
German Church Tax - thecleaner
https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Church_tax<p>Apparently even if you list any religion, Germany will collect a church tax from you if you list ANY religion. So people moving to Germany, when registering yourself at the city, tell them you are an atheist or it will cost you dearly. Also if you want to get out of it, you fill up a form which costs 30 euros and it takes another two months to go away.
======
Tomte
> if you list ANY religion

That's deceptive. The tax form lists several churches that have decided to let
the state collect their "membership dues". Many churches and denominations
have declined to do so, and you won't find them on the tax form. You simply
tick "none" if you're not a member of those specifically listed churches. And
if you are, well, you owe that money to the church. You're free to leave that
church.

Having tithes collected by the state is a breach in the separation of church
and state (for historical reasons), but it's not like the churches have no
choice.

~~~
Tomte
Wikipedia lists the following churches as participating:

* The Protestant Church (the "big one", there are myriads of small protestant free churches, especially in southern Germany – none of which participates)

* The Catholic Church

* The Old Catholics

* "Free Religion Congregations" (a special group)

* The Unitarians

* The Jewish congregations

It also lists twenty-two churches that don't let the state collect money on
their behalf, including the Methodists, the Salvation Army, Mormons, some
Pentecostal church, Alevits, Muslims and so on).

------
be_kul
But don't worry: Catholic and Protestant Churches will get your tax money
anyway: Since Napoleon – yes: THE Napoleon! – Germans pay a "compensation" for
the riches taken from the churches then (which they, of course, had taken
first from the people…). It is still paid today by the state, even though
already the German constitution of the "Republic of Weimar" (i.e. 1919-1933)
demanded that these payments should be stopped. The money coming from all tax
payers (yes, muslims, buddhists, atheists … too!) is taken, e.g., to pay the
bishops of the two major churches and the cardinals. They get a free
appartement, a free car with a driver and a salary near 10,000 €/Month. Go
figure that!!

(signed by an angry German)

~~~
Tomte
> The money coming from all tax payers (yes, muslims, buddhists, atheists …
> too!) is taken

Wrong.

> They get a free appartement, a free car with a driver and a salary near
> 10,000 €/Month

I guess you should leave the Catholic church then. Oh, you're not a member?
Why should you have a say in what salary Catholics find adequate?

~~~
detaro
[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bischof#Besoldung_in_Deutschla...](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bischof#Besoldung_in_Deutschland)

------
mtmail
> if you want to get out of it

Note you're not just getting out of the tax, you're getting out of your church
(or equivalent depending on religion). To take Catholic Church for example you
can no longer get married in a church, cannot get a church funeral, can't be
the godfather of a child or such.

The 30 Euro is just burocracy since the decision gets notarised. Same cost if
you get married, a little less to get proof of residency. It's not meant as
deterrent.

Personally I'd prefer state and church to be more separate here, even if it
means double bookkeeping and extra cost (the Churches would have to deal with
all the monthly money transactions). But the Wikipedia article goes into the
historical context and it's unlikely to go away soon.

~~~
thecleaner
Yes but people seem to have a religion other than Christianity. I guess the
government is a bit unaware of the fact.

~~~
detaro
Church tax is only collected if the matching religious group has asked the
state to do so. Non-christian churches can do so too, and if you're not a
member of any of these you don't pay church tax.

------
leipert
> it takes another two months to go away

That is not true anymore. When you go to the authorities and "leave the
church", then the next month will not have the tax on your pay slip. If it
does, you should be able to claim it in your next tax returns.

In the past there was a so called "Reuemonat" / repentance month, but that is
not true anymore, as it has been abolished in 2014.

------
shabirgilkar
Can a person following other religion i.e. Muslim opt out of it?

~~~
romanovcode
Muslims don't pay church tax. Germany plans to introduce Mosque tax very soon
and disallow external entities e.g. U.A.E. to "donate" into German mosques.

More integrated muslims are in favor of this, also more integrated muslims do
not even identify as such and have no religion. Less integrated are opposed
because they don't want to pay.

