The property tax return has been submitted, now we are waiting for the notices.
But in 16 German municipalities, the citizens sleep soundly: they pay no property tax.
Berlin – Anyone who owns a property has racked their brains over the property tax in recent months.
The new reform has raised questions among many people, but by now most of them should have submitted their property tax returns.
In Germany, however, there are 16 localities in which the property tax rate is zero.
Why is that?
Property tax: Very small communities in Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein do without
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Millions of homeowners have filed property tax returns.
© Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/dpa-tmn
An investigation by the auditing company EY last year showed that property taxes in most municipalities have risen in recent years.
But one sentence in the study caused some surprises: “Citizens in a total of 16 German municipalities do not have to pay any property tax, eight of which are in Schleswig-Holstein, seven in Rhineland-Palatinate, and one in Baden-Württemberg.” The list of Municipalities:
commune | Federal State | population |
|---|---|---|
Busingen | Baden-Wuerttemberg | ~1500 |
Bergenhausen | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~200 |
Gornhausen | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~200 |
Horath | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~500 |
Ray difference | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~100 |
reuth | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~200 |
Riegenroth | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~200 |
Wahlbach | Rhineland-Palatinate | ~200 |
Friedrichsgabekoog | Schleswig Holstein | ~100 |
Hedwigenkoog | Schleswig Holstein | ~300 |
Hillgroves | Schleswig Holstein | ~100 |
Norderfriedrichskoog | Schleswig Holstein | ~50 |
Oesterwurth | Schleswig Holstein | ~300 |
dullbel | Schleswig Holstein | ~100 |
southern march | Schleswig Holstein | ~150 |
Wesselburener Deichhausen | Schleswig Holstein | ~100 |
So these are very small villages and communities that do not collect the property tax.
However, there are different reasons why the rate of assessment is set to zero.
Zero property tax rate: wind turbines ensure balanced budgets
The municipality of Büsingen am Hochrhein is a special feature. Because it is the only German exclave: Büsingen is a German municipality in the middle of Switzerland.
The municipality can afford not to pay the property tax, since the citizens have to pay significantly more for everything else.
Swiss products are sold at Swiss prices - but at the same time the residents have to pay German taxes.
The waiver of property tax in Büsingen is therefore more of a relief in an expensive community.
The situation is different in the remaining 15 municipalities, all of which are significantly smaller.
Property tax is waived here because the municipalities can show balanced budgets.
Your income from wind power is high enough, so there is no need to burden the residents.
List of rubrics: © Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/dpa-tmn