How can I ensure that my tax class selection is optimal for me and my partner?
June 3, 2024 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Friedhelm Peters
Dear tax consultant,
My name is Quentin Rothwiller and I am looking for professional assistance with my tax class selection. My partner and I have been married for some time and have so far chosen tax class IV/IV. However, I am unsure if this choice is truly optimal for us and if there may be a better alternative.
We both earn roughly the same amount and do not have any children. In the past, we have found that we often have to make a high tax payment at the end of the year, which of course puts a financial strain on us. Therefore, we would like to find out if there is a way to avoid these payments and optimize our overall tax burden.
I am worried that by choosing the wrong tax class, we may be giving away money or paying unnecessarily high taxes. Therefore, it is important for us to receive well-founded advice and to be presented with possible solutions.
Can you help us make the best possible tax class choice to improve our financial situation and avoid payments? Are there perhaps alternative tax classes that would be more favorable for us? We are open to your recommendations and hope to benefit from your expertise in optimizing our tax situation.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Quentin Rothwiller
Dear Mr. Rothwiller,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding your choice of tax class. As a tax advisor with many years of experience in this field, I would be happy to assist you in making the best possible tax class selection to improve your financial situation and avoid repayments.
First of all, it is important to know that choosing tax class IV/IV for married couples who earn roughly the same amount is often not the optimal solution. Since both partners in this tax class bear the same tax burden, it can lead to high tax repayments at the end of the year. This is mainly because the tax office classifies tax classes IV/IV as "unfavorable" for couples without children.
One possible alternative to tax class IV/IV would be the combination of tax classes III/V. In this combination, the partner with the higher income chooses tax class III, while the partner with the lower income chooses tax class V. This results in the higher income being taxed less and can lead to a lower tax burden. However, it should be noted that the partner with tax class III will receive a higher net income monthly, which should be taken into account in budget planning.
Another option would be the combination of tax classes IV/IV with a factor. In this variant, the income tax is calculated based on a factor that takes into account professional expenses and church tax. This can help to calculate the tax burden more accurately and avoid possible repayments.
It is important that you seek individual advice, as the optimal tax class choice depends on various factors such as income, deductible expenses, special expenses, and other tax aspects. I am happy to provide you with detailed advice and work together with you to find the best solution for your tax situation.
I hope that my explanations have been helpful to you and I am available to answer any further questions you may have.
Best regards,
Friedhelm Peters
