A leading taxpayer advocacy group has highlighted a growing financial burden on German citizens, calculating the date when individuals effectively begin earning for themselves after covering taxes and contributions.
The “Taxpayer Remembrance Day” for 2025 is projected to fall on July 13th, at 12:49 AM, according to the German Taxpayers’ Association. This signifies the point at which, in a purely theoretical calculation, citizens start earning income directly available to their own wallets, having previously covered all income in the form of taxes and levies destined for public coffers.
The German Taxpayer Institute (DSI), based on household surveys conducted by the Federal Statistical Office, estimates the average income tax burden for a typical working household this year to be 52.9 percent. This translates to 52.9 cents of every earned euro contributing to the state and public institutions, leaving only 47.1 cents for personal use.
This represents an increase of approximately 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous year. A significant driver of this increase is a rise in social security contributions, particularly in healthcare. The average supplemental contribution to statutory health insurance has risen by 0.8 percentage points, from 1.7 percent to 2.5 percent. Contributions to the care insurance system have also increased by 0.2 percentage points. Furthermore, energy taxation, including a 22 percent increase in the CO2 tax on fuels and heating materials-now priced at 55 euros per ton of emissions-is contributing to the heightened financial pressure.
The projected 52.9 percent income tax burden is a national average encompassing all working households, from single individuals to families with children. The burden is notably heavier for single workers, averaging 53.8 percent, with their “Taxpayer Remembrance Day” falling on July 16th. Larger households benefit from a slightly lighter load, with a tax burden of 52.6 percent, marking their “Taxpayer Remembrance Day” on July 11th.
