Last Updated: April 2026
Germany is home to one of Europe's most internationally mobile professional classes — engineers, researchers, finance professionals, and entrepreneurs regularly move from Germany to the USA, Switzerland, the UK, UAE, and Asia. Germany's departure tax system is more targeted than Canada's or Australia's: it focuses specifically on private company shareholdings under §6 AStG (Aussensteuergesetz — the Foreign Tax Act), rather than imposing a broad deemed disposal on all assets. However, the Wegzugsteuer (exit tax) can be very significant for GmbH founders and shareholders, and the administrative requirements around Abmeldung, Kirchenaustritt, Riester, and final tax returns require careful timing.
Germany-to-USA is a major migration corridor — particularly for tech, engineering, and academic professionals. Key Germany-US planning points:
Wegzugsteuer timing for GmbH founders: If you hold GmbH shares and are moving to the USA, the exit tax is due immediately (no EU deferral applies). Consider whether to trigger the exit tax while still German-resident at lower German rates vs restructuring before departure. A sale of the GmbH before departure might be preferable to an exit tax assessment — German tax treatment of GmbH share sales under §17 EStG (40% tax-exempt via Teileinkünfteverfahren) may produce a better outcome than the pure exit tax calculation.
German-US Double Taxation Agreement: The 1989 Germany-USA DTA governs which country taxes what. German income (pension, rental, dividends) after departure: typically taxed in Germany with a Foreign Tax Credit available in the USA. Key article: the tiebreaker residence clause determines US residency vs German residency if there are competing claims.
Betriebliche Altersvorsorge (bAV — occupational pension): German employer pension plans are complex. Some are held as deferred compensation with the employer; others are via Pensionskasse or Direktversicherung. On departure: your accrued bAV entitlement is vested after 3 years of service — you cannot take it early but it will be paid at pension age. Check vesting status before departure.
PFAND (deposit) and contract cancellations: German mobile contracts, gym memberships, and certain insurance policies have Kündigungsfristen (notice periods) — typically 1–3 months. Cancel these 3 months before departure to avoid post-departure charges.
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Get US Expat Tax Help After Leaving Germany →The Wegzugsteuer is calculated as: (FMV of your GmbH shares on the day before departure − your original acquisition cost / Anschaffungskosten) × your applicable German income tax rate. GmbH share gains for holdings ≥1% are taxed under §17 EStG using the Teileinkünfteverfahren — 40% of the gain is tax-free, 60% is taxable at your marginal rate (up to 45% plus 5.5% solidarity surcharge). Example: FMV €500,000, cost base €50,000, taxable gain €450,000. Under Teileinkünfteverfahren: 60% taxable = €270,000. At 42% marginal rate: €113,400 plus soli = ~€119,600 tax. For a non-EU departure (USA): this tax is due by July 31. Apply to the Finanzamt for instalment payment if cash flow is a concern. Important: get an independent FMV valuation of the GmbH before departure — you and the Finanzamt may disagree on value, and a professional valuation supports your position.
No — Germany does not have a general exit tax on investment portfolios (ETFs, stocks, bonds). The Wegzugsteuer under §6 AStG applies only to private company shareholdings ≥1%. Your ETF and stock portfolio held in a German Depot (brokerage account) is not subject to deemed disposal on departure. When you actually sell investments after departure: whether Germany can tax depends on the DTA with your new country of residence. Under most DTAs, capital gains on portfolio investments are taxable only in your country of residence (not Germany). German Abgeltungsteuer (25% flat tax) applies to investment income earned while German-resident — ceases on departure. After departure: check if your German bank continues to apply Abgeltungsteuer as a non-resident (they may need a Non-Resident certificate — Freistellungsauftrag changes) or release funds gross.
Before departure is strongly recommended. The Kirchenaustritt takes effect from the month following the application. If you submit it on your last day in Germany, the effective date is the following month — and you may receive a final Kirchensteuer assessment for that period. To avoid all post-departure church tax, submit the Kirchenaustritt at least 1–2 months before your departure date. Go to your local Standesamt (civil registry office) or, in some states, the Amtsgericht (district court). You do not need to give a reason. Your Finanzamt will be notified automatically. If you have left Germany without doing a Kirchenaustritt: you can still complete it retroactively from abroad by contacting the Standesamt by post — some states accept foreign notarised declarations. The sooner you complete it, the lower the final assessment.
You are allowed to maintain a German bank account (Girokonto) as a non-resident. Inform your bank of your change of address and tax residency status. Your bank may reclassify you as a non-resident customer — some banks close non-resident accounts (check your bank's terms). Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, DKB, and ING Germany all have provisions for non-resident customers, though features may be reduced. Tax on interest: German banks apply Abgeltungsteuer (25%) to interest on German accounts. As a non-resident, you may be entitled to a reduced rate under your DTA — file a Freistellungsantrag at your local Finanzamt or request reduced withholding via the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern (BZSt). For USA non-residents: banks must report US persons' accounts to the IRS under FATCA; ensure your German bank has your correct US address and SSN/TIN. FBAR: German bank accounts over $10,000 must be reported annually via FinCEN Form 114 once you are a US resident.
A Bausparvertrag (building society savings plan with Bausparkassen like Schwäbisch Hall or BHW) is a savings+loan product specifically for real estate in Germany. On departure: you generally have two options: (1) Continue to hold the Bauspar contract as a non-resident — savings continue to accrue interest (taxable in Germany); if you intend to buy German property in the future, the loan option remains valid. (2) Cancel the contract — you receive back your contributions plus interest, less any early cancellation penalty (Nichtabnahmeentschädigung if in loan phase). Wohnungsprämie (housing premium) from the state: claimable only for German residents in the claim year — you lose this on departure. State bonuses (Wohnungsbauprämie) already credited for past years are not repaid on departure (unlike Riester). Review the terms of your specific contract and how long you have held it before deciding.