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v10Germany
Not yet verified by an accountantContact accountant
1---
2name: de-rental-income
3description: >
4 Use this skill whenever asked about German rental income taxation (Vermietung und Verpachtung). Trigger on phrases like "Mieteinnahmen", "Vermietung", "Verpachtung", "Anlage V", "§21 EStG", "AfA", "Abschreibung", "Werbungskosten Vermietung", "Hausgeld", "Grundsteuer deduction", "Erhaltungsaufwand", "Herstellungskosten", "verbilligte Vermietung", "Möblierungszuschlag", "rental income Germany", "German property tax deduction", "depreciation German property", "Verlustverrechnung", "rental loss Germany", or any question about computing, filing, or optimising income from letting immovable property in Germany. Covers Anlage V structure, AfA depreciation rates, Werbungskosten, repairs vs improvements, reduced-rent rules, furnished premium, and loss offset. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any German rental income work.
5version: 1.0
6jurisdiction: DE
7tax_year: 2025
8category: international
9depends_on:
10 - de-income-tax
11verified_by: pending
12---
13 
14# German Rental Income (Einkünfte aus Vermietung und Verpachtung) Skill v1.0
15 
16---
17 
18## Section 1 -- Quick Reference
19 
20| Field | Value |
21|---|---|
22| Country | Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland) |
23| Tax | Einkommensteuer auf Einkünfte aus Vermietung und Verpachtung |
24| Currency | EUR only |
25| Tax year | Calendar year (1 January -- 31 December) |
26| Primary legislation | Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG) §21 (rental income), §7 Abs. 4 (AfA), §9 (Werbungskosten) |
27| Supporting legislation | EStG §§2, 7, 9, 10d (Verlustvor-/rücktrag), 11 (Zufluss-/Abflussprinzip), 21 Abs. 2 (verbilligte Vermietung); EStDV §82b (Erhaltungsaufwand Verteilung) |
28| Tax authority | Finanzamt (local tax office) |
29| Filing portal | ELSTER (elster.de) |
30| Filing deadline | 31 July of the following year (with Steuerberater: end of February year after next) |
31| Tax form | Anlage V (Einkünfte aus Vermietung und Verpachtung) to the Einkommensteuererklärung |
32| Validated by | Pending — requires sign-off by a German Steuerberater |
33| Skill version | 1.0 |
34 
35### Income Tax Rates (2025)
36 
37| Taxable income (EUR) | Marginal rate |
38|---|---|
39| 0 -- 12,096 | 0% (Grundfreibetrag) |
40| 12,097 -- 17,443 | 14% -- 24% (progressive zone 1) |
41| 17,444 -- 66,760 | 24% -- 42% (progressive zone 2) |
42| 66,761 -- 277,825 | 42% |
43| 277,826+ | 45% (Reichensteuer) |
44 
45Plus Solidaritätszuschlag (5.5% of income tax, with Freigrenze of EUR 18,130 tax for singles / EUR 36,260 for married filing jointly) and Kirchensteuer (8% or 9% of income tax if applicable).
46 
47### Rental Income Formula
48 
49```
50Einnahmen (gross rental income including Nebenkosten passed through)
51- Werbungskosten (deductible expenses: AfA, interest, repairs, insurance, etc.)
52= Einkünfte aus Vermietung und Verpachtung (net rental income/loss)
53```
54 
55Net rental income is added to all other income and taxed at the personal marginal rate.
56 
57### Conservative Defaults
58 
59| Ambiguity | Default |
60|---|---|
61| Unknown building year (Baujahr) | STOP — AfA rate depends on this |
62| Unknown Grundstücksanteil (land value) | STOP — land is not depreciable |
63| Unknown whether Erhaltungsaufwand or Herstellungskosten | Treat as Herstellungskosten (capitalise, not immediately deduct) |
64| Unknown verbilligte Vermietung percentage | STOP — affects Werbungskosten deductibility |
65| Unknown whether commercial or residential | Treat as residential |
66 
67---
68 
69## Section 2 -- AfA Depreciation (§7 Abs. 4 EStG)
70 
71### 2.1 Linear AfA Rates
72 
73| Building type | Fertigstellung (completion) | AfA rate | Useful life |
74|---|---|---|---|
75| Residential (Wohngebäude) | After 31 December 2022 | 3% per year | 33⅓ years |
76| Residential | 1 January 1925 -- 31 December 2022 | 2% per year | 50 years |
77| Residential | Before 1 January 1925 | 2.5% per year | 40 years |
78| Commercial (nicht Wohnzwecke) | Any date | 3% per year | 33⅓ years |
79 
80### 2.2 Degressive AfA (§7 Abs. 5a EStG)
81 
82For residential buildings with Bauantrag or Kaufvertrag from 1 October 2023:
83- 5% degressive AfA in the first year (on remaining book value each subsequent year)
84- Switch to linear AfA (3%) permitted at any time
85- Only for new construction (Neubau), not existing buildings
86 
87### 2.3 AfA Basis (Bemessungsgrundlage)
88 
89```
90Purchase price (Anschaffungskosten)
91+ Acquisition costs (Grunderwerbsteuer, Notar, Makler if buyer pays, Grundbuch)
92- Land value (Grundstücksanteil) — NOT depreciable
93= Gebäudeanteil (depreciable building value)
94```
95 
96**Kaufpreisaufteilung:** The split between land and building is critical. Methods:
971. Contractually agreed split (if arm's length)
982. BMF Arbeitshilfe (official Excel tool from Bundesfinanzministerium)
993. Expert valuation (Gutachten)
100 
101The Finanzamt may challenge the split if the building proportion appears too high.
102 
103### 2.4 AfA Start
104 
105- Begins in the month of acquisition (Anschaffung) or completion (Fertigstellung)
106- Pro-rata for the first year: annual AfA × (remaining months / 12)
107- Continues until fully depreciated or property is sold
108 
109---
110 
111## Section 3 -- Werbungskosten (Deductible Expenses)
112 
113### 3.1 Fully Deductible Expenses
114 
115| Expense | German term | Notes |
116|---|---|---|
117| Mortgage interest (Schuldzinsen) | Darlehenszinsen | Interest only — principal repayment is NOT deductible |
118| AfA depreciation | Absetzung für Abnutzung | Per §7 Abs. 4 rates |
119| Property tax | Grundsteuer | Annual property tax paid to municipality |
120| Building insurance | Gebäudeversicherung | Fire, storm, water damage |
121| Landlord liability insurance | Haus- und Grundbesitzerhaftpflicht | |
122| Property management | Hausverwaltung | Monthly management fees |
123| Accountancy fees | Steuerberatungskosten | Attributable to Anlage V |
124| Legal fees (tenancy disputes) | Rechtsanwaltskosten | Revenue legal costs |
125| Advertising for tenants | Inseratskosten | Immobilienscout24, newspaper |
126| Travel to property | Fahrtkosten | 0.30 EUR/km (one way) for property inspections |
127| Bank account fees | Kontoführungsgebühren | If dedicated rental account |
128| Condominium management reserve (Hausgeld -- Verwaltungsanteil) | Nicht umlagefähiges Hausgeld | Portion not passed to tenant |
129 
130### 3.2 Erhaltungsaufwand vs Herstellungskosten
131 
132This is the critical distinction for repairs and renovations:
133 
134| Erhaltungsaufwand (Revenue Repair) | Herstellungskosten (Capital Improvement) |
135|---|---|
136| Restores to original condition | Creates something new or substantially improves |
137| Immediately deductible as Werbungskosten | Must be capitalised and depreciated via AfA |
138| Option to spread over 2--5 years (§82b EStDV) | Added to AfA basis |
139| Painting, replacing broken heating, fixing roof leak | Adding a balcony, converting attic, installing elevator |
140| Replacing old windows with equivalent | Upgrading single glazing to triple glazing (if substantial improvement) |
141 
142**15% Rule (Anschaffungsnahe Herstellungskosten):** If repair/renovation costs within the first 3 years after acquisition exceed 15% of the building purchase price (net of VAT), they are reclassified as Herstellungskosten and must be capitalised — even if they would otherwise qualify as Erhaltungsaufwand. This is per §6 Abs. 1 Nr. 1a EStG.
143 
144### 3.3 Non-Deductible Items
145 
146| Item | Reason |
147|---|---|
148| Principal repayments (Tilgung) | Loan repayment, not expense |
149| Grunderwerbsteuer (on acquisition) | Part of acquisition cost (AfA basis) |
150| Private living costs | Not related to rental activity |
151| Fines / penalties (Bußgelder) | Public policy |
152| Income tax itself | Tax on income |
153| Hausgeld — tenant-reimbursable portion (umlagefähig) | Already passed through to tenant |
154 
155---
156 
157## Section 4 -- Verbilligte Vermietung (Reduced-Rent Letting, §21 Abs. 2 EStG)
158 
159When a property is let below market rent (often to family members):
160 
161| Actual rent as % of ortsübliche Marktmiete | Werbungskosten treatment |
162|---|---|
163| ≥66% of market rent | Full Werbungskosten deduction (treated as fully commercial) |
164| 50% -- 65% of market rent | Full deduction ONLY if Totalüberschussprognose (lifetime profit forecast) is positive; otherwise proportional |
165| <50% of market rent | Proportional split: entgeltlicher Teil (paid portion) gets Werbungskosten; unentgeltlicher Teil (free portion) does not |
166 
167**Ortsübliche Marktmiete** is determined from the local Mietspiegel (rent index), comparable rents, or expert valuation. It includes Kaltmiete (base rent) plus umlagefähige Nebenkosten (apportionable running costs).
168 
169---
170 
171## Section 5 -- Möblierungszuschlag (Furnished Premium)
172 
173If a property is let furnished:
174- A Möblierungszuschlag (furniture surcharge) can be charged as part of the rent
175- The surcharge counts towards the ortsübliche Marktmiete comparison (for §21 Abs. 2)
176- The furniture itself can be depreciated: typically over 10 years (10% per year) or per actual useful life
177- If the local Mietspiegel does not cover furnished lettings, the surcharge can be estimated based on the monthly AfA value of the furniture or a market-based percentage uplift
178 
179---
180 
181## Section 6 -- Transaction Pattern Library
182 
183### 6.1 Income Patterns (Credits)
184 
185| Pattern | Treatment | Notes |
186|---|---|---|
187| MIETE, KALTMIETE, MONATSMIETE | Rental income (Einnahmen) | Base rent — include in Anlage V |
188| NEBENKOSTEN, BETRIEBSKOSTEN, HAUSGELD (tenant portion) | Rental income | Pass-through costs are income AND expense |
189| NACHZAHLUNG NEBENKOSTEN | Rental income | Year-end settlement surplus from tenant |
190| KAUTION, MIETKAUTION | EXCLUDE if refundable | Security deposit — not income unless retained |
191| MÖBLIERUNGSZUSCHLAG | Rental income | Furniture premium — part of gross rent |
192 
193### 6.2 Expense Patterns (Debits)
194 
195| Pattern | Category | Anlage V Line | Notes |
196|---|---|---|---|
197| DARLEHENSZINSEN, HYPOTHEKENZINSEN, BANKZINSEN | Schuldzinsen | Zeile 37 | Mortgage interest — fully deductible |
198| GRUNDSTEUER | Grundsteuer | Zeile 47 | Municipal property tax |
199| HAUSVERWALTUNG, VERWALTUNGSKOSTEN | Hausverwaltung | Zeile 47 | Management fee |
200| GEBÄUDEVERSICHERUNG, WOHNGEBÄUDEVERSICHERUNG | Versicherung | Zeile 47 | Building insurance |
201| REPARATUR, INSTANDHALTUNG, HANDWERKER | Erhaltungsaufwand | Zeile 40 | Revenue repairs (check 15% rule) |
202| MAKLERGEBÜHR (tenant search) | Maklerkosten | Zeile 47 | Deductible when seeking new tenant |
203| HAUSGELD (nicht umlagefähig) | Verwaltungskosten | Zeile 47 | Non-recoverable portion of condo charges |
204| STEUERBERATER (Anlage V) | Steuerberatung | Zeile 47 | Tax advisor fees for rental income |
205| GRUNDBUCH, NOTAR (mortgage refinancing) | Finanzierungskosten | Zeile 37 | Deductible if related to rental financing |
206| GARTENPFLEGE, WINTERDIENST | Betriebskosten | Zeile 47 | If not recovered from tenant |
207| FAHRTKOSTEN (to property) | Fahrtkosten | Zeile 47 | 0.30 EUR/km one way |
208 
209### 6.3 Exclusions
210 
211| Pattern | Treatment |
212|---|---|
213| TILGUNG, DARLEHENSRÜCKZAHLUNG | EXCLUDE — principal repayment |
214| GRUNDERWERBSTEUER (on purchase) | Add to AfA basis — not immediate expense |
215| INTERNAL TRANSFER, EIGENES KONTO | EXCLUDE |
216| KAUTION RÜCKZAHLUNG | EXCLUDE — deposit refund |
217| EINKOMMENSTEUER, KIRCHENSTEUER, SOLI | EXCLUDE — personal taxes |
218 
219---
220 
221## Section 7 -- Verlustverrechnung (Loss Offset)
222 
223One of the key advantages of German rental income:
224 
225| Rule | Detail |
226|---|---|
227| Horizontal loss offset | Rental losses can offset other rental income in the same year |
228| Vertical loss offset | Rental losses can offset OTHER income types (employment, self-employment) in the same year |
229| Loss carry-back (Verlustrücktrag) | Up to EUR 1,000,000 (single) / EUR 2,000,000 (married jointly) to the prior year (§10d EStG) |
230| Loss carry-forward (Verlustvortrag) | Unlimited carry-forward to future years; offset limited by Mindestbesteuerung (EUR 1M + 60% of excess) |
231| Liebhaberei risk | If property shows losses year after year with no realistic prospect of profit, Finanzamt may classify as Liebhaberei (hobby) and deny deductions retroactively |
232 
233The ability to offset rental losses against salary income is a core feature of German Immobilien-Steuerplanung, especially in the early years when AfA + Schuldzinsen often exceed rental income.
234 
235---
236 
237## Section 8 -- Worked Examples
238 
239### Example 1 -- Standard Residential Letting (Post-2022 Building)
240 
241**Input:** Apartment completed January 2023. Purchase price EUR 400,000 (building EUR 300,000, land EUR 100,000). Annual rent (Kaltmiete + NK): EUR 14,400. Mortgage interest: EUR 8,000. Grundsteuer: EUR 600. Insurance: EUR 400. Hausverwaltung: EUR 1,200.
242 
243**Computation:**
244```
245Einnahmen: EUR 14,400
246Werbungskosten:
247 AfA (3% × EUR 300,000): EUR 9,000
248 Schuldzinsen: EUR 8,000
249 Grundsteuer: EUR 600
250 Versicherung: EUR 400
251 Hausverwaltung: EUR 1,200
252 Total Werbungskosten: EUR 19,200
253 
254Einkünfte aus V+V: EUR 14,400 - EUR 19,200 = EUR -4,800 (loss)
255```
256This EUR 4,800 loss can offset other income (salary, etc.), reducing the overall tax burden.
257 
258### Example 2 -- Older Building with Erhaltungsaufwand
259 
260**Input:** Building from 1965 (AfA 2%). Building value EUR 200,000. Rent EUR 9,600. New heating system (Heizungsanlage replacement): EUR 12,000 — like-for-like replacement = Erhaltungsaufwand. Owner elects to spread over 5 years (§82b EStDV).
261 
262**Computation:**
263```
264Einnahmen: EUR 9,600
265Werbungskosten:
266 AfA (2% × EUR 200,000): EUR 4,000
267 Erhaltungsaufwand (EUR 12,000 / 5): EUR 2,400
268 Other expenses: EUR 2,000
269 Total: EUR 8,400
270 
271Einkünfte: EUR 9,600 - EUR 8,400 = EUR 1,200
272```
273 
274### Example 3 -- Verbilligte Vermietung to Family Member
275 
276**Input:** Apartment let to daughter at EUR 400/month. Ortsübliche Marktmiete (Mietspiegel): EUR 700/month. Ratio: 400/700 = 57%.
277 
278**Analysis:** 57% is between 50% and 66%. A Totalüberschussprognose is required. If the lifetime profit forecast is positive, full Werbungskosten apply. If negative, only 57% of Werbungskosten are deductible.
279 
280### Example 4 -- Anschaffungsnahe Herstellungskosten (15% Rule)
281 
282**Input:** Property purchased for EUR 250,000 (building EUR 180,000). In Year 2, renovation costs of EUR 30,000 (bathroom + kitchen renovation).
283 
284**Test:** EUR 30,000 / EUR 180,000 = 16.7% > 15% threshold.
285 
286**Result:** Even if the renovation would otherwise be Erhaltungsaufwand, it is reclassified as Herstellungskosten. The EUR 30,000 is added to the AfA basis (EUR 180,000 + EUR 30,000 = EUR 210,000) and depreciated over the remaining useful life.
287 
288---
289 
290## Section 9 -- Edge Cases
291 
292### 9.1 Leerstand (Vacancy)
293Werbungskosten remain deductible during vacancy periods if the owner has the demonstrable intention (Vermietungsabsicht) to re-let. Evidence: property listed on ImmoScout24, letting agent engaged, reasonable asking rent. Extended vacancy without evidence of marketing effort may lead the Finanzamt to deny deductions.
294 
295### 9.2 Ferienwohnung (Holiday Let)
296Holiday apartments have special rules: the owner must prove Einkünfteerzielungsabsicht (intent to generate income) if the property is also used privately. If personal use exceeds what is typical, proportional restriction of Werbungskosten applies. Exclusively commercially let holiday apartments get full deductions.
297 
298### 9.3 Spekulationssteuer (10-Year Rule)
299If a rental property is sold within 10 years of acquisition, the gain is taxable as privates Veräußerungsgeschäft (§23 EStG). After 10 years, the sale is tax-free. Self-occupied property (≥2 full calendar years + year of sale) is exempt regardless. This is not a rental income issue but is frequently relevant.
300 
301### 9.4 Umsatzsteuer (VAT) on Commercial Lettings
302Residential lettings are VAT-exempt. Commercial lettings can optionally be subject to VAT (19%) if the tenant uses the property for VAT-liable activities (§9 UStG option to tax). This allows the landlord to recover input VAT on renovation costs.
303 
304---
305 
306## Section 10 -- Anlage V Key Lines
307 
308| Zeile | Content |
309|---|---|
310| Zeile 4-6 | Property address and type |
311| Zeile 9 | Mieteinnahmen für Wohnungen (residential rent) |
312| Zeile 13 | Umlagen/Nebenkosten (pass-through costs received) |
313| Zeile 31 | AfA für Gebäude |
314| Zeile 33 | AfA für bewegliche Wirtschaftsgüter (furniture, equipment) |
315| Zeile 37 | Schuldzinsen (mortgage interest) |
316| Zeile 39 | Geldbeschaffungskosten (loan arrangement fees) |
317| Zeile 40 | Erhaltungsaufwand (revenue repairs) |
318| Zeile 41 | Verteilung Erhaltungsaufwand (spread over 2-5 years) |
319| Zeile 46 | Hausgeld (non-recoverable condo charges) |
320| Zeile 47 | Sonstige Werbungskosten (other deductible expenses) |
321| Zeile 50 | Überschuss/Verlust (net income or loss) |
322 
323---
324 
325## PROHIBITIONS
326 
327- NEVER depreciate the land value (Grundstücksanteil) — only the building is depreciable
328- NEVER apply the 3% AfA rate to buildings completed before 2023 — use 2% (or 2.5% for pre-1925)
329- NEVER deduct mortgage principal repayments (Tilgung) — only interest is deductible
330- NEVER immediately deduct renovation costs that exceed 15% of building value within 3 years of purchase — they must be capitalised
331- NEVER allow full Werbungskosten for verbilligte Vermietung below 50% of market rent without proportional split
332- NEVER ignore Liebhaberei risk for properties with persistent losses and no profit outlook
333- NEVER present rental income computations as definitive — always label as estimated
334 
335---
336 
337## Disclaimer
338 
339This skill and its outputs are provided for informational and computational purposes only and do not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Open Accountants and its contributors accept no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes arising from the use of this skill. All outputs must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified professional (such as a CPA, EA, tax attorney, or equivalent licensed practitioner in your jurisdiction) before filing or acting upon.
340 
341The most up-to-date, verified version of this skill is maintained at [openaccountants.com](https://openaccountants.com). Log in to access the latest version, request a professional review from a licensed accountant, and track updates as tax law changes.
342 

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About

Use this skill whenever asked about German rental income taxation (Vermietung und Verpachtung). Trigger on phrases like "Mieteinnahmen", "Vermietung", "Verpachtung", "Anlage V", "§21 EStG", "AfA", "Abschreibung", "Werbungskosten Vermietung", "Hausgeld", "Grundsteuer deduction", "Erhaltungsaufwand", "Herstellungskosten", "verbilligte Vermietung", "Möblierungszuschlag", "rental income Germany", "German property tax deduction", "depreciation German property", "Verlustverrechnung", "rental loss Germany", or any question about computing, filing, or optimising income from letting immovable property in Germany. Covers Anlage V structure, AfA depreciation rates, Werbungskosten, repairs vs improvements, reduced-rent rules, furnished premium, and loss offset. ALWAYS read this skill before touching any German rental income work.

DEty-2025

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