Vorabpauschale — Advance ETF Tax
Vorabpauschale is an advance tax on virtual income from accumulating ETFs. Deducted automatically each January, even if you haven't sold anything. For a €50,000 portfolio, the amount is typically €100–250 per year [1].
Tax Mechanics
Vorabpauschale (literally "advance flat-rate amount") applies only to accumulating funds — thesaurierend ETFs (reinvesting dividends). The state taxes presumed income, even if the fund distributed nothing.
Deduction occurs in early January. The broker automatically sells part of your assets or withdraws money from your cash account [2].
Calculation Formula
Vorabpauschale is calculated using this formula:
Tax base = ETF value × Basiszins × 0.7
Tax = Base × (1 - Teilfreistellung) × 26.375%
Key elements:
| Element | What it is | 2025 value |
|---|---|---|
| Basiszins | Base interest rate set by Bundesbank based on German government bond yields | 2.53% [3] |
| 0.7 coefficient | Legislatively fixed multiplier | Fixed value |
| Teilfreistellung | Partial tax exemption (depends on fund type) | 30% for stocks, 15% for mixed, 0% for bonds [4] |
| Tax rate | Abgeltungsteuer + Solidaritätszuschlag | 26.375% (25% + 5.5% of 25%) |
Example calculation for 2025:
Portfolio of €50,000, equity ETF (Teilfreistellung 30%):
Base = 50,000 × 2.53% × 0.7 = €885.50
Tax = 885.50 × (1 - 0.30) × 26.375% = €164
Limits and Exceptions
Vorabpauschale cannot exceed actual fund value increase. If your ETF grew by €500 during the year but calculated Vorabpauschale is €800, you pay tax only on €500 [5].
If the fund declined in value during the year — no tax is charged [6].
Freistellungsauftrag is applied automatically. If you have a tax-exempt allowance (€1,000 per person per year, €2,000 for married couples), Vorabpauschale is first deducted from it [7].
What Happens When You Sell
When selling ETF shares, you pay tax on total capital gain minus already paid Vorabpauschale for all years of ownership. There is no double taxation [8].
Example:
- Bought ETF for €10,000
- Sold after 5 years for €15,000 (€5,000 gain)
- Paid €600 in Vorabpauschale over 5 years
- Tax at sale is charged on (€5,000 - €600) = €4,400
How Much Cash to Keep
Keep enough cash in your brokerage account for the January tax deduction. If there's no cash, the broker will forcibly sell part of your assets — possibly at an unfavorable time.
Approximate planning calculation:
| Portfolio size | Approximate Vorabpauschale (2025) |
|---|---|
| €10,000 | €33 |
| €25,000 | €82 |
| €50,000 | €164 |
| €100,000 | €328 |
The exact amount depends on the current year's Basiszins and fund type.
Psychological Dimension
Vorabpauschale often causes frustration: "I didn't sell anything, why should I pay tax?"
This is normal. The mechanism contradicts the logic of "pay tax when you receive money." But it reflects the German approach to taxation: prevent indefinite tax deferral through reinvestment.
Important for immigrants: If you're used to tax systems where tax is paid only upon sale, Vorabpauschale looks like another "hidden trap." But it's not a trap — it's a transparent legislative norm with clear calculations. Amounts are usually small, and everything is accounted for at sale.
Checklist
- Verify with your broker that Vorabpauschale is deducted automatically
- Check that Freistellungsauftrag is set to the correct amount
- Keep at least €50–100 in cash for every €20,000 in ETFs
- Don't panic at the January deduction — it's standard procedure
- Save your annual tax statement (Jahressteuerbescheinigung) — it lists all paid Vorabpauschale
When to Seek Professional Help
Consult a Steuerberater if:
- You have a portfolio over €100,000 and want to optimize taxes
- You own multiple fund types (stocks, bonds, mixed) and don't understand the calculation
- You're leaving Germany and don't know how to account for paid Vorabpauschale
- Your broker forcibly sold assets and you don't understand why
Sources
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Bundesfinanzministerium. Investmentsteuergesetz (InvStG) — § 18 Vorabpauschale. Bundesministerium der Finanzen, 2025. https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Gesetzestexte/Gesetze_Gesetzesvorhaben/Abteilungen/Abteilung_IV/19_Legislaturperiode/2019-12-12-InvStRefG/0-Gesetz.html — Official text of investment taxation law.
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Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin). Besteuerung von Investmentfonds. BaFin, 2024. https://www.bafin.de/DE/Verbraucher/Geldanlage/Investmentfonds/investmentfonds_node.html — Explanation of investment fund taxation.
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Deutsche Bundesbank. Basiszins für die Besteuerung von Investmenterträgen. Deutsche Bundesbank, January 2025. https://www.bundesbank.de/de/bundesbank/organisation/geschaeftsbereiche/geschaeftsbereich-1/basiszinssatz — Official publication of base rate for 2025.
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Bundesfinanzministerium. BMF-Schreiben zur Anwendung des Investmentsteuergesetzes. BMF, 2024. https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Downloads/BMF_Schreiben/Steuerarten/Investmentsteuer/2018-05-21-anwendungsschreiben-zum-investmentsteuergesetz.html — Official explanation of Teilfreistellung application.
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Bundesfinanzministerium. InvStG § 18 Abs. 3 — Vorabpauschale limited to actual value increase. Bundesministerium der Finanzen, 2025. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/invstg_2018/__18.html
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Finanztip. Vorabpauschale bei ETFs: So funktioniert die ETF-Steuer. Finanztip Verbraucherinformation gGmbH, 2025. https://www.finanztip.de/indexfonds-etf/vorabpauschale/ — Practical explanation of Vorabpauschale with calculation examples.
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Bundesfinanzministerium. Sparer-Pauschbetrag und Freistellungsauftrag. BMF, 2024. https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Standardartikel/Themen/Steuern/Weitere_Steuerthemen/Abgeltungsteuer/Sparer-Pauschbetrag.html — Information on tax-exempt allowance for investment income.
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Deutsches Aktieninstitut. Besteuerung von Investmentfonds nach InvStG. Deutsches Aktieninstitut, 2024. https://www.dai.de/de/das-bieten-wir/studien-und-statistiken/besteuerung-von-investmentfonds.html — Explanation of offsetting paid Vorabpauschale when selling assets.