Money & Banking· 3 min read
Tax ID (Steuer-ID) and tax classes
Your Steuer-ID follows you for life and your employer needs it to pay you correctly. Understand tax classes and why they matter for your net salary.
The Steuer-Identifikationsnummer (Steuer-ID) is an 11-digit number assigned for life. After your Anmeldung it is mailed to you automatically. Your employer needs it to apply the correct payroll tax — without it you may be taxed at the highest rate temporarily.
Tax classes (Steuerklassen)
- Class I — single
- Class II — single parent
- Class III & V — married couples with very different incomes
- Class IV — married couples with similar incomes
- Class VI — for a second job
Tip: Your tax class affects your monthly net pay, not your total annual tax. Differences are settled in your yearly tax return (Steuererklärung), which often results in a refund.
Good to know: Lost your Steuer-ID letter? You can request it again from the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern, or find it on a payslip or any income-tax document.