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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 at the turn of the year at a glance:

BASIC PENSION: Around 1.3 million people 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 officially started on January 1st, but the payment will probably be delayed by several months due to the high administrative burden - and then take place 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 over the already applicable income-related expenses lump sum of 1000 euros.

CO2 PRICE: To make fossil energies more expensive and to promote climate-friendly alternatives, there is now a national CO2 price for transport and heating.

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

The price is passed on to customers, according to the German government, the price per liter of gasoline increases by 7 cents, 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 is now the so-called CO2 component of housing benefit.

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 does not apply to almost all citizens.

The ten percent with the highest income must continue to pay him.

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

The same applies to the distribution of such recordings.

VAT: Since the turn of the year, the regular VAT rate of 19 percent on most goods and 7 percent on everyday goods has been in effect again.

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

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BASIC SECURITY: The Hartz IV standard rates have increased slightly.

A single adult now receives 446 euros a month - 14 euros more than before.

The rate for young people between 14 and 17 has increased 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 has increased slightly from 9.35 euros per hour to 9.50 euros per hour.

CHILDREN BENEFIT AND CHILD SUPPLEMENT: With the turn of the year, the state subsidy for the first and second child also increased, from 204 to 219 euros per month.

For the third child there is now 225 instead of the previous 210 euros, from the fourth child 250 instead of the previous 235 euros.

The tax-free child allowance was increased by more than 500 euros to 8388 euros.

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

The maximum amount for child allowance has been increased from 185 to 205 euros per month.

VEHICLE TAX: The vehicle tax has been increased 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, however.

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: The basic tax-free allowance for all taxpayers has increased.

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 rose 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: People with disabilities have been able to claim higher lump sums on their tax returns since the new year.

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 now applies, for a degree of 100 it is 2840 euros.

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ELECTRONIC PATIENT FILES: With immediate effect, all insured persons should 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: Whoever buys a property only has to pay a maximum of half of the broker's costs.

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

IDENTITY ID: With immediate effect, instead of € 28.80, € 37.00 is due for a new ID card - 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 should now be able to better compare life insurance.

Since the turn of the year, insurance companies have had to state the so-called effective costs 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).

The assessment ceiling for statutory health and long-term care insurance rose to a national level of 4837.50 euros per month.

So far it was 4687.50 euros.

MEAT INDUSTRY: Work contracts for the mainly Eastern European workers in slaughterhouses are now prohibited.

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

ULTRASOUND: Medically unnecessary “baby cinema” or “baby television”, i.e. ultrasound in unborn babies in the womb, is now prohibited.

Babies should be protected from unnecessary influences.

NEW ENERGY LABEL FOR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT: From March 1, 2021, new EU energy efficiency labels will apply to some electrical appliances.

Classifications such as “A ++” or “A +++” are being replaced by more easily distinguishable classifications from A to G in dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators and freezers, televisions and monitors.

At the same time, the demands on the devices are increasing.

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CHANGE OF HEALTH INSURANCE: With the turn of the year, changing statutory health insurance has become easier.

When changing, all the insured person has to do is select a new health insurance company and declare their membership.

A written termination of the previous insurance is only necessary if the insured person leaves the system of the statutory health insurance, i.e. changes to a private health insurance or moves abroad.

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS: Credit card payments on the Internet are becoming more secure, but also a little more complicated.

In future, when paying in online shops with Visa, Mastercard and Co., it will no longer be sufficient to enter the check digit on the back of the card in addition to the credit card number.

From January 15, 2021, payments of EUR 250 or more must be approved with two independent factors; from February 15, "two-factor authentication" will take effect from EUR 150.

The rules are to be applied in full from mid-March 2021.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210101-99-866915 / 2