As a civil servant, you do not pay social security contributions and receive insurance subsidies. However, you still pay taxes. Here's how you can optimize your tax return.
Do civil servants have to pay taxes?
Civil servants have to pay taxes and can therefore also save taxes. As employees of the state, they work for the federal, state and local governments, e.g. as teachers, police officers or administrative employees. Civil servants perform tasks in the public service. They are paid according to certain rates and, unlike other employees, are exempt from insurance.
Civil servants do not pay social security contributions
As a civil servant, you have to pay taxes, but you are exempt from social security contributions such as health insurance, pension insurance or unemployment insurance and thus have more from your gross salary. However, you must also insure yourself.
Claim health insurance contributions in your tax return
Regardless of whether you choose statutory or private insurance as a civil servant, you can deduct the contributions and medical expenses from your taxes, provided that it is the basic insurance. Extra services such as a single room in the hospital or treatment by a chief physician are not included, but you can often claim these optional services as an extraordinary burden in your tax return.
Income-related expenses
However, civil servants can not only deduct their health insurance, but like all other taxpayers, they can also claim their income-related expenses (Werbungskosten).
Here are some examples:
- Job-related insurance
- Commute
- Training costs
- Costs for a second home
Special expenses and tax reductions
Tax reductions are deducted directly from your tax burden when you claim them on your tax return. These include above all:
As special expenses you can claim, among other things, costs for childcare or donations. They reduce your taxable income and thus your individual tax burden.