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Changes in April recap

• CO2 costs will more than double by 2030
• Electricity costs will rise as network charges increase
• The income limit to be eligible for parental allowance will be reduced from 200,000€ to 175,000€.
• Lawyer's fees will increase by 6% and court costs by 9%.

Read more about these changes in our last newsletter.

Public health insurance costs are increasing again

These three public health insurance companies are increasing their "additional contributions" as of 1 April 2025.

• Mhplus BKK: from 2.56% to 3.29%
• BKK VerbundPlus: from 2.85% to 3.89%
• BKK24: from 3.25% to 4.39%

If you are a member of one of these public health insurance companies, you should switch. Here are potential savings if you switch to TK.

• Barmer to TK: 555€ per annum
• AOK Bayern to TK: 562€ per annum
• DAK to TK: 635€ per annum
• Mercedes Benz BKK: 900€ per annum

You can use our calculator to check your savings potential.

Trump tariffs and how they affect you

Here are the new tariffs imposed by the US

• 10% tariffs on all goods from all countries
• 20% tariffs on EU
• 25% tariffs on cars and auto parts from the EU

The tariffs are taxes that EU companies must pay when selling their goods in the US. Here is what the Trump administration expects from these tariffs.

• Increase in tax revenue.
• It'll make made-in-America products more attractive.

Side effects of the tariffs.

• Other countries may impose tariffs of their own. Thus escalating the situation to a trade war.
• High tariffs may improve the sales of domestic products. However, they will also impact US businesses that rely on importing raw materials, parts, or finished products.

Impact on Germany and you

• German products will become expensive, affecting sales and reducing these companies' revenue. Ultimately, this will trigger cost-cutting measures that may impact your jobs.

Free German courses

On April 1, SmarterGerman made all its courses (A1, A2, B1, and B2) free. No, it's not an April Fool's joke. They literally made the courses entirely free. So, no more excuses, and start learning German today.

What are we working on at GermanPedia?

• Finally, the most requested feature by people preparing for the German citizenship test is here. We have created a PDF that contains all the citizenship test questions in German and English, as well as the answers and explanations for each question. You can download the PDF here.
• We published a new bank comparison table - no more switching between bank sites to compare the features. Let us know which bank account you want us to add to this table.

• We are working on a new book and a video course on retirement planning in Germany in partnership with a financial planning company. It's taking longer than we initially planned. But we think you'll love the final result.
• We are adding new chapters to our book "How to Buy a Property in Germany." The new chapters will cover everything you need to know as a real estate investor in Germany.

Get a new customer bonus from the same internet provider

You took an internet plan two years ago and enjoyed the new customer bonus. However, now you are paying the normal price.

You compared the price of internet plans on Check24* and Verivox* and discovered that your internet provider is offering new customers a 400€ joining bonus.

However, as you are already a customer, you can't take this offer. Not really!

Here is how you can get the new customer discount.

The internet contract is between you and the internet provider. So, if you live with someone (your spouse, friend, or partner), they can take the new internet plan in their name.

You must take care of a few things.

• You must use a differnt email address when taking the new plan.
• The bank account must be different.
• The name of the person taking the plan must be different.

So, families can easily change their internet plans every two years and enjoy discounts and bonuses.

A request 🙏

Reviews mean everything for online platforms, and GermanPedia is no different.

You can help us compete in Google search by leaving reviews on Google. These really (yes, really) help and are a vital part of Google's discovery and recommendation algorithms.

So, if you find what we are doing helpful, please leave a simple star rating or a short review on Google. This will help more users discover GermanPedia.

Community Shoutouts! 📣

• Are you confused about public and private health insurance? You are not alone. Read our guides or book to understand German healthcare better. If you are looking for personalized advice, consult a health insurance expert for free.
• The tax filing deadline is 31 July 2025. Download our FREE tax cheatsheet to maximize your tax savings.
• You can use tax software to file simple tax returns (income from job only). We find SteuerGo* and Wundertax* among the best tax software. If you have a complex tax return (multiple income sources) or filing it yourself makes you nervous, you should consult a tax consultant.

Whether it's a must-visit place, a life hack, or an inspiring story, we’d love to hear from you.

Your feedback matters 👍

If you like what we do, rate us on Google​

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