Getting a raise from the boss is often a challenging task and is not always approved. However, there are other ways that more money ends up in your account. One of these is a daily lunch allowance.
The supervisor is not always in a giving mood, often the economic situation does not allow for a salary increase. However, there are other options thanks to which you can get more net from your gross.
The meal allowance is a practical benefit as you effectively save on your expenses. Under the right conditions, this even works tax-free. We will show you what you have to be aware of.
First of all, it is important to know that as an employee you have no legal right to the meal allowance. It is a voluntary additional benefit provided by the employer, unless it is explicitly stated in the employment contract.
If you can convince your boss of the idea, you will need to come up with a side agreement detailing the frequency per month and the amount of the subsidy. The employer does not have to prove the days of absence either if a maximum of 15 allowances are granted per month. So this is a good guideline.
The following rules are also important:
The basis for the calculation is the official benefit-in-kind values, which are redefined every year on the basis of consumer prices. From 2023 these will look like this:
This is the mandatory portion, which the employer pays tax at 25 percent. On top of that there is the tax-free employer subsidy, which amounts to 3.10 euros in both cases. The maximum sum per day is therefore:
With 15 days, you could save over 100 euros a month, provided your boss plays along. If not, there is another option that will cost the company less.
Thanks to digital solutions like Lunchit, it is possible to reduce the tax burden. The calculation for this is a bit cumbersome, as is so often the case in Germany. See the table above for an overview.
That means: From a value of 10.70 euros, the meal subsidy is tax-free for the company.
