Corona bonus, child supplement, CO2 tax: what will change for your wallet in 2022

Created: 01/14/2022, 12:59 p.m

By: Patricia Huber

With the turn of the year, there are also a few important innovations in terms of finance.

© IlluPics/Imago Images

Whether minimum wage, child supplement or basic allowance: With the turn of the year there are numerous changes for consumers.

An overview of the most important changes.  

Munich - In 2022, numerous innovations and changes in the law will come into force, many of which will also affect Germans' wallets - both positively and negatively.

While minimum wage earners have reason to be happy, drivers should be annoyed.

Minimum wage will rise twice in 2022

The statutory minimum wage will increase from 1 January 2022 from 9.60 euros to 9.82 euros per hour.

That is not so much at first, but on July 1, 2022 it will rise again to 10.45 euros.

With the traffic light coalition, there should even be a significant increase.

In the coalition agreement, the SPD, Greens and FDP have set twelve euros.

Corona bonus possible until the end of March

There is also another tax advantage.

Because employers can still pay out a tax-free Corona bonus* to their employees until March 31st.

However, the limit is 1,500 euros.

So if such a bonus was already paid in 2021, the total of 1,500 euros must not be exceeded.

Deutsche Post: Letter postage is becoming more expensive

At Deutsche Post*, consumers are also expecting a change again.

At the turn of the year, letters and postcards become more expensive.

A standard letter should then cost 85 cents and a postcard 70 cents.

The letter was previously 80 cents and the postcard 60 cents.

The new stamps have been available since the beginning of December, but the old ones remain valid, but have to be franked with additional stamps so that the total is correct in the end.

The new prices will initially apply until 2024.

Tax: Basic allowance increases

But there is good news for everyone else earning more than minimum wage.

Because the basic allowance will increase to 9,948 euros in 2022.

In 2021 it was still 9,744 euros.

Income tax does not have to be paid until this exemption is reached.

Child allowance: More money for low-income families

Low-income families can look forward to a little more money in 2022.

Because the child supplement, which is paid in addition to child benefit, increases from 205 euros to 209 euros per month, per child.

Energy prices are rising: CO2 tax is being increased

But bad news awaits us in the new year – especially for motorists.

Because the CO2 tax increases from 25 euros to 30 euros per tonne of CO2.

For consumers, this means higher heating oil, diesel and petrol prices.

According to estimates, this could mean around 1.5 cents per liter more at the gas station.

EEG surcharge falls, but electricity prices remain high

In contrast to the CO2 tax, the EEG surcharge is to be reduced by 43 percent.

This surcharge was intended to promote the expansion of renewable energies.

Every end consumer has to pay this to his electricity consumer, who then forwards it to the network operator.

In January 2022, the EEG surcharge will be reduced from 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour to 3.723 cents per kilowatt hour.

This is the lowest level in ten years.

However, customers should not expect lower electricity prices because the procurement costs of electricity suppliers have risen, explains the comparison

Compulsory deposit for juices in the future

There will also be an important change in the supermarket from January 1st: the compulsory deposit will be extended.

If juices in plastic bottles were exempt from this, a 25-cent deposit will have to be paid for them as well.

All disposable plastic beverage bottles and cans will then be affected - regardless of the content.