In terms of the combined tax and levy burden, Germany is almost the frontrunner among the industrialized countries. On average, a married couple with children has to pay 40.8 percent of their wages, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The burden is higher only in Belgium at 45.5 percent, while the OECD average is 29.4 percent. The OECD compared 38 member countries.
In Germany, 47.8 percent of taxes and social security contributions are due on earned income. In this comparison, too, only Belgium is higher with 53.0 percent. The OECD average for this type of household is given as 34.6 percent.
[Article in German]
https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/soziales/oecd-abgaben-und-steuern-in-deutschland-im-internationalen-vergleich-sehr-hoch-a-603bf9f4-648a-4963-807f-637f2283f646
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This tax burden drags the Germany economy down. Common people have less and less money available. But still it seems the majority of the voters are happy in voting for the same parties every single time, especially the ones that don’t even mention a tax reduction for the middle class.
I love Germany, but if one day I leave, the tax burden will be certainly one of the main factors that will push me away.
The ultra rich barely get taxed, while the middle class gets squeezed in every aspect.
As a single person losing 47% of my income for very little benefit is extremely frustrating. However, I feel I’m in a minority who is unhappy with how things are managed.
5 comments
Yeah, most the Germans are okay with paying taxes. Of course more money would be nice, but having fine roads, free universities and a universal health care is better.
The unfair tax burden is a problem, but trying to fix it would also cause problems. If you try to tax the rich people the simply “move” to Switzerland or Luxembourg and then pay no taxes at all. Its a difficult problem to solve.
Honestly,i am all for higher taxes for the rich.
However every time i see posts referencing “statistics” like this, i wonder if the staristics take into consideration that the “47%” is not just taxes, and do they count the value of the average costs of social insurance in countries where they are not part of “taxes”?
I mean, if they are included for germsny but not fictional costs for other countries, the statistic is still valid as a tool for comparing the obligatory contributions to society and obligatory “planning ahead” that people are forced to make. But then it is only partly related to this post, which argues that too much of the wages in germany are taken by taxes snd social security
>Common people have less and less money available.
Not really. It has been like this a long time, so the amount of money available doesn’t decrease.
>But still it seems the majority of the voters are happy in voting for the same parties every single time, especially the ones that don’t even mention a tax reduction for the middle class.
And which mysterious party is fighting for the middle class and doesn’t get votes?
Lots and lots of tax loopholes for the well-off, though. The problem is not the high taxes, but who is taxed.
We get some of the best healthcare, social security and infrastructure in return. And all without petro money or being a tax haven. But yes, we tax labor to much and wealth not enough.