Church Tax
Church tax - what ???
During registration at the local Residence Registration Office (“Einwohnermeldeamt”), everyone has to declare his or her religious affiliation. Later on some might be surprised, that from their income the church tax (“Kirchensteuer”) is deducted. This tax is collected by the German State.
Following religious communities are currently charging church tax:
Especially if you a member of the Anglican Church, take care that the staff member of the local Residence Registration Office didn't register you as member of the evangelical church. This had happened in some cases in the past. The basis of the calculation of the church tax is the income tax. The church tax is
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You are going to leave Germany? Use my Pension Refund Check to find out if you can refund your contributions paid to the German pension fund!
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I don't want to pay church tax. What can I do?
In order to avoid paying church tax, you have simply to leave the church. How can you do it?
-Step 1:
You have to go either to the Local Court (“Amtsgericht”) (if you are registered in Brandenburg, Berlin, Thuringia, or North-Rhine-Westphalia) or to the civil registry (“Standesamt”) in the other cases. In general, only your passport and your registration card ("Meldebescheingung") is needed (in case you are married or have been married, it might be that you have to bring other documents like certificate of marriage (“Heiratsurkunde”) – but that will be told to you). You just need to fill out one form (don’t worry, they don’t ask your reasons for leaving the church).If you take a translator with you, make sure that you can pronounce the German sentence: "Ich möchte aus der Kirche austreten" (I want to leave the church), as a proof that it is your (and not your translator's) intention to leave the church.
The fees are varying between 0 - 60 Euro, depends on the location of your residence. You will get a certificate that you left the church (“Austrittsbescheinigung”), either immediately or some days later by post.
-Step 2:
With this certificate (“Austrittsbescheinigung”), you take your tax-income card (“Lohnsteuerkarte”),go to the local Residence Registration Office (“Einwohnermeldeamt”), and ask to change the registration of your religious affiliation on your tax-income card. It can take up to two months, until the church tax is not applied any longer to your income.
Don’t loose the certificate that proofs you left the church (“Austrittsbescheinigung”)! It might be later on important to proof that you left the church.
-Step 1:
You have to go either to the Local Court (“Amtsgericht”) (if you are registered in Brandenburg, Berlin, Thuringia, or North-Rhine-Westphalia) or to the civil registry (“Standesamt”) in the other cases. In general, only your passport and your registration card ("Meldebescheingung") is needed (in case you are married or have been married, it might be that you have to bring other documents like certificate of marriage (“Heiratsurkunde”) – but that will be told to you). You just need to fill out one form (don’t worry, they don’t ask your reasons for leaving the church).If you take a translator with you, make sure that you can pronounce the German sentence: "Ich möchte aus der Kirche austreten" (I want to leave the church), as a proof that it is your (and not your translator's) intention to leave the church.
The fees are varying between 0 - 60 Euro, depends on the location of your residence. You will get a certificate that you left the church (“Austrittsbescheinigung”), either immediately or some days later by post.
-Step 2:
With this certificate (“Austrittsbescheinigung”), you take your tax-income card (“Lohnsteuerkarte”),go to the local Residence Registration Office (“Einwohnermeldeamt”), and ask to change the registration of your religious affiliation on your tax-income card. It can take up to two months, until the church tax is not applied any longer to your income.
Don’t loose the certificate that proofs you left the church (“Austrittsbescheinigung”)! It might be later on important to proof that you left the church.
What are the consequences of leaving the church?
- You will burn in hell. No doubt about that.
- If you have left the church, you may not get any service from them. For example you can’t have a religious wedding. More importantly, if you are working for the church or for an organisation affiliated with the church (like Diakonie), you might be fired.
In the end - its your decision. You have to decide if you want to pay taxes to the church or not.
