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Berlin (dpa) - Older people with a small pension get a supplement.

Most citizens no longer have to pay solos.

With climate protection measures, fuel and vehicle tax could become more expensive.

The federal government has initiated these and other changes.

The most important changes from 2021 at a glance:

BASIC PENSION: Around 1.3 million with a small pension receive a premium.

Those who have at least 33 years of pension contributions from employment, child-rearing and caring activities benefit.

Your life's work should be recognized, and you will not have to go to the social welfare office.

There is an average surcharge of 75 euros.

The basic pension will officially start on January 1st, but payment will probably be delayed by several months due to the high administrative burden and will then be made retrospectively.

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HOME OFFICE PACKAGE: Those who work from home during the Corona crisis receive a tax bonus.

You can claim 5 euros per home office day, but a maximum of 600 euros per year.

The lump sum is part of the advertising expenses.

Therefore, only those taxpayers benefit from it, who come above the already applicable advertising fee of 1000 euros.

CO2 PRICE: In order to make fossil fuels more expensive and to promote climate-friendly alternatives, there will be a national CO2 price for transport and heating from 2021.

Selling companies such as refineries have to pay 25 euros to start with for every ton of CO2 that is produced when diesel and petrol, heating oil and natural gas are burned.

The price is passed on to the customer, according to the federal government, the price per liter of gasoline rises by 7 cents, for diesel and heating oil by 7.9 cents, and natural gas increases by 0.6 cents per kilowatt hour.

For this, citizens should be relieved elsewhere - for example, the green electricity surcharge that citizens pay with the electricity price is reduced from tax revenues.

CO2 COMPONENT OF HOUSING BENEFITS: So that people with low incomes are not burdened by CO2 pricing, there will be a so-called CO2 component of housing benefit from January.

The expected additional costs for heating should be offset by a surcharge.

The amount depends on the size of the household and the income of the household.

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SOLI-ABAU: The solidarity surcharge will no longer apply to almost all citizens from January.

The ten percent with the highest income should continue to pay.

PROHIBITION OF UPSKIRTING: Secret filming or taking photos under the skirt (upskirting) or in the clipping can be punished with up to two years in prison from the New Year.

The same applies to the distribution of such recordings.

VAT: As of January, the regular VAT rate of 19 percent on most goods and 7 percent on everyday goods will apply again.

The federal government had lowered the tax for half a year because of the corona pandemic so that people can continue to spend money and support the economy despite the uncertain time.

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BASIC SECURITY: The Hartz IV rule rates increase slightly.

A single adult will in future receive 446 euros a month - 14 euros more than before.

The rate for young people between 14 and 17 years of age increases by 45 euros to 373 euros, and that for children up to five years of age by 33 to 283 euros.

For children between 6 and 13 years of age, 309 euros per month is a plus of one euro.

MINIMUM WAGE: The statutory minimum wage will increase on January 1st from currently 9.35 euros per hour to 9.50 euros.

CHILD BENEFIT AND CHILD SUPPLEMENT: From January, the state subsidy for the first and second child will increase from 204 to 219 euros per month, for the third child from 210 to 225 euros and from the fourth child from 235 to 250 euros.

The tax-free child allowance will also be increased by more than EUR 500 to EUR 8388.

There is also an increase in the child allowance, a benefit in addition to child benefit for families with low incomes.

The maximum amount for child allowance will be increased from 185 to 205 euros per month.

VEHICLE TAX: The vehicle tax increases for new cars with high fuel consumption.

This should encourage citizens to buy more economical cars.

Cars that have already been registered are not affected.

According to a study, it will be an average of 15.80 euros more expensive per year - but for many cars nothing will change.

DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAN: From July 3, 2021, it will be an administrative offense in the whole of the EU to sell certain items made of single-use plastic - namely cutlery and plates, drinking straws, cotton swabs, balloon holders, stirring sticks for coffee, as well as styrofoam cups and containers for take away.

INCOME TAX: For all taxpayers, the basic tax-free allowance, on which one does not have to pay taxes, increases.

In 2021 it will be 9744 euros instead of the previous 9408 euros.

The limit from which the 42 percent top tax rate is due rises slightly to an annual income of 57,919 euros.

In addition, single parents are allowed to deduct higher maintenance payments from taxes.

TAX RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: From 2021, people with disabilities can claim higher lump sums on their tax return.

With these lump sums, you can save yourself the time and expense of documenting travel costs individually.

Specifically, for a degree of disability of 50, a flat rate of 1140 euros will apply in the future, for a degree of 100 it is 2840 euros.

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ELECTRONIC PATIENT FILES: From January 1st, all insured persons will be offered electronic patient files for voluntary use.

For example, you should be able to save findings, x-rays and medication plans.

A somewhat “slimmed-down” version is planned for data protection at the start.

Patients can determine which data is included and which doctor can see them.

More precise access, depending on the doctor, only for individual documents will not come until 2022.

BROKER'S COSTS: Anyone who buys a property will only have to pay a maximum of half of the broker's costs in future.

Up to now, the buyer has usually completely assumed the broker's commission of up to seven percent of the purchase price.

From December 23rd, the buyer does not have to transfer his share until the seller has proven his payment.

IDENTITY ID: For a new ID card, instead of € 28.80 from the beginning of the year, € 37.00 is due - at least for citizens who are at least 24 years old.

You do not need a new ID card for ten years.

Younger applicants whose ID is only valid for six years are charged EUR 22.80.

LIFE INSURANCE: Consumers will be able to compare life insurance better in the future.

Insurance companies must state the so-called effective costs from January according to uniform criteria.

This makes it easier for customers to see how the cost of a contract affects the life insurance payout.

CONTRIBUTION LIMITS: In the west of the statutory pension and unemployment insurance, contributions are due up to a monthly income of 7100 euros (previously 6900 euros), in eastern Germany up to 6700 euros (previously 6450 euros).

At the beginning of the year, the assessment ceiling for statutory health and long-term care insurance rises to a national level of EUR 4837.50 per month.

So far it was 4687.50 euros.

MEAT INDUSTRY: Work contracts for mainly Eastern European workers in slaughterhouses are prohibited from January 1st.

There should also be no longer any temporary work for slaughtering and cutting.

ULTRASOUND: Medically unnecessary “baby cinema” or “baby television”, i.e. ultrasound for unborn babies in the womb, will be banned from 2021.

Babies should be protected from unnecessary influences.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201218-99-744989 / 2

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Ministry of the Environment at the CO2 price

ID card regulation

Law on the relief of heating costs

Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection at brokerage costs

Duty to inform life insurance

Ban on "upskirting"