Many people use interest, dividends or profit from selling securities as additional income. In tax terms, this income is investment income (Kapitalerträge). To ensure that taxes are not owed on returns from the very first euro earned, people living in Germany have access to a savings lump sum (Sparerpauschbetrag). However, your bank will only apply this tax-free lump sum to your returns if you have submitted a declaration for exemption (Freistellungsauftrag).

Interview with Heiner Herkenhoff, CEO of the German Banking Association, as part of the blog series “The Role of the Financial Sector in the Sustainability Transition.” Published on the PwC blog on March 25, 2026, as the first installment.

Cybercriminals manipulate search results to deceive internet users. This activity is known as SEO poisoning (Search Engine Optimisation Poisoning) and is fast becoming a serious threat to internet security.