In 2022, people in Germany inherited or received 14 percent fewer assets than in the previous year. In total, more than 101 billion euros were transferred. The business assets given away were halved.
In Germany, less is inherited or given away. According to the Federal Statistical Office, asset transfers through inheritance and donations amounting to 101.4 billion euros were assessed in the financial authorities last year. That is 14.0 percent less than 2021, in which a high was reached since 2009.
Inheritances amounting to almost 60 billion euros
Assets of 59.7 billion euros were transferred through inheritance and legacies. After inherited wealth had risen for four years in a row, it fell again for the first time in 2022 – by 5.8 percent.
Bank balances, securities, shares and participation certificates as well as real estate saw a comparatively small drop of 0.8 percent to 23.7 billion euros. In the case of other assets, on the other hand, the decline was more pronounced at 14.3 percent to 29.6 billion euros.
gift business assets decisive
The donated assets fell particularly sharply by 23.6 percent to 41.7 billion euros. “The main reason for the decline was the business assets that were given away,” it said. This halved (minus 53.7 percent) to 12.4 billion euros after more than doubling in 2021.
As a result, the so-called given away real estate ranked first among the donations with 14.9 billion euros (+5.2 percent), followed by the other donated assets with 13.6 billion euros (+6.4 percent).
inheritance and gift tax increased
Inheritance and gift tax was set at 11.4 billion euros last year, an increase of 2.6 percent. It rose for the fifth time in a row.
After applying the tax rates – which vary depending on the family relationship and the amount of the taxable income – the tax authorities determined an inheritance tax of 8.1 billion euros. After years of growth, it has thus fallen for the first time compared to the previous year, by 9.9 percent. The fixed gift tax, however, increased by 56.7 percent to 3.3 billion euros.