Solidaritätszuschlag (German Solidarity Surcharge)
Definition
A supplementary tax in Germany originally introduced to fund the costs of German reunification. It's calculated as 5.5% of your income tax liability. Since 2021, most taxpayers are exempt—only those with income tax exceeding approximately €18,130 (single) or €36,260 (married) pay it. This effectively limits it to higher earners.
Example
A single German taxpayer with a €10,000 income tax liability would pay an additional €550 in Solidaritätszuschlag (5.5% × €10,000).
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