Article overview
Can Germany tax my GI Bill / post 9/11 benefits?
Mostly every American who leaves the Military receives education benefits. Established after World War 2 and with various changes to the program over time, today the so called “Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)” provides financial
We are contributing towards a DCFSA – what does this mean in German tax terms?
Usually, child-care in the US (or on the US system when assigned to Germany) is not free and contributing towards a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) can be a great way to save towards
We are contributing towards a 529 plan – are those tax-free in Germany?
Everybody knows that college in the US can be expensive. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan to save for future education costs that come in two different ways – as education savings plans
I was in the US Military but am now working as a contractor in Africa and Iraq. Can Germany tax my contractor pay? What if I receive a DBA payout?
Contractors working for private enterprises supporting the US Military have a long-standing history dating back to World War II. Contracting jobs have seen a recent high during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to
I got medically discharged from the US Military. Now I live in Germany – can they tax my discharge benefits?
Service in the US Military requires a certain physical fitness which tends to be higher than the fitness expected of people working in a non-Military field. Correspondingly a medical discharge from the service can happen
My husband was in the US Military and committed suicide – can Germany tax his pension?
It is a sad and troublesome issue in the US Military. But the stress brought on US Soldiers by their job and from previous or looming deployments leads to hundreds of suicides every year. According
My husband was killed in Afghanistan – can Germany tax my SBP benefits?
The Survivor Benefits Plan is another way to secure financial stability for the surviving spouse in case an active duty member of the US Military dies while on active duty or after retirement. Since Military
My husband fought in Vietnam – can Germany tax my DIC benefits?
It is no secret that due to the large presence the US Military had in Germany for decades many US Soldiers stayed in country after their time in service or retired here altogether. Out of
I am a retired government civilian – can Germany tax my OPM pension and TSP benefits?
There is no good answer to this question. To start with the bad news: There is a chance Germany will try to tax both fully. How is that? First, a mid-level tax administration in the
I had a liposuction – can I make the expense a tax deduction in Germany?
Being overweight is something that many people are struggling with and all too often a change in diet or just working out more does not work. In those cases often only a liposuction helps –
What is the most tax-effective way for Americans to invest in Germany?
This is an excellent question and as often the answer is “it depends”. First of all, we are tax professionals and cannot give any investment advice. However, we can highlight a few tax aspects, which
Can Germany tax my US retirement plan?
Americans in general are much more used to investing towards retirement than most Germans are. For this reason, almost every American in Germany has a retirement from previous employment or freelance work – the most
I have been in Germany less than 183 days, so I don’t need to file a return.
Ah, the classic mistake. You wouldn’t be the first one to fall for it. We have no idea how this myth came to life. But the 183 days rule is a concept, which exists only
Do I even need to file a German tax return?
Many Americans living in Germany draw income from the US – as a pension, dividends, retirement plan distributions or VA benefits – and can live comfortably on just those or they are working low-paying jobs,
Will Germany tax my VA benefits?
Many Americans who are living in Germany have at some point served in the US Armed Forces – Army, Navy, Marines, Cost Guard or Navy. Almost all of them – when leaving the Military under
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