As of: March 26, 2024, 4:00 p.m
By: Simon Stock
Comments
Press
Split
Changes are coming in April 2024 that will affect millions of people in Germany.
There are innovations in cannabis, parental allowance, pensions and more.
Hamm - Not a new month without innovations.
April 2024 will bring many smaller and larger changes and new regulations - with consequences for many people in Germany.
This includes, among other things, higher VAT, pensions, parental allowance, customer rights at Amazon and new options at the gas station.
In April, notorious speeders also come under attack.
wa.de
gives an overview of what is new and important.
Changes in April 2024: Overview of everything that's new and important
The year 2024 is full of innovations and changes.
These are the most important ones in April 2024:
Holidays and other special days
Speed camera marathon hunts down speeders
Full VAT again on gas and district heating
New income limit for parental allowance
Who can retire on April 1st
Many new questions in the driving test
New fuels at gas stations
Cannabis is legalized
Amazon shortens return periods
Venice costs entry
Discounted Germany ticket for students
Qualification money as a wage replacement
Career orientation internship and mobility grant for trainees
Changes in April 2024: Holidays and other special days
Let's start with changes that, strictly speaking, are not.
As always, April begins with a special day: pranksters make fun of their fellow human beings on April 1st - “April, April”.
This time the first day of the month is special for another reason, because it is a public holiday, namely Easter Monday.
And as always, the question arises for millions of bread roll fans: How will the bakers open over Easter?
Germans are not granted another public holiday this month, but they are granted a “celebratory evening”.
On April 30th we dance into the free May 1st.
Changes in April 2024: Speed camera marathon hunts down speeders
Road users can expect more speed checks and speed traps as part of the European Speedweek from April 15 to 21, 2024 (Monday to Sunday).
Embedded in this is the speed camera marathon on Friday, April 19th.
For drivers, this means taking your foot off the accelerator and keeping an eye on the speedometer.
Otherwise, money and possibly even rags will be gone.
My news
Sweater, park bench, daffodils: The hidden messages in Princess Kate's video reading
Putin wants an “empire” – also with the help of Soviet material: “Losses are an acceptable price” read
Seriously injured ski jumping ace with devastating bedside diagnosis
“Show of Force”: There is also a crunch between Russia and NATO
“That’s disrespectful”: Civil servants earn as little as citizens’ benefit recipients – and the traffic lights are watching
15 minutes ago
Bridge accident in Baltimore: Governor names number of missing people - FBI agent explains mission reading
Changes in April 2024: Full VAT on gas and district heating again
Since October 2022, a reduced VAT rate of 7 percent has applied to gas and district heating due to the high energy prices as a result of the war in Ukraine.
This relief measure for consumers expires on March 31st.
From April 1, 2024, the normal VAT of 19 percent will be due again.
Changes in April 2024: New income limit for parental allowance
If you earn very well, you don't need parental allowance.
An income limit has been in place for a long time and will be lowered from April 1st.
Parents who stay at home after the birth of a child are entitled to parental allowance up to a taxable annual income of 200,000 euros.
Anyone who earns more gets nothing.
Previously the limit was 300,000 euros.
The reform of parental allowance brings another change to shared parental leave.
Changes in April 2024: Who can retire on April 1st
As of April 1, 2024, retirement is possible for different birth cohorts - with and without deductions:
Standard old-age pension:
Born between March 2nd, 1958 and April 1st, 1958 inclusive and reaching the age of 66 - without deduction
Old-age pension for long-term insured persons
(35-year waiting period): Born from March 2, 1961 to April 1, 1961 inclusive - with a 12.6 percent deduction.
Old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons (45-year waiting period):
People who were born on January 1, 1960 can claim the old-age pension for particularly long-term insured persons for the first time on May 1, 2024 upon reaching the age of 64 and 2 calendar months.
The prerequisite is that the 45-year waiting period has been proven by May 1st.
There is no deduction here.
Anyone born on January 1st, 1960 can only retire from May 1st, 2024, after 64 years and 4 months, as the age for this pension is only reached on April 1st.
On this day, the eligibility requirements for this pension are not yet available.
Old-age pension for severely disabled people:
Born between July 2, 1962 and August 1, 1962 inclusive - with a 10.8 percent discount.
By the way, the April pension is paid out on April 30th, the last day of the month.
In March, however, there is a rare date for pension payments.
Changes in April 2024: Many new questions in the driving license test
Anyone who takes their theoretical driving test on April 1st or after must expect new questions.
With the start of April, a change will come into force that will add 61 new or revised questions to the questionnaire.
Both the car driving license and many other driving license classes are affected.
Changes in April 2024: New fuels at gas stations
Germany wants to become climate neutral.
New and more environmentally friendly diesel fuels should help.
Several new alternatives are to be introduced at gas stations in the spring.
The first two, B10 and XTL, could be officially available as early as April.
Before car owners lift the fuel tank, they should find out whether their car can tolerate the fuel.
New types of diesel will soon be available at German gas stations (symbolic image).
© IMAGO/Daniel Scharinger
Changes in April 2024: Cannabis will be legalized
Cannabis will be partially legalized on April 1st.
The plans stipulate that adults will be allowed to carry up to 25 grams of cannabis for personal consumption in public.
At home, possession of up to 50 grams and up to three female flowering plants per adult is permitted.
What rules apply to drivers under the cannabis law?
One thing is certain: smoking weed at work is a bad idea.
Changes in April 2024: Amazon shortens return periods
Amazon is making changes that are detrimental to customers.
The retail giant is shortening the return period for certain products from 30 days to the legal minimum of 14 days.
The rule takes full effect from April 25th.
Cameras, computers, other electronic devices and video games are among those affected.
Amazon only changed its Prime offer at the beginning of 2024 - since then it has been either pay or watch advertising.
Changes in April 2024: Venice costs entry
See Venice once and die: Tourists invade the world-famous lagoon city in the warm months and make a normal life there impossible.
In the future, Venice will ask its day visitors to pay on selected dates.
The start is on April 25th.
The money from the entrance fees should flow into the preservation of the city and nature.
Changes in April 2024: Discounted Germany ticket for students
At the beginning of the 2024 summer semester, students at many universities will receive a discounted Germany ticket for 29.40 euros per month and can use buses and trains nationwide if they travel due to the threat of public transport strikes like in North Rhine-Westphalia.
However, some universities are not yet participating or not participating at all - for example where the current semester ticket is cheaper.
Changes in April 2024: Qualification allowance as wage replacement
Companies and employees should be given greater support because of the structural change: from April 1st, training money will be used as a wage replacement.
This means that employees in affected sectors can be released so that they can complete further training and at the same time keep their jobs.
Changes in April 2024: Career orientation internship and mobility grant for trainees
Anyone who is still undecided about their career choice may be eligible for a funded career orientation internship from April.
The state covers travel and accommodation costs for short, even national, internships.
Trainees whose company is far from home can receive a mobility grant from April.
In the first year of training, two family trips home are taken care of per month.