If you live in Germany or stay there regularly, you are generally fully liable for tax in Germany. This means you must declare your worldwide income on your German tax return — including any income from foreign sources. In this article, we explain which types of foreign income are relevant for German tax purposes and which are supported by Taxfix.
-
Foreign income is subject to tax in Germany under the worldwide income principle.
-
Investment income is considered foreign only if paid into a foreign bank account — not based on where the fund or company is located.
-
Taxfix supports foreign income only under certain conditions.
🚀 Your Guide
What qualifies as foreign income in Germany?
If you are fully tax liable in Germany, the worldwide income principle applies: all income — including income from abroad — must be declared in Germany.
This includes, for example:
-
Salary from a foreign employer
-
Rental income from property abroad
-
Foreign pensions or investment income
➡️ Even if you lived in Germany for only part of the year, your foreign income may still be relevant for your German tax return.
💡 For more information on how foreign income is taxed in Germany, see our help article.
When is investment income considered foreign?
Investment income is only considered foreign if it was paid into a foreign bank account — not because a fund or company is based abroad.
Example:
-
You invest in an ETF based abroad via a German bank → not foreign investment income.
-
Dividends are paid into an account in Luxembourg or Switzerland → foreign investment income.
💡 Our help article explains how to report foreign investment income correctly.
Which types of foreign income are supported by Taxfix?
Taxfix can support your return if the following conditions are met:
Your residential status:
-
You lived in Germany part or all of the year,
-
You were (at least temporarily) fully tax liable in Germany,
-
You did not maintain a residence in both Germany and another country at the same time.
➡️ If you moved during the year, we can support you only if your previous residence was no longer available (e.g. terminated rental contract or deregistration).
Your foreign income:
-
You had foreign income while living abroad → Taxfix can support all types of income.
-
You had foreign income while living in Germany → Only specific types are supported (e.g. rental income within the EU, interest or dividends).
➡️ You can find the complete list of supported income types here.
Tip: How to check whether Taxfix supports your case
Simply sign up in the Taxfix app. After just a few questions, the app will automatically tell you whether your tax case is supported — no obligation.
🚀 Fill out the simple question-answer flow - we'll take care of the rest!
Still have questions?
We're here to help! Contact our support team