned by by a christian church. Mainly in Social or Healthcare. Or you cant a get a job if you are not a member of the church

@lazuritlazurit598 Жыл бұрын

Hi, I'm an not a believer, I was baptised as a baby into Catholic Church. After becoming an adult I'm going to start the official process of officially leaving church soon (while living in Poland) but I'm worried that it won't be taken into consideration when I move to Germany. I've read that according to church doctrine, once you've been baptised, the bond cannot be broken, the church can still consider me Catholic :( it's so scary to me, I don't want to be part of this organisation, I don't want to be charged with church tax ; _ ; will that doctrine make it impossible to me to be considered an apostate in Germany???

@simplegermany Жыл бұрын

If you're new to Germany, just make sure not tick a religion in the Anmeldung form. You should be fine. I know plenty of baptised people who are no longer in the church or pay church taxes.

@marlenestevens6326 2 жыл бұрын

This is just crazy. Why is the government involved in someone’s beliefs? Also, is this tax given to “my personal” church or will it be given to a church whose teachings I don’t agree with? What if I already give “my” church 10% in tithe, am I paying an additional sum to a bureaucracy?

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

According to Wikipedia, some religious communities collect taxes themselves. However, the majority (it seems) actually pay the government to collect the tax from the believers. The money collected could be used for funding institutions and foundations or paying ministers.

@Rajesh00000000000 11 ай бұрын

Hello 👋 Thank you for this video. My follow up question is what about the tax for non Christians ? For ex. I am a Hindu. Do i still pay for 8% to 10% of amout ?

@simplegermany 10 ай бұрын

Here is a list of religions that don't pay church tax: www.simplegermany.com/church-tax-germany/#Do_you_have_to_pay_church_tax_in_Germany Hinduism is one of them.

@rajuanoop462 Ай бұрын

I was baptized in India and my documents state that I am Hindu, but I practice Christianity and attend church. Should I pay church tax?

@donatist59 Жыл бұрын

Question: the church tax is so unusual that it blows out Google's algorithm when you ask questions about churches and taxation in Germany. I get that the government runs the church tax. What I want to know, and what Google resolutely will not tell me, is this: Do churches in Germany PAY taxes to the government in any way? (Income taxes, property taxes, that sort of thing.) Thanks!

@dr.zacharysmith7052 3 жыл бұрын

Not that the church is so poor! If the tax went to a charity, then great, but to publically finance an already over-rich organization....Can this be considered ethical by todays standards?

@nari5025 3 жыл бұрын

It can be justified. A lot of history is glossed over here, and it is complicated. Church Taxes have been around since the 1820s. Before that the Church actually owned Land and was able to collect tax itself. First it was an agreed reparation for this expropriation. Later (i think1880s) it was convenient for the state to have some say and oversight in what money flows to the church. Most of all Church care and charities have been in place for a long time. If say 80% of your population is affiliated to a religion this can benefit the state to keep them financed and have a care system which it doesn't have to build itself.

@gulliverthegullible6667 3 жыл бұрын

@@nari5025 thank you for these historic insights, I didn t know. Still, I dont think that the churches are worth supporting. This tax should be opt-in and not opt-out. There are better organisations to support. People in need should not be forced to access a religious organisation.

@DSP16569 3 жыл бұрын

@@gulliverthegullible6667 In Germany churches (the two big ones) organize and pays for a lot of church owned services like Kindergarden, Hospitals, Ambulance Services, Soup kitchen, Salvation Army like stuff etc. This is also paid indirectly by church tax.

@gulliverthegullible6667 3 жыл бұрын

@@DSP16569 I know. However, I perfer my social & health organisations to be secular. Imagine you are homeless and then only shelter offered to you is run by a homophobic death cult trying to convert you. No thanks. Religion should not be supported by the government. Nobody should be forced to have anything to do with churches, especially not in an hour of need. If you think I am exaggerating: here in Melbourne, the Major of the Salvation Army publicly argued that homosexuals should get killed. And the Salvos have a lot of homeless shelters, etc. in Australia.

@TremereTT 3 жыл бұрын

@@gulliverthegullible6667 The church is forced optional. There is no opt in or opt out. When you register yourself you get asked if you are member of a church. You can not say maybe or leave the field empty what ever you do it will have consequences. You are either in or out. You also can't avoid to be registered at all. Also you are not forced to go to church financed organizations and you aren't forced to finance the church if you aren't a member of the church. Yet you won't find beatifull sacral architecture made by the red cross or the labour welfare organization. There is no labour welfare marriage inside a beatifull gothic or a cosy romanic church. There is no funeral and no baptize in church done by the labour welfare organization. They also have no cemetery.... All in all insisting to not be with people of a church put's you outside of society pretty much like muslims.

@fanstalingibs5585 2 жыл бұрын

So i live in the US currently (im an illegal immigrant with daca). I plan to move to germany (legally yay!) and this video was rly interesting. i was baptized and did confirmation because my mom wanted me to, but since then i haven't gone to church at all, and I've been basically atheist every since. Will Germany try to contact the US and ask? 😭 Either way im so happy i found this channel ive been watching non-stop

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

We can't say. But you can always leave the church, should you want to.

@cynic7049 2 жыл бұрын

That the Roman Catholic Church in Germany communicate with the Roman Catholic Church in Italy or even in Mexico isn't realy suprising seeing that they are after all are the same Church under the same boss, not just the one in heaven also the one in the Vatican.

@rickyn1135 3 жыл бұрын

Very interesting. Be safe. Be kind to yourself and always to others. Tschüss! 🏳️‍🌈💐👋🏽

@gancarzpl 3 жыл бұрын

8% of 4000 is 240 a month, 60 a week. Thought that if you are not on the list of the taxable religions or atheist you still have to pay tax benefiting deferent organizations ? Thought that escaping payment of 8% is impossible, this 8% is collected in deferent way.

@dianagonzalezclemente5629 3 жыл бұрын

That's mean, you most pay church tax or other tax, no more. For me it's difficult to understand. I'm Catholic, I'm pratice in my own way, sometime traditional, sometime uncoventional . But, why paid? Saludos chicas, interesante contenido.

@AAhmed79 2 жыл бұрын

can anybody help, what is tax impact if we have kids? this is beneficial or same tax rate?

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

The church tax does not change whether you have kids or not.

@AAhmed79 2 жыл бұрын

@@simplegermany Hi, thanks, and any change in over all tax %age? with or without kid, do you have any video on this please?

@simplegermany 2 жыл бұрын

There is a tax free allowance for children. We write about it in this guide: www.simplegermany.com/kindergeld-germany/#Is_Kindergeld_taxable_in_Germany

@sismofytter 3 жыл бұрын

In Denmark we also have church tax if I remember right it's approx 200EUR a year

@lisbethfrost5024 3 жыл бұрын

It is based on your income. When I was a member of the church and paid taxes in Denmark (until 2010), I paid about 700 Euro a year.

@danangdng849 2 жыл бұрын

@@lisbethfrost5024 Are you a member of the Danish Church?

@lisbethfrost5024 2 жыл бұрын

@@danangdng849 No, I don’t live in Denmark anymore. Why?

@danangdng849 2 жыл бұрын

@@lisbethfrost5024 Oh it's okay, I'm just asking, thank you

@rickyyanto6181 2 жыл бұрын

Preman berkedok greja .... 😂😂😂

@Vonkater 3 жыл бұрын

Is Austria more liberal and less quirky like Germany ??

@gancarzpl 3 жыл бұрын

No.

@gulliverthegullible6667 3 жыл бұрын

Everybody, please do yourselves the favour and take the bureaucratic journey to opt out of this tax. Not only will you safe a lot of money, you will also stop supporting the church and show that there are not that many Christians in Germany. You can donate the money you safe to a worthy cause if you like and can afford to do so.

@tiredofallthis7716 3 жыл бұрын

This is beyond astonishing to me. The state collecting tax to belong to a church. Where does the tax go?

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

To the different bodies of the church.

@frizizzi 3 жыл бұрын

I think it's a good idea. People can opt out of course but the churches provide so much charity and support for people that it is a good thing to contribute to.

@azounx 3 жыл бұрын

That's what I thought at one point too. Thing is less than 10% of the church tax you pay is used for charity work. Also, many institutions run by the two churches (schools, hospitals etc.) are mostly paid for by the state (i.e. everybody's tax payments), usually >95%.

@rodj2298 2 жыл бұрын

There should be a separate of church and state and people should be free to give money to the church and not be forced

@mikeschubert4890 3 жыл бұрын

Für mich ist nach wie vor unverständlich, warum der Staat für eine Relegionsgemeinschaft das Geld einzieht :-( For me it is still incomprehensible why the state collects money for a religious community.

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

🤷🏽‍♀️

@mortezasabri Жыл бұрын

Hi guys. What if I was from a muslim country, and I’m an atheist? Thanks in advance🙏

@simplegermany Жыл бұрын

Then you don't pay :)

@K__a__M__I 3 жыл бұрын

1:07 "..or she." Watch Yvonne closely. You can witness a perfectly executed German eyebrow snap, rarely caught on film.

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

😂😂

@simplegermany 3 жыл бұрын

🤣

@Vonkater 3 жыл бұрын

You guys pay for T.V. too right ?

@nfp911 3 жыл бұрын

Yes there are mandatory payments for public channels. But there is also private TV like in any other country which are not mandatory.

@ravanpee1325 3 жыл бұрын

@@nfp911 Also the payment is for public radio stations and music orchestras

@nfp911 3 жыл бұрын

@@ravanpee1325 i know im german

@krugerfuchs Жыл бұрын

As a survivor of the abusive children's homes if I move to germany I will never pay this

@veselingenov9613 3 жыл бұрын

The eastern European countries dosen't have church tax because for them church tax dosen't exist

@lorrainedavidson7229 2 жыл бұрын

This is outrageous , and discriminatory!??? Why should there be this church tax!?? Also why it is Not for all denominations or religions? Thankgod we do not have any church/ religious tax in the U.K.! Sorry to learn you have this church Tax in Germany. Is it to get rid of some churches?

@nari5025 Жыл бұрын

It basically dates back to 1803. Before that, the Church (meaning either catholic or protestant) actually owned land and collected tax themselves. Along the other ~300 german kingdoms and duchies. Then this Napoleon guy came along and reorganised german lands. Though he was generally seen as a bad influence and he was defeated in the end, it was deemed sensible that he cut the number of kingdoms down to about ten. The church though had lost all their lands and sought for a way to be compensated. Hence taxing the members of the church (as they were before) and directing the funds to them. As the church does actually do some charitable work, helping communities, organising care, you name it... which in absence of it the state would have to organise itself, it was later (1890s to 1910s) deemed sensible to help funding their cause to keep them doing it. I am not a member of any church, but as i understand it's this: Charity is a thing you want to do, and you give freely (church). Taxation is a thing you have to give no matter what (state). Ultimately it serves the same purpose, and it derives from the church being the state, so you would have been taxed either way. Later religious leanings obviously weren't part of the agreement, so they couldn't be taxed the same way. But the tax to this day certainly isn't meant to get rid of something, rather than helping centuries old communal structures to keep working. (weather that is still good or bad is always up for debate)

@Ifitmatters52 10 ай бұрын

Religion in Europe like

@sndrsch 3 жыл бұрын

It's so funny: all the people, who think they don't need the church for anything, end up attending the services on Christmas eve, want of course marry traditionally by annoying the priests with their special additional wishes or visit churches to light candles after a catastrophe had happend (and so on) - experience of a longtime church worker... ;-)

@ravanpee1325 3 жыл бұрын

Or they want to put their kids in a kindergarten which is organized by a church

@sndrsch 3 жыл бұрын

@@ravanpee1325 In Germany, there are even church-run schools, which are often more popular than state-run schools because of their high standards...

@yawningdeer9831 2 жыл бұрын

In the rest of the world, this is all free with the church accepting donations that cover these costs at the time of the event or during mass. Not act like mafia requesting fees for the rest of your life for a few events that happen.