How much net salary remains from my German gross salary?
German payroll deducts two main blocks before your salary reaches your account: income tax (Lohnsteuer) and social security contributions. The combined effect on a typical employee tends to be substantial — roughly half of gross goes to tax and contributions, with the exact split depending on income level, tax class, family situation and a few other variables.
Income tax is progressive: there's a tax-free basic allowance (Grundfreibetrag), and then rates rise gradually up to a top bracket. Social contributions cover four mandatory areas — statutory pension, unemployment insurance, public health insurance, and long-term care insurance — each with its own rate and an annual contribution ceiling. Earnings above each ceiling don't increase that contribution further, which is part of why higher earners keep a slightly larger share of their gross.
The Solidaritätszuschlag has been abolished for the great majority of taxpayers but still applies at higher income levels. Kirchensteuer (church tax) is added if you are registered with one of the recognised churches.
Tax class affects how the year's tax is spread across the months, not how much you owe annually. Couples have several combinations to choose from depending on income difference and life events.
The most reliable way to get an accurate number for your specific situation is a Brutto-Netto-Rechner (gross-to-net calculator), with your real gross, federal state, tax class, age, number of children and church status as inputs. The single most useful insight for new expats: a salary that looks attractive at the offer stage usually looks meaningfully smaller on the first payslip — and the structure of the whole package (pension, equity, vacation, benefits) often matters more than a marginal gross figure.
See how Expatease and HORBACH Expats support expats with finance, insurance and pensions in Germany.
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