New in December: vaccinations for children, train travel is becoming more expensive, smartphone tariffs

by time news

Dhe December will be stressful for many. Gifts have to be organized, the holidays have to be prepared – and all of this under the difficult conditions of the pandemic. At the end of the year, however, consumers also have to pay attention to what they should do this year in order to save money or avoid trouble. WORLD gives an overview.

Train travel will be more expensive in December

Train travel will not be more punctual in December, but it will be more expensive. Ticket prices rise by an average of 1.9 percent. Super saver fare and saver fare continue to cost from 17.90 euros and 21.50 euros, respectively. The flex price is even 2.9 percent more expensive on average – route time tickets as well. The prices of the Bahncard 100, 50 and 25 will also rise by an average of 2.9 percent, according to Bahn.

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The company emphasizes that the price increases would be below the inflation rate. In addition, Bahncard 25 and 50 would be more expensive for the first time in seven years. The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) criticized the fact that the announced price increase gave the impression “that the board of directors is completely losing sight of customer satisfaction”.

Tariffs for smartphone and internet can be canceled more easily

So far, contracts for smartphones or the Internet with a two-year term have been automatically extended by one year if they are not terminated in good time. An amendment to the Telecommunications Act in December now means that after a minimum contract period, termination can be carried out on a monthly basis. According to the consumer advice center in North Rhine-Westphalia, this applies to both new and existing contracts.

When moving, consumers can even cancel within the minimum contract period with one month’s notice if the provider cannot provide the services booked at the new place of residence. The law also stipulates that providers must inform their existing customers in writing once a year if their tariffs are meanwhile available at more favorable terms.

New cookie law

Attention, tapeworm name: The Telecommunications Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG) comes into force in December. This will rearrange parts of data protection law. Online retail is particularly affected. It is primarily about web tracking and the setting of cookies on end devices.

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Website operators need consent if they want to save or access information in the end user’s device. That was already the case before, but was based on BGH and ECJ rulings. Now it is in the TTDSG.

There is one exception, however: technically necessary cookies do not require consent. These are cookies without which a website would not function, e.g. session cookies for shopping cart contents or language versions of a website, or cookies for example for payment processes.

Choosing 0180 will be cheaper

The 0180 numbers will be cheaper from December. The new prices depend on which number follows the 0180. For example, with 01801 3.9 cents per minute are due, with 01802 six cents per call. If followed by a three, the call costs nine cents a minute, the four means 20 cents per call, the five 14 cents per minute, the six 20 cents per call. The seven costs 14 cents per minute, with the first 30 seconds being free.

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According to the Federal Network Agency, the significant price difference between the costs from the fixed and mobile network is now ending. A call to an 0180-3 number from the landline network currently costs 9 cents per minute and from cellular networks usually 42 cents. Such a price differentiation is no longer appropriate.

Due to the changes in the Telecommunications Act (TKG), uniform price information will also be possible in the future. However, the distinction is not completely abolished. The price differences for the 0137 numbers should not fall until April 2022.

Stricter rules for animal testing

From December, animal experiments in Germany not only have to be reported or reported, but in many cases also require a permit. In addition, the official examination of these processes is expanding. This is important, for example, in animal experiments for drug approval.

Improvements to the garnishment protection account

The P-account reform improves the conditions for debtors from December 1st. With a garnishment protection account (P-account) you can protect the non-garnishable part of the income during an account garnishment. From December this will be at least 1260 euros, which cannot be seized. On the other hand, creditors can arrange for seizures from another account without paying attention to the exemption limits.

In future, the seizure exemption limit will be updated annually instead of every two years, as was previously the case. In the future, credits that are saved from the seizure-protected income can be accumulated for a maximum of three months. So far, the surplus could only be transferred in the following month and was then attachable. Other changes that will come into effect with the P-account reform relate to additional payments or offsetting bans and deadlines that the bank has to accept.

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There is a legal right to a P account. “Every bank customer can request from his bank that an existing current account is kept as a garnishment protection account,” says the Federation of German Consumer Organizations. This must happen free of charge within four days of a written application.

Even those who do not have an existing account have the right to set up a basic account, which can then be converted into a P-account. However, it also happens that a bank or savings bank refuses. You should get this in writing and inform your responsible consumer center.

Children can be vaccinated against Covid

From December 20, it should be possible to vaccinate children between the ages of five and eleven in Germany. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a corresponding recommendation on November 25th. The necessary recommendation from the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) should also be given in good time. That was what the commission had announced.

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It’s about the Comirnaty vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer. So far, it has only been approved from the age of twelve. The pharmaceutical companies have confirmed that they will be able to deliver the first doses for children to all EU member states on December 20th. Germany should get 2.4 million doses, which is enough to vaccinate half of the children between the ages of five and under twelve.

Last chances in December

December should be used to make certain payments this year, so that they can be offset against tax for 2021, for example. This applies, for example, to donations that are recognized as tax-reducing by the tax office if the charitable status of the recipient of the donation is certain.

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Married people should check whether their income tax brackets are still appropriate. This can be particularly useful at the end of the year, advises the taxpayers’ association. If, for example, the ratio of income between the partners changes in the coming year due to a job change or a salary increase, it may be worthwhile to switch to another tax bracket combination. It has been possible to change the tax class several times a year since 2020. Since October 1st, the application can also be submitted online.

Consider medical expenses

Extraordinary burdens reduce the tax burden. This also includes medical costs such as spending on glasses, dentures, physiotherapy and co-payments for remedies and medication, according to the Federal Chamber of Tax Advisors. The tax office recognizes the extraordinary burdens if the individual burden limit is exceeded.

This limit is based on the total amount of income and the number of children and is determined individually in three stages. The reasonable burden for a childless employee who has an income of 30,000 euros in 2021 is around 1,646 euros. Anyone who has exceeded their individual limit of reasonableness should check whether it is possible to bring further medical costs into the current year, such as the cost of required glasses.

Exploit leeway for craftsmen’s costs

The limits for craftsmen’s costs can also still be exhausted – or postponed to the next year. Craftsman services pay off. Because the labor, travel and machine costs can taxpayers up to a maximum of 6000 euros per year and deduct 20 percent directly from the income tax to be paid, explains the Federal Chamber of Tax Advisors.

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Extra costs for your own home

The tax burden falls by a maximum of 1200 euros. In order for the expenses to be recognized by the tax office, the company must issue a proper invoice and payment must be made by bank transfer to its account. Wage and labor costs must be itemized precisely in the invoice.

Finally, you should also use the options for the free special repayment of the real estate loan, if such a regulation has been agreed. In addition to the monthly installment, a fixed amount can be paid back to the bank. This is especially worthwhile for loans that are a bit older because the interest rates are much higher.

Now think about heating oil

This change will not come until January, but if you still think about it, you can buy heating oil, which will be 1.6 cents per liter more expensive in January because the CO2-Duty at the turn of the year from 25 to 30 euros per ton of CO2 increases. Many oil suppliers are seeing higher demand in these weeks. It is therefore possible that some households will no longer receive deliveries this year. That would be bad luck, because even if orders are still placed in 2021 but will not be delivered until 2022, the higher price has to be paid. The increase in CO2– Pricing will continue until 2025.

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