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Save up to 500€ every two years The easiest and quickest way to save up to 500€ every two years is to change your internet provider. However, your current internet provider is often the cheapest on comparison portals. Unfortunately, you cannot just cancel your current contract with the internet provider and join the same provider again to save money. So, what can you do in this situation? Here is the solution. You have two options. Option 1: Reach out to Check24* and ask about signing up for...

Everyone living in Germany must have these three documents. Power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht) Living will (Patientenverfügung) Care directive (Betreuungsverfügung) You can create them for free, and it'll help your family decide on your behalf when you can't on your own. What is a power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht) in Germany? Power of attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht) is a document in which you specify who can decide on your behalf if you cannot on your own. It could be because of an...

Problem: Waiting for months for an appointment with a specialist Anyone who has ever gotten sick in Germany knows the pain of waiting for an appointment with a specialist, such as a skin doctor or orthopedics. If you are insured under public health insurance, you must wait for at least six months to get an appointment. Waiting for so long seems ridiculous when you are suffering from pain. Unfortunately, this is how it is in Germany. Long waiting times for appointments are one of the many...

📣 Shout out First, we want to thank all of you for your continued support and trust in GermanPedia. We also want to thank Leila, Sabrine, and Ashish for sharing their feedback and stories. ❤️ Leila's story inspired us to launch the "German Citizenship Test Email Course." Sabrine pointed out and helped in correcting a mistake on our platform. Ashish shared his experience on taking occupational disability insurance in Germany and contributed to creating a guide on GermanPedia. We love to hear...

Time flies, and we are in the last quarter of 2024. This is when you should start considering switching your electricity, gas, internet, car insurance, and other contracts. Companies offer various discounts to attract new customers. You should take advantage of this and save more than 1000€ annually by switching your contract. How do you do it? Simply compare plans on Check24 or Verivox. If you find a cheaper contract, sign up for it. The new company takes care of canceling your old contract....

This week's newsletter will be short. We'll focus on the changes happening in Germany that affect expats. Changes in Germany that affect you Transport Deutschlandticket price will increase from 49€ to 58€ per month from 2025. Health Insurance Increase in public health insurance premiums: In 2025, the maximum income threshold will increase from 5175€ to 5512.5€, a 6.5% increase. In addition, the "additional contribution" rate will increase by at least 0.6% in 2025. Increase in private health...

Public health insurance premium depends on two factors Your income Your public insurer's additional contribution In 2024, one out of four public health insurance providers increased the additional contributions. Some insurers increased the premium twice in 2024. To make matters worse, the German government has announced that the maximum income threshold will be increased from 5175€ to 5512.5€ in 2025. The maximum income threshold is the maximum income insurers consider when calculating the...

When is a rent increase invalid in Germany? Notice of change According to Section 573 Paragraph 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB), the landlord cannot terminate your existing rental contract and offer a new one with increased rent. Sale If the property is sold, the new owner becomes the tenant's new contractual partner. The new owner must comply with the terms mentioned in the old rental agreement. Thus, the sale itself is not a reason to increase the rent. Death of the family member named as...

The deadline to file the income tax return for 2023 was 2 Sept 2024. If you were required to file the tax and didn't do so by this date, you can face sanctions from the tax office. However, as not much time has passed since the deadline, you can still avoid penalties. Who must file an income tax return in Germany? You are legally required to file a tax return if you fall into one of the following categories. You are in tax class 3/5, 4/4, or 6. You are self-employed You have income from other...

Medical screenings that your health insurance offers Public health insurance covers a number of medical screening tests. These tests help in early detection of diseases. This makes the treatment more effective and less painful. Here are the main medical screenings based on your age group and gender. Women Dental Check-up (From age 18, Once per calendar half-year): Identify cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues early. If you are 35 and above, you should consider getting dental...