Anyone who has been in the profession for a long time has usually had to deal with capital-forming benefits (VL). For beginners, however, the topic is often completely new. VL are very interesting because they are additional payments from the employer that you can use to build up a small financial cushion. Up to 480 euros per year are possible.
Tip: If it is possible in your company, you should use the VL. Your employer pays the VL in addition to wages, but the money is not transferred directly to you, but paid into a savings account, such as a fund savings plan. You decide how the money should be invested.
There is no general statutory entitlement to capital-forming benefits. That’s a pity, but not a big deal, because VLs are defined in many collective bargaining agreements or company agreements. The special payments are also often an issue in the employment contract.
So, when negotiating salary with your boss, you should also bring VL to the table. Because there are also companies that voluntarily grant you the special payments. Questions don’t cost anything, the works council or HR department are also good contact points for questions about VL.
In principle, white-collar workers, trainees or civil servants can get the VL, even if they work part-time. However, freelancers, the self-employed and pensioners are left out.
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You won’t become a millionaire that easily on the side, VL won’t help either. But you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Exactly how high the VL is in your case depends to a large extent on the employer, the collective agreement regulations or the profession. There is a maximum, however, which is 480 euros per year, i.e. 40 euros per month.
But don’t be fooled, even small amounts can add up to a tidy sum over a longer period of time. Then you have saved a few thousand euros stress-free. So it’s not about quick profits, but about medium-term savings.
The minimum term of a VL contract is therefore seven years. Important: You cannot access the money during this time. The employer pays in for six years, and the money has to rest for a year. After the deadline, you can liquidate the investment or continue to make deposits yourself.
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Once you have received the go from your employer about capital-forming benefits, you must choose a form of investment. For example, a fund savings plan or a home savings contract is possible. It is up to you to decide how the money is invested. Your house bank will certainly have extensive information material on this topic.
Once you have decided on a form of investment, the bank will provide you with the appropriate form, which you can pass on to your employer.
In addition to the employer, the state may also pay. The so-called employee savings allowance is a subsidy that the tax office pays to VL. For this subsidy, the VL must come entirely from the employer, so you may not top up privately. There are also income limits that must be observed depending on the type of investment.
For example, the limit of the taxable income for married couples is 35,800 euros if you opt for a building saver. With a fund savings plan, it is 40,000 euros in this case. The savings bonus is applied for via the tax return.
