Christmas bonus or bonus payment: you have to take this into account when it comes to taxes

Created: 2022-02-07, 3:30 p.m

By: Anne Hund

A tax return is in front of the file folder with the imprint "Finanzamt".

© Oliver Berg/dpa/Illustration

Some can look forward to one or the other special payment from their employer.

However, the higher monthly salary also increases the tax rate.

Chances of 

not all employees have it.

For many employees, the

at the end of the year is now firmly planned.

Some get around 50 percent of their monthly salary, others even a full month's salary on top of that.

Exactly when the Christmas bonus is paid is specified in the employment contract, but usually in 

. 

Christmas bonus, bonus payment or profit sharing taxable

What you shouldn't forget, however, is that "whether it's a Christmas bonus, bonus payment or profit-sharing, all cash payments from your employer are taxable for you," according to the information from the United Income Tax Assistance Association (VLH) according to a notification at the end of November.

The current situation is different with the tax-free Corona bonus for many employees, as a result of the Corona crisis there is still a special regulation.

Extra payment drives up tax rate

When it comes to Christmas bonuses or other bonus payments

, you also have to think about taxes.

Particularly common: "Due to the higher monthly salary - salary and special payment are transferred together - your tax rate also increases," it says.

"This means that this month you will have to expect higher deductions for wage tax, solidarity surcharge and church tax, for example.

So the bottom line is that you have less net than the gross.”

Also interesting

Money back thanks to tax return

But there is a ray of hope: Anyone who has paid too much tax in one month can get the money back from the tax authorities via the

in the coming year, according to the advice of the experts.

A tax return is not only worthwhile then, the VLH said: "Anyone who had high costs in connection with work, the craftsmen in the house or high medical expenses can deduct many of these expenses from their taxes." which gardening work you can state in your tax return, for example, and which other costs can also be deducted from tax.