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![woman with face mask for blog article 21. I received US stimulus checks during COVID. Are those taxed in Germany?](https://taxpatation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/pexels-shvetsa-3902881-scaled.jpg)
I received US stimulus checks during COVID. Are those taxed in Germany?
US stimulus checks were a one-time benefit (even though paid in increments) during the COVID pandemic during the years 2020-2022. Essentially the US government helicoptered checks to mostly every single American (with a few exceptions
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We are in Germany under SOFA, can there be tax consequences?
First of all, thank you for your service and protecting all of us. We certainly prefer learning English in Germany rather than being forced to familiarize ourselves with Russian – at least the ones of
![US individual tax document](https://taxpatation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-rdne-stock-project-7821551-scaled.jpg)
Tax number and tax ID, all the same, right?
Yes and no – and trust us, we understand how this feels confusing. First things first. When you register at town hall upon moving to Germany the German “Bundeszentralamt für Steuern” or “BZSt”, essentially the
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I am receiving disability benefits from the SSA for my injuries in Iraq – can Germany tax those?
The answer is yes – that is if they want to and you let them. Honestly, we do not know why some German tax office are so gung ho about taxing US money that is
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I am a Reservist for the US Military in Germany. They are constantly wanting to tax my Reserve pay – what can I do?
US Reservists are an essential part of the US Military footprint in Europe. Thousands of US citizens who have otherwise “normal” jobs and lives on the German economy dedicate so many weeks out of every
![German tax filing disappointed woman](https://taxpatation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-mikhail-nilov-6964331-scaled.jpg)
Why is filing in Germany so tedious and why do they need so many details?
We understand that filing a tax return under the best of circumstances is a very unfun subject. So, we do not expect you to find it a joyous thing when it comes to doing it
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I have PTSD from Afghanistan – are the expenses for my service dog tax deductible in Germany?
We have a great number of American clients who – due to their time in the US Military and corresponding deployments – suffer from some sort of posttraumatic stress. It is not very surprising when
![9 11 memorial 22. Can Germany tax my GI Bill / post 9/11 benefits?](https://taxpatation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/memorial-863327_1920.jpg)
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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