Numerous laws and regulations will change in the new year 2021.
Employees, drivers and families are affected.
While many will have more money in their wallets, it will be more expensive for some.
New year, new
regulations
: As of January
1st, 2021
, some
changes
will
come
into force that will affect many consumers.
The
legal innovations
include
child benefits
,
minimum wages
and
solos
.
For most people, the changes mean more
money
in their wallets, but for some it will be more expensive, as
reported by echo24.de
*.
In addition to fighting the coronavirus, these ten changes are important in 2021.
Some regulations change only in the course of the year, others are already valid from New Year's Day.
Legal changes from January 1, 2021: VAT back to normal
Initially, however, the
costs
for all purchases will rise, because the regular
VAT rate will
apply again from January
.
The
value added tax will be raised again
in Germany to 19 percent for most goods and to 7 percent for everyday goods.
The federal government had
lowered
the
value added tax
in the second half of 2020 to 16 or five percent in order to
stimulate the economy suffering
from the
corona crisis
.
This temporary
tax cut will
end from the beginning of
2021
.
That will change for employees in 2021: the minimum wage will be increased
In addition, the
statutory minimum wage
will change from January 2021
.
It rises by 15 cents from 9.35 euros gross per hour to a
minimum of
9.50 euros
.
But there will be more increases in the future.
According to the
federal government
, the minimum wage is to be increased in several steps
to 10.45 euros by July 1, 2022.
As early as July 1, 2021, the statutory minimum wage will be EUR 9.60.
According to the consumer
advice center,
there is still
no
minimum wage
for trainees, self-employed, long-term unemployed and volunteers.
But
apprentices
can also look forward to it: The minimum training allowance per month
will
also
increase from
January 2021
to 550 euros.
Soli will not apply to normal earners from 2021: solidarity surcharge abolished for almost everyone
Good news: The
solidarity surcharge
(solos) will no longer apply to most citizens after 30 years from 2021!
90 percent of
taxpayers
can therefore look forward to relief.
Who previously had to pay the solos of 5.5 percent of the respective income tax depended on income: all taxpayers whose
income tax was
above the exemption limit of 972 euros had to pay a solidarity surcharge.
This exemption limit will
be increased
so much
from
January 1, 2021
that the
soli surcharge
will
no
longer
apply to most.
In the future, only those
taxpayers
will have to
pay
a
solidarity surcharge
who have more than 16,956 euros (individual assessment) or 33,912 euros
(Joint assessment) have to pay income tax.
From 2021 onwards, only
top earners
will have to pay solos
.
Solos abolition: Despite the crisis, more net than gross https://t.co/IvPSbeJGdi
- ZDF today (@ZDFheute) December 29, 2020
That will change for families from 2021: Child benefit and child allowance will increase
From January 1, 2021,
parents
will receive
more
child benefit
.
Specifically, there is an extra 15 euros per child per month.
That means: 219 euros for the first two children, 225 euros for child three and 250 euros for additional children.
The
child allowance
, which is
paid
to
families
with low
incomes in
addition to child benefit
, will also increase on January 1, 2021. It will then be up to 205 euros per child per month - 20 euros more than before.
The tax-free
child allowance
will also be increased by more than 500 euros to 8388 euros from January 2021.
This exemption limit regulates how much money
parents can
earn per year without having
to
pay
taxes
.
These increases and financial relief are of particular
benefit
to low-income families.
Child benefit since July 1, 2019 |
Child benefit from 2021 |
1st child: 204 euros |
1st child: 219 euros |
2nd child: 204 euros |
2nd child: 219 euros |
3rd child: 210 euros |
3rd child: 225 euros |
from the 4th child: 235 euros |
from the 4th child: 250 euros |
That will change for pensioners: the basic pension will come into force in 2021
From January 1, 2021, the long-discussed
basic pension for low-wage earners will also come
into force.
The
federal government
wants to
improve
the
old-age pension
.
Around 1.3 million people with a small
pension should
receive a premium.
Those who have had pension contributions for at least 33 years will benefit.
Pensioners
in Germany should
get
enough
money
every
month
with the
basic pension
that they no
longer have to apply for
basic security
.
There is an average
surcharge
of 75 euros.
The
basic pension
will officially start on January 1st, but the
payment
will probably be delayed by several months due to the administrative burden and will then be made retrospectively.
Whoever is entitled to the
basic pension
is checked automatically.
# Hallo2021
All people in Germany should be able to start the new year with confidence:
From 2021, around 1.3 million pensioners will benefit from the basic pension supplement - their lifetime achievement deserves recognition and a #Basic pension.
- BMAS (@BMAS_Bund) December 28, 2020
Bad news for drivers: fuel will become more expensive from 2021
Heating
and
driving
could become more expensive in 2021, because there will then be a national
CO2 price
for transport and heating.
From January 2021, a CO2 tax will be due on petrol, diesel, heating oil and gas, among other things.
The aim is to use the CO2 tax to make climate-friendly alternatives more attractive.
The price for one tonne of CO2 should initially be 25 euros from 2021.
Drivers
also
face
consequences
, because
fuel
is becoming more expensive.
The prices for
petrol
and
diesel
increase by seven to eight cents per liter.
For
car owners
will in
2021
something changed.
Anyone who has a new vehicle with high fuel consumption and
CO2 emissions
of more than 195 grams per kilometer will have to
pay
twice as high a
vehicle tax surcharge in
future
.
This is supposed to encourage citizens to buy more economical vehicles.
Cars that have already been registered are not affected.
Good news for
commuters
: They should pay less from 2021, because the commuter allowance has been increased to 35 cents from the 21st kilometer.
+
In 2021, the price of CO2 will increase oil and diesel by around 8 cents per liter, gasoline by 7 cents and natural gas by 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour.
© Sven Hoppe / dpa
That will change for employees from 2021: Sick notification by digital means
The “yellow note” will soon be history!
It was already part of everyday life
during the
Corona crisis
, now it will become
law
from 2021
: the
electronic certificate of incapacity for work (eAU)
.
Sick leave
will only be available digitally in the future.
As of 2021, the attending physician will send the certificate of incapacity for work electronically to the health insurance company.
But watch out: not all doctors have to take part at the turn of the year!
From 2022,
employers will
then be able to
call
the
health insurances
directly
until when the sick leave is valid and thus see when the continued payment of wages will expire.
From July 2021: Disposable plastic ban - no more drinking straws and Co.
Not from January 1, but from July 3, 2021, there should be less
plastic
in the
EU
.
Then it is an
administrative offense
to sell
certain items made of
single-use plastic
.
The reason for this is the protection of the seas and the environment.
The ban specifically affects plastic and styrofoam items for which there are already alternatives:
plastic cutlery
, plastic
dishes
,
straws
, styrofoam packaging for hot meals and
plastic
cotton swabs
.
In addition, single-use food packaging and single-use plastic cups and their accessories are to be reduced considerably.
At today's #Plastic Prevention Congress in Ludwigsburg, Environment Minister Franz Untersteller appeals to all citizens to rethink how they deal with plastic.
We have 5 simple tips for everyday life: https://t.co/iI6QqDRdL5 pic.twitter.com/JAL4XU2NXK
- Ministry of the Environment (@UmweltBW) October 9, 2020
That will change from 2021: higher prices for new ID cards
Anyone who
needs
a new
ID card in
2021 will have
to pay more from the beginning of the year.
The fee for the
exhibition
will be increased from 28.80 euros to 37 euros in 2021 - i.e. by almost 30 percent.
This price is for citizens who are at least 24 years old.
You only need a new identity card after ten years.
Younger applicants pay 22.80 euros.
Your
ID
is only valid for six years.
However
, if
you want to subsequently
activate
the
online functions
for
your
ID card or
change
your PIN
, you will no longer have to pay any additional fees from 2021.
Changes for pregnant women at the doctor: "Baby TV" banned from 2021
Ultrasound examinations
of
babies
in the womb that are not medically necessary will be banned from 2021.
The aim is
to protect
unborn babies
from unnecessary doses of radiation.
Colloquially, such 3D and 4D ultrasound examinations are also known as “
baby TV
” or “
baby cinema
”.
Such examinations will only be allowed in the future
in the case of developmental
disorders
or a
high-risk pregnancy
.
The three 2D ultrasound examinations in the 10th, 20th and 30th week of pregnancy are still retained.
They are important so that the
doctor
can determine if the
baby is
developing healthily.
Merkur.de
* has summarized
other legal changes in 2021 * such as the ban on work contracts in slaughterhouses
.
* echo24.de and Merkur.de are part of the Ippen-Digital network
List of rubric lists: © Jens Büttner / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa / archive image