Work tool

Calculate your German net salary

Gross salary, tax class, state, church tax, and number of children determine your monthly net pay. 2026 thresholds.

What’s printed on your contract before any deductions.

Used for the childless care-insurance surcharge from age 23.

Single, divorced, widowed (post-Witwensplitting) or married with permanently separated spouse.

2026 BMF income tax + GKV / Deutsche Rentenversicherung rates. No signup needed.

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Frequently asked questions

How accurate is this net salary figure?

This calculator uses the 2026 income-tax piecewise polynomial from Paragraf 32a EStG (the same formula your tax office applies at year-end), plus the 2026 social-insurance Beitragsbemessungsgrenzen and rates published by GKV-Spitzenverband and Deutsche Rentenversicherung. Your monthly Lohnsteuer on a payslip can differ by up to 1 percent because the monthly Lohnsteuer table uses a slightly simplified algorithm. The annual settlement uses the same polynomial we use here.

Why is so much of my gross taken out?

The total social-insurance load in Germany is 42.30 percent for 2026 (employer + employee, before the childless surcharge), split roughly half-half. As an employee you pay about 21.15 percent of gross in social insurance plus your income tax. Combined, mid-range earners (40,000 to 75,000 EUR per year) take home about 55 to 60 percent of their gross. High earners closer to the BBG (101,400 EUR per year for RV/AV) keep more of each additional EUR because pension and unemployment contributions cap.

Which tax class should I pick?

Class I covers single, divorced, widowed (after the Witwensplitting year), or married with a permanently separated spouse. Class II is for single parents who claim the Entlastungsbetrag fuer Alleinerziehende. Married couples typically pick III + V (one main earner) or IV + IV (similar earners). Class VI applies to second jobs and uses no allowances. If you're unsure, Class I is the safe default for unmarried employees.

How does the solidarity surcharge work in 2026?

Soli (Solidaritaetszuschlag) is 5.5 percent of the income tax owed, but only above a Freigrenze. For 2026 the Freigrenze is 20,350 EUR of income tax for single filers (40,700 EUR jointly). Below that, Soli is zero. Just above the Freigrenze there's a Milderungszone where Soli is capped at 11.9 percent of the difference between income tax and the Freigrenze. Most middle-class earners pay no Soli; only the top 10 percent of earners actually owe it.

Why is church tax 8 percent in Bayern but 9 percent everywhere else?

Bayern and Baden-Württemberg set their church tax (Kirchensteuer) rate at 8 percent of the income tax owed; all other Bundeslaender use 9 percent. The rate applies to the income tax, NOT to gross salary, so on a 50,000 EUR class I gross with about 10,500 EUR income tax, church tax is around 850 EUR (Bayern) or 950 EUR (NRW). You only pay if you're a registered member of a recognised religious community; choose 'no church tax' if you're not.

Why do childless workers pay more for care insurance?

The Pflegeversicherung surcharge for childless workers from age 23 is 0.6 percentage points (employee-only). It's a demographic-policy adjustment: parents are credited for raising the next generation of contributors. The surcharge ends as soon as you have a child. Sachsen also uses a different employer/employee split (employee 2.3 percent, employer 1.3 percent) instead of the 1.8/1.8 default, because the state historically provided a public holiday in lieu of the employer share.