Compare the German tax-class combinations III/V, IV/IV and IV/IV with factor: both partners' monthly net pay with the official 2026 wage-tax tariff, in your browser.
How to use the Tax Classes
Enter both partners' monthly gross wages and pick your federal state.
Add church tax and joint children if they apply.
Compare the monthly net of III/V, IV/IV and IV/IV with factor, and read the notes on the mandatory tax return and Elterngeld timing.
The calculator runs the official 2026 German wage-tax program (Programmablaufplan) for both partners, the same tariff your employer's payroll uses. For each combination (III/V, IV/IV and IV/IV with factor) it computes wage tax, solidarity surcharge, church tax and social contributions, and shows each partner's monthly net as well as the joint net.
The factor follows § 39f EStG: the couple's expected annual income tax under the splitting tariff divided by the sum of both class-IV wage taxes, truncated to three decimals. The binding factor is set by the tax office; the value shown here is a very close approximation.
Everything runs in your browser. Your salaries are never uploaded anywhere.
The tax class does not change how much tax you pay, only when. Over the year, every combination leads to the same assessed income tax. III/V maximizes the couple's running monthly net when incomes differ a lot, but the mandatory tax return claws the difference back, often as a back payment.
IV/IV fits couples with similar wages. IV/IV with factor is the most precise option: monthly withholding almost exactly matches the annual tax, and the burden is shared in proportion to each partner's income instead of overloading the lower earner with class V.
Where the tax class genuinely earns money is wage-replacement benefits: Elterngeld, sick pay, the employer top-up to maternity pay and unemployment benefit are all based on net pay. Class V depresses these benefits noticeably; class III raises them.
For Elterngeld, the class that counts is the one that applied for the majority of the twelve months before the birth or maternity leave, so a switch should be applied for at least seven months before maternity leave begins. Germany's federal social court has ruled that such a switch is legitimate.
Class I applies to singles, divorcees and permanently separated spouses. Single parents can claim class II with a relief amount of €4,260 plus €240 per additional child. Married couples and registered partners start with IV/IV automatically and can switch to III/V or IV/IV with factor on request. Class VI applies to second and further jobs and has no basic allowance at all.
A planned abolition of the III/V combination was dropped from the final legislation; as of 2026 there is no law scheduling its removal.
Frequently asked questions
Over the year, every combination results in the same income tax. III/V usually maximizes the couple's monthly net when one partner earns clearly more (rule of thumb: 60% or more of the joint wage). IV/IV with factor distributes the wage tax most fairly and largely avoids back payments.
No. The previous government planned to fold III/V into the factor method by 2030, but the provision was removed from the final law and the current government has not revived it. III/V remains fully available in 2026.
Under § 39f EStG, both partners' class-IV wage tax is multiplied by a factor below 1: the couple's expected annual income tax under the splitting tariff divided by the sum of their class-IV wage tax. Monthly withholding then almost exactly matches the real annual tax, so large back payments disappear.
Yes. With III/V and with the factor method, filing is mandatory. Because III/V withholds too little during the year, the assessment often ends in a back payment. Only plain IV/IV keeps filing voluntary.
Parental allowance, sick pay and unemployment benefit are computed from net pay. Switching to a class with a higher net (for example III) before the birth raises Elterngeld, but the new class must have applied for the majority of the 12-month assessment period, so apply at least 7 months before maternity leave starts.
Several times per year since 2020. Apply via Mein ELSTER or your tax office; the change takes effect the following month. To count for the current year, the application must be in by 30 November.
This tool is for general information only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Results are estimates that depend on your situation and current rules, so check the official source or a qualified professional before you act.
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