Changes in 2023: What's new about regulations and which laws are changing

Created: 01/03/2023 04:49

By: Mark Stoffers

The year 2023 has a lot of changes in store.

In addition to citizens' allowance and child benefit, there are also innovations in taxes and legal regulations for drivers.

© Jörg Carstensen / dpa

In 2023, some important changes are on the agenda.

This leads to increases in pension and child benefit.

Hartz IV becomes citizen income.

But what else will change?

Munich – New year, new luck.

Last year, the federal government initiated various changes for 2023.

But what is new and what will change in 2023?

With the range of new laws and regulations, it is not easy for consumers in Germany to keep track.

As there are not only changes to be aware of in January 2023, but over the course of the year some important rules and laws will come into force that citizens should keep an eye on.

Changes from January 2023: Citizens' benefit is coming - child benefit will be increased

One of the most important changes from January 2023 is that Hartz IV will be history from January and will be replaced by citizen income at the turn of the year.

The first payment for the citizen's allowance for January 2023 was made on December 30, 2022. The basic security has increased by 50 euros, so single people will continue to receive 502 euros per month in the future.

But with the introduction of the citizen's income, there is not only an increase in the amounts for the Hartz IV successor.

Furthermore, the citizen's income should also lead to better support in job centers, so that the focus should be on permanent work for the unemployed so that they can get away from temporary jobs.

Another new feature of the changes for 2023 is an increase in child benefit.

From January 1st, this will rise uniformly to 250 euros per month and child.

This amounts to an increase of 31 euros for the first and second child.

For the third child, there will be 25 euros more child benefit per month from the state.

New in the changes for 2023: In January there will be more housing benefit and a higher child allowance

In addition, the child allowance will be increased from January 1st.

The increase includes 404 euros, so that the allowance increases to 8952 euros.

In 2024, the child allowance should then increase again to 9312 euros.

The changes in 2023 also include the adjustment of the Düsseldorf table.

Means for 2023: Separated parents have to pay more maintenance for their children.

Millions of households will also benefit from the changes in 2023.

Because from January something will change in the housing allowance.

From then on, not only the previous 600,000 households should benefit from the state rent subsidy, but another 1.4 million households should be added.

In addition, the housing allowance is to be increased by an average of up to 190 euros.

In total, the beneficiaries should then receive an average of around 370 euros per month.

Households that do not receive social benefits but still have little money are entitled to apply for housing benefit.

What's new in 2023: Changes also include electricity and gas price brakes

What else is new?

Among other things, the changes in 2023 include the electricity and gas price brake, which should apply retrospectively to electricity and gas customers as early as January and February.

However, the actual relief will only come from March 2023, when the two price brakes start.

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It is planned that gas consumers will receive a guarantee for 80 percent of their previous year's consumption at a gross price of 12 cents per kilowatt hour.

A price of 9.5 cents applies for district heating, while 40 cents per kilowatt hour are scheduled for the electricity price brake.

Legal changes in 2023 for photovoltaic systems and the climate tax

Owners of solar systems can be particularly happy.

Because the changes in 2023 include simplifications for photovoltaic systems.

Among other things, there is no longer any obligation to install a special generator electricity meter.

While some new rules from the Renewable Energy Sources Act have been in effect since 2022, smaller solar systems with an output of up to 30 kilowatts can be operated tax-free on residential buildings from January.

Photovoltaic systems with up to 15 kilowatts, which are mainly used in buildings used for operational purposes, also benefit.

From January 2023, there will also be an important change for landlords, tenants and owners in the climate tax for heating: from January in many cases landlords will have to contribute to their tenants’ climate tax for heating.

The so-called CO2 price is divided between tenants and landlords according to a tiered model.

The less climate-friendly the house is, the more the landlord has to take on.

So far, tenants have had to pay the levy, which is intended to help reduce climate-damaging carbon dioxide emissions.

Changes in 2023 for pensioners: pensions will rise - additional earnings limit will fall and tax relief will come

Meanwhile, retirees can look forward to more government help with the 2023 changes.

According to a new table, the legal changes in 2023 will not only increase pensions, but also the additional earnings limit and the limit for disability pensions will be raised.

For early retirees, the additional earnings limit will fall from January 2023, which means that they can earn as much money as they want in a part-time job without having to fear that their pension will be cut.

As a result of the new legal regulation, the amount of the disability pension will also change in 2023.

In the case of a partial reduction in earning capacity, pensioners can earn up to EUR 35,650, while the limit for a full reduction in earning capacity is EUR 17,820.

In addition, there will also be tax relief for pensioners with the changes in 2023.

From January, pension contributions will be fully tax deductible.

Statutory tax changes 2023: Relief for basic tax allowance and top tax rate

Employees can also prepare for tax changes from 2023.

However, it is primarily about relief.

Because as part of the Inflation Compensation Act, the federal government has approved an increase in the basic allowance from January.

Accordingly, the basic allowance will increase from EUR 10,347 to EUR 10,623 in the future.

With this new legal change, the subsistence level should remain guaranteed due to the economic situation.

Another tax change in 2023 will occur due to the adjustment of the basic tax-free allowance.

Because the top tax rate is subject to a new regulation.

This was set at 42 percent in 2022, but from 2023 the basic allowance will be applied to an even higher income.

For this reason, the top tax rate limit was raised from EUR 58,597 to EUR 61,972 per year at the turn of the year.

The tax rate for the wealthy, on the other hand, remains the same and will not be changed in 2023. The tax rate is still set at an income of 277,836 euros.

In contrast to the many changes in January 2023, everything will remain the same even after the turn of the year.

Tax changes 2023 for tobacco tax - CO2 tax for diesel and petrol remains the same

In addition to tax relief for citizens in Germany, the changes for 2023 also include a tax increase.

The legal innovation is still the tobacco tax.

Taxes on cigarettes, cigarillos and tobacco will increase here this year.

Packs of 20 cigarettes will then cost an average of 18 cents more in future.

On the other hand, there will be no increase in the CO2 tax for diesel and petrol.

Due to the energy crisis, the federal government will not increase the tax from 30 to 35 euros per ton in 2023.

A change in the current price is therefore off the table in 2023 and is scheduled for 2024.

What will change in 2023?

Energy flat rate for students and Germany ticket for 49 euros

The payment of the energy flat rate is finally available for students too.

A far-reaching change that will also affect technical students in 2023.

The one-off energy price flat rate of 200 euros serves to cushion the increased energy costs.

Around 2.95 million students who were enrolled at a university in Germany as of December 1 are eligible to apply.

The federal and state governments are still working on a central application platform, and the money is expected to be paid out at the beginning of the year.

49-euro ticket:

 In 2023, local public transport should be able to be used throughout Germany for 49 euros a month.

The Deutschlandticket or 49-euro ticket is to succeed the 9-euro ticket.

However, an exact start date is not yet known.

It is still unclear when the successor to the 9-euro ticket will start.

It was originally supposed to start in early 2023.

Now the course is more likely to March or April.

What's new for motorists in 2023?

Driver's license exchange, TÜV and first-aid kit - fines threaten

2023 is also a year of changes for motorists: Anyone born between 1959 and 1964 and still holding a pink or gray driver's license must exchange the driver's license and the document for a forgery-proof credit card driver's license by January 19, 2023.

The exchange of the driver's license for drivers of the above years takes place in stages according to the year of birth or year of issue.

The birth cohorts from 1965 to 1970 are still granted some delay in this regard.

You must have exchanged your driver's license by January 19, 2024.

With a pink TÜV or HU sticker, due to the legal changes in 2023, drivers must drive to a test center.

If no technical defects are found, car owners receive a fresh orange sticker.

Meanwhile, newly registered vehicles receive a blue sticker.

The changes for 2023 also include the contributions for car insurance.

This results in a new classification of the type classes for vehicles.

For about 8 million car owners, this means that the type classes will become more expensive, while about 5 million will benefit from a cheaper classification.

A change of insurance could provide the necessary remedy here, so that you don't belong to those whose car insurance will cost you more in the future.

Changes for motorists in 2023: masks in the first aid kit and truck tolls on trunk roads

According to the amended DIN standard, two medical masks ("surgical masks") must be included in a newly purchased vehicle first aid kit from February 1, 2023.

Because the road traffic regulations have not yet been adapted, there is no obligation to retrofit older first-aid kits.

The change in the first aid kit still makes sense, since the masks - including FFP2 masks - cannot harm the range of older first aid kits.

The truck toll on Germany's trunk roads

will be raised in 2023.

In the new calculation of the rates, the costs for noise and air pollution are included more.

Changes in 2023 for sick leave: Out of the "yellow certificate"

From January 2023, employees with statutory health insurance who become ill will no longer have to present their employer with a paper certificate of incapacity for work.

The health insurance companies now transmit this data directly in digital form.

The previous regulation applies to privately insured persons.

This leads to a fundamental simplification of sick leave.

There will also be another change for 2023. A so-called emergency representation right for spouses will apply from January 1st.

In the future, they will be able to make health decisions for each other in emergencies.

Accordingly, the spouse automatically becomes the partner's authorized representative if the partner is no longer able to make their own decisions.

In the future, it should be possible to buy or own cannabis under certain conditions.

However, an exact date for the legalization of cannabis has not yet been set.

A draft law should be available by the end of 2023.

So far, the discussion remains open as to whether the limit value of 1.0 nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per milliliter of blood serum, which is currently valid for driving, will be adjusted.

Change in Netflix 2023: Password sharing soon banned

Netflix is ​​also coming around the corner in 2023 with a change.

Because the streaming provider is banning the sharing of passwords from this year, which is causing quite a stir among subscribers who may not be subscribers at all, but also make normal Netflix customers sit up and take notice.

However, it is not yet clear when exactly the ban will come into effect.

The restriction could come into force as an amendment as early as January 2023.

EC card 2023: Savings banks and Co. are making a big change

The year 2023 also has big changes in store for bank customers with new functions for the EC card.

Because the EC card should be equipped with Mastercard and Visa after the Maestro exit and thus receive new functions.

Among other things, there should be the possibility of "depositing a deposit, for example when reserving a hotel room or a rental car," explained Henriette Peucker, Deputy Managing Director of the Association of German Banks (BdB), the plans to expand the Girocard functions to the dpa.

"And also about consistently bringing the Girocard to the smartphone and opening it up for in-app payments."

Changes in 2023 for e-cars and new taxes for LPG

Buyers of plug-in hybrid vehicles will no longer receive federal funding from 2023.

Furthermore, the state share of the subsidy for purely electric vehicles will drop from 6,000 to 4,500 euros.

From September 1st, funding will be limited to private individuals.

For vehicles that are fueled with autogas, so-called LPG, owners will have to dig much deeper into their pockets from 2023.

The reason for this is the expiration of a tax concession.

Therefore, the regular tax rate of 409 euros per ton will apply from 2023.

But before the outcry gets big, it remains to be said that, according to the ADAC, the taxes are still cheaper than for petrol or diesel.

Further changes in 2023: nuclear phase-out and reuse obligation

The last German nuclear reactors are scheduled to go offline in mid-April.

The Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland power plants should have been shut down at the turn of the year as part of the nuclear phase-out, but the term was extended due to the energy crisis.

In the future, restaurants, bistros and cafés will also have to offer drinks and food for on the go in reusable containers.

That says the multiple use obligation.

From 2023, the Supply Chain Act will apply to companies with more than 3,000 employees, the aim of which is to better ensure the protection of human rights in international supply chains.

It obliges companies to react to abuses when purchasing material from abroad.

Aid organizations and trade unions are given the opportunity to represent those affected before German courts in the event of violations.

Even more changes in 2023 home insurance and new euro coins

Building insurance is also part of the changes in 2023 and will be significantly more expensive.

The consumer center justifies the increase in costs, among other things, with the flood disaster in the summer of 2021, which put a great strain on insurers.

In addition, record inflation is causing rising craft, material and construction costs.

This causes prices to rise, which in turn drives up the cost of insurance.

Meanwhile, new euro coins are minted.

Since Croatia is converting the national currency to the euro and the new coins will be put into circulation from January, not only people in Germany will have to adapt to changes in 2023.