Tax

If you are employed at the AEI or the University of Hannover, you have the same status as a German employee. In particular this means that you will pay income tax, a contribution to health insurance (either public or private), pension insurance and unemployment insurance. If you are Protestant or Catholic (and you state this at the Residents' Registration Office), you will also pay a church tax of about 7% of your income tax, members of the Jewish community pay the Jewish culture tax, corresponding to the church tax. This tax is not compulsory, so if you do not want to pay it, you should not indicate your religion on the form. If you are paying the church tax and you want to stop doing so, you have to sign a form at the town hall to say that you are leaving the church.

You must get your personal income tax card (Lohnsteuerkarte) at the Residents' Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt). Your tax class depends on whether or not you are married and how many children you have. Every year you must complete a tax declaration. This means filling in a form and sending it to the local tax office (Finanzamt).

Stipend holders and short-time guests (staying less than six months) don't have to pay taxes in Germany.