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German employee allowance — is itemising worth it?

The standard allowance and actual expenses are never added together: the EUR 1,230 allowance applies unless higher expenses are evidenced.

2026 rules — verified on September 21, 2026Free, no account

Your result

Fill in the fields, then run the calculation: the full breakdown appears here, free of charge.

Sources and assumptions

Calculation assumptions

  • A single income category; with several, the allowance applies separately to each.
  • Excludes pension payments under EStG s. 9a sentence 1 no. 1(b), whose allowance interacts with the pension relief amount.
  • Excludes union dues, which under EStG s. 9a sentence 3 are allowed in addition to the standard allowance.

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This result is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute personalised tax advice. Check your situation with the tax authorities or a professional.