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Abgeltungsteuer calculator: tax on German investment income
Calculate the 25% flat tax plus solidarity surcharge and church tax on capital gains, dividends and interest, after the saver allowance.
An estimate for private investors. Fund distributions can also involve the Vorabpauschale and partial exemptions, which are not modelled here.
Germany taxes investment income at a flat 25% rather than at your personal income rate. On top of that sits the solidarity surcharge, charged at 5.5% of the tax itself rather than of the gain, and church tax where applicable, which is 8% or 9% of the tax depending on the federal state.
Before any of that, the saver allowance (Sparer-Pauschbetrag) exempts the first slice of investment income each year. This calculator applies the allowance first, then the flat tax, then the surcharges, and shows the combined effective rate.
Why the headline 25% is really 26.375%
The solidarity surcharge was abolished for most wage earners but still applies in full to the flat tax on investment income. Because it is levied on the tax rather than the gain, 25% plus 5.5% of 25% comes to 26.375% of the gain.
Church tax, if you are registered as a member, is charged on the same base. It also slightly reduces the flat tax itself, which is why the combined rate lands a little below a naive sum.
Use the allowance, and file the exemption order
The saver allowance is not applied automatically across banks. You file a Freistellungsauftrag with each institution, splitting the total allowance between them; without it the bank withholds tax from the first euro and you have to reclaim it in your annual return.
The allowance is per person, so a jointly filing couple has double the headroom. Where a couple holds separate accounts, splitting the exemption orders sensibly between them is a small piece of admin that is worth real money each year.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the saver allowance?
The Sparer-Pauschbetrag is €1,000 per person per year, or €2,000 for a jointly assessed couple, since 2023. The field here is editable so the calculator stays correct if the figure is raised again.
Is the tax withheld automatically?
For accounts at German banks and brokers, yes: the institution withholds the tax and pays it over, so nothing appears on your tax return. With a foreign broker you declare the income yourself in Anlage KAP.
Can I get the tax back if my income is low?
Yes, through the Günstigerprüfung. If your personal income tax rate is below the flat rate, the tax office applies the lower rate instead, but you must request the check in your return. A Nichtveranlagungsbescheinigung can also stop withholding at source entirely.
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