Moving to Germany – Beware of the Church Tax…

If you are moving to Germany, you will have already investigated every aspect of living and working there. Moving to Germany, or moving to Holland or any other country in the EU, is relatively straightforward once you have waded through all the paperwork! But there is one aspect which is often overlooked by those who are moving to Germany.

Once you have moved to the country, you’ll need to register with the local authorities, and one thing to beware of is declaring your religious faith. Have you heard of the Church Tax?

The German government still maintains a kind of tithe system called the Kirchensteuer, or Church Tax. It may sound odd that a modern society still uses a tithe system, which disappeared from Britain in the 18th century, but it is alive and well in Germany. It works like this.  If you declare yourself a member of one of the recognised faiths, the German government will deduct between eight and nine per cent of your salary, which is then handed over to the churches. This means that the churches earn billions of Euros every year, thanks to the hard work of the German people, and anyone else who is moving to Germany. Now you know about this strange custom, anything else you have to deal with when moving to Germany will seem relatively easy and straightforward, and that includes the move itself. Make sure you use a reputable company like European Removal Experts who have years of experience in helping people who are relocating to Germany.