Last chance to file tax return
Let’s start with something you need to do as quickly as possible if you’re affected. The official deadline for mandatory tax declarations is August 31st this year. However, since this date falls on a Sunday, taxpayers in Germany will have until Monday, September 2nd to submit their documents to the Finanzamt.
For most employees in Germany, filling in a tax return is not compulsory, but certain groups of people, including those with second sources of incomes and the self-employed, must submit declarations annually.
However, there are longer deadlines when working with a tax advisor (Steuerberater) or income tax association.
READ ALSO: What are the 2024 tax deadlines to submit my tax return?
Bumper election month
Three important elections will take place in Germany in September. Voting to elect a new parliament is scheduled for September 1st in Thuringia and Saxony, and on September 22nd in Brandenburg.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to make significant gains, while the parties in the federal government are set to suffer, according to recent polls.
In the state elections (Landtagswahlen), everyone over 18 with German citizenship can vote. By the way, in Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Bremen, Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Hamburg, people can vote from the age of 16 – but German citizenship remains a requirement.
READ ALSO: Inside Germany – Gearing up for explosive state elections and the German’Switzerlands’
Back to school (and the Bundestag)
The school holidays are coming to an end for more pupils and teachers in Germany. The last to return to the classroom are schools in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Lessons restart here around September 8th.
Meanwhile, politicians will be busy again as the Bundestag reconvenes on September 9th. The traditional budget week is coming up – a topic that has recently caused a lot of controversy.
READ ALSO: Why Germany may have to renegotiate its 2025 budget
Regional holiday – and autumn arrives
The German state of Thuringia has a public holiday coming up. September 20th marks World Children’s Day, and many people will get the day off work.
September also marks the end of the summer. From a meteorological point of view, autumn begins on September 1st, but the astronomical beginning of autumn this year in Germany is on September 22nd, when day and night are of equal length.
READ ALSO: German word of the day – Tagundnachtgleiche
Liquids limits return to EU airports
This is an important change that travellers need to be aware of.
The European Commission (EC) recently announced recently that it was temporarily reintroducing limits to liquids carried in hand luggage at airports around Europe. The move is due to concerns about the reliability of CT scanners as part of new systems.
In Germany some airports – such as Frankfurt – had been phasing out the liquid limits.
A notice on Frankfurt airport’s site says: “Starting September 1st, 2024 an EU-wide restriction on taking liquids in carry-on luggage will be applied again for all passenger security checkpoints (including CT scanners).”
The airport goes on to say that “only liquids in containers no larger than 100 milliliters may be taken, and these must be placed inside a re-closable bag with a maximum capacity of 0.1 litre”.
READ ALSO: What return of liquid limits at airports means for travel in Germany
Organ donation declaration via health insurance app
By September 30th it will be possible for people in Germany to say whether they want their organs to be donated after they die via their health insurance app.
Since March, people have been able to enter a declaration of willingness to donate organs and tissue in the central online register using the online function of their ID card. Being able to do it through the app is meant to further simplify the process.
READ ALSO: What Germany’s new digital organ donation register means for residents
Reservation requirement for international trains ends
If you wanted to travel abroad by train in the summer months, you needed a reservation on almost all long-distance train connections. But from September 1st, this is no longer needed.
Deutsche Bahn had introduced the requirement due to the expected high demand amid the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in June and July. However, the reservation requirement between Munich and Zurich will remain in force up to and including October 5th.
Berlin airport S-Bahn transport link closes
Another train change to be aware of – from September 13th, S-Bahn connections to Berlin’s BER airport are being cut for around two months.
It affects the S9 and S45. The route is being closed due to maintenance work.
The lines are expected to reopen in early November.
Passengers can continue to use the airport express FEX and regional trains.
Receipts for heating subsidies
The first group of applicants for KfW heating subsidies will be able to submit invoices and receipts for projects from the end of September 2024.
Among the first to be allowed to submit applications were owners of single-family homes who use the house themselves. These homeowner can submit their costs by the end of September. Once the documents have been checked, the money will be paid out, likely at the end of October, according to a spokeswoman for the state development bank KfW.
Deadline to submit accounts for ‘Covid aid’
Recipients of state coronavirus economic aid have until the end of September to submit their final accounts. These are necessary in order to reconcile the grants originally applied for with those to which the applicants are actually entitled. This could lead to back payments or repayments.
Ban on the purchase and sale of R44 child seats
Child seats can save lives. To ensure that they always comply with the latest safety standards, a change from September 2024 means that seats with the abbreviation ‘R44’ may no longer be sold or purchased.
Seats with this labelling have no longer been allowed to be manufactured since last year but stocks were still allowed to be sold. This period ends in September 2024, which means that buying or selling them is prohibited. But not the use: anyone who still has a child seat of the old standard in their car may continue to use it.
No more account sharing on Disney+
Similar to its competitor Netflix, Disney+ will no longer offer the option of account sharing in the future. The process initiated by Disney and its CEO Bob Iger is expected to take effect in Germany in September, where users will be asked to create their own account.
Oktoberfest kicks off
Germany’s most famous folk festival starts in September – despite the name. That’s right – Oktoberfest is back!
The celebration held in Munich kicks off on Saturday September 21st and lasts until October 6th.
Expect millions of visitors, a cheery atmosphere and endless litres of beer.
Member comments