Riester pension (Riester-Rente) exists since 2002 and is named after the Minister of Labor Walter Riester. This is a voluntary additional pension insurance, which is supported by the state with bonuses. It is believed that Riester pension is beneficial for families with children, low-income earners and high-earning singles. However, due to the high cost of maintenance and low interest rates, this type of savings is not so popular, as the government would like.
Finance and bureaucracy
Used items in Germany: where to sell or buy, how they cheat
It’s a pity to throw away good used things, slightly scratched toys, once played puzzles, etc. At the same time, there are people who would like to save money. At least in theory they exist. Lately, I have begun to strongly doubt this, because even giving something away for free is extremely difficult. But this topic is not about the strange behavior of buyers who are so tired of inflation that they don’t take things for free, but about where you can sell/buy, how to find markets and how to avoid cheating schemes.
New heating law in Germany
The new heating law in Germany (in the media Heizungsgesetz, also known in full as Gebäudeenergiegesetzes, or, according to the German habit of abbreviating, GEG) was adopted with great noise and bang. Now the dust has settled a little and we can see what was born as a result. I must say that the worst thing is for those who need to decide right now, next year. Everyone else can save money, watch how others accumulate experience in use, and hope for the German bureaucracy, which will repeatedly delay the deadline. However, there is a risk that while you wait, the government will cancel compensation for reinstalling the heating system. Energy experts are definitely benefiting from the situation: instead of a bakery, we have an energy office that has moved into the entire first floor, which has suddenly become cramped in the old premises.
Freiberufler in Germany: how to fill in Anlage S and Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung
In the topic “Part-time work in Germany” it was told about different forms of work, including “free” professions, that is, Freiberufler in Germany. People with free professions can work both full-time and nebenberuflich (that is, no more than a third of a full-time job), be employees or self-employed.
Now let’s learn how to inform the Finanzamt about the “free” activity and how to fill in Anlage S and Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung.
Pre-filled declaration in Elster
Pre-filled declaration with the data of the Finanzamt makes it possible to avoid unnecessary errors and save time. Sometimes you can discover something new. We found out that the employer paid money for the double household, although this did not appear anywhere in the papers. In addition, if you quit your job and the employer did not give you Lohnsteuerbescheinigung on time, although it is obliged, you can safely call the data via Elster and not waste your nerves on swearing.
Train delays and strikes in Germany. What can you do
German trains are no longer punctual. If you type “train delays” in Google, then first of all Google adds Germany. Train cancellations, delays and strikes have become a weekly routine. What are your rights, what is the compensation for a train delays in Germany and how can you get it?
The rules change from June 7, 2023.
How to calculate tax in Germany. What is written in Berechnung in Elster
How to calculate tax in Germany is not such a simple question as it seems. You can’t just take income and calculate a certain percentage from it. First you have to figure out how much income to take, then find the exact percentage, and then also calculate correctly. Let’s look what is written in the tax calculation (Berechnung) in official Elster tax program and how you can calculate whether everything in your declaration is correct.
Germany ticket for regional public transport Deutschland-Ticket
As you probably already know, a Germany ticket for regional transport starts to work from May.
Let’s go through the most important points: how / where to buy, what regional trains are (not) included and who should buy the Germany ticket (what’s about tourists, kids, students).
What is Haftpflichtversicherung. Liability insurance in Germany
Liability insurance in Germany is highly recommended. This insurance is called private Haftpflichtversicherung (or Privathaftpflichtversicherung). Do not confuse it with Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung – liability insurance for drivers. For drivers, this insurance is mandatory and covers the damage they may cause while driving.
Privataftpflichtversicherung is not obligatory by law, but by common sense. Most people in Germany have it, so this topic is for those who have recently arrived.
Homeowners association in Germany
When you buy an apartment in a residential complex, especially a new one, all sorts of surprises and interesting things pop up. A homeowners association in Germany is a terrible force and means a lot of nerves in the struggle for ideal housing.
If you rent an apartment in such a complex, you need to ask in advance what restrictions the homeowners association imposes on residents and what expenses the owner transfers to the tenant.