Status: 06.12.2022 11:11 a.m
Finance Minister Lindner is calling for an approximately 25 percent increase in the allowances for inheritance tax. Since the states are entitled to this, a corresponding initiative should also come from the states – but they react negatively.
Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner considers a significant increase in the allowances for inheritance and gift tax to be necessary. “In my opinion, they should be raised by about 25 percent,” said the FDP politician to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. Since only the federal states are entitled to the tax, an initiative to increase the tax allowances should preferably also come from the federal states.
Bavaria has “put something on the way, but it seems to me that even CDU-led countries are unfortunately rather negative,” said Lindner. “Without a majority in the Bundesrat, I am powerless as Federal Minister of Finance.”
New law does not provide for higher allowances
The background to the debate is a regulation from the annual tax law. This implements a requirement of the Federal Constitutional Court, according to which real estate values must in future be estimated as close as possible to the sales value for tax purposes.
However, the law does not provide for any higher allowances for inheritance – for example, they are currently 400,000 euros for children. Since the selling prices for real estate have risen sharply in recent years, particularly in metropolitan areas, the current allowances for inherited condominiums or single-family homes could be well above this threshold. Inheritance tax would then be due. The change in the law will take effect on January 1, 2023.
Union accuses government of hidden tax increase
The Union accuses the government of a hidden tax increase. Lindner rejected such allegations. “There is no increase in inheritance tax,” he stressed. “Why should I also raise a tax that doesn’t even benefit the federal government, but only Bavaria?” At the request of the constitutional court, the procedure for determining the value of real estate had to be renewed, said Lindner. “Picantly enough, that goes back to Horst Seehofer from the same CSU, who is now campaigning against it.” At the same time, Lindner emphasized: “No one has to worry about this: owner-occupied family houses are mostly completely tax-free.”