Guides

Financial guides for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria

Deep, calculator-linked explainers for the tax, salary, property, and planning questions that need more context than a form can provide.

Benefits

Bürgergeld and Grundsicherung 2026: Standard Rates, Eligibility and Calculation

Who receives Bürgergeld (SGB II) or Grundsicherung (SGB XII) in 2026, how the monthly need is built up, and what the planned reform to the new Grundsicherung means. A practical overview with current standard rates.

Updated: June 21, 20266 min read
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Real estate

Estimating Land Value: The Bodenrichtwert, the Map, and an Honest Range

What a plot is worth, and how three countries answer that very differently. The Bodenrichtwert in Germany, cantonal land prices in Switzerland, average prices from Statistics Austria. With a map, official data, and a range instead of false precision.

Updated: June 2, 20269 min read
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Real estate

Germany's 2026 Property Tax: Reform, All 6 State Models, and How Our Calculator Maps Them

How Germany's new 2026 property tax really works: assessment under the Valuation Act, yield and cost methods, 6 calculation models, automatic standard land value and municipal multiplier lookup, and why most online calculators fall short.

Updated: May 22, 20268 min read
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Retirement

Retirement calculator: plan pensions, income and the retirement gap realistically

How to use the retirement calculator for Germany, Switzerland and Austria: pension points, AHV/OASI, BVG/LPP, pillar 3a, the Austrian pension account, add-on modules, cross-border cases and a realistic retirement gap.

Updated: May 17, 202612 min read
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Wealth

Compound Interest Explained: How Small Amounts Become Wealth Over Decades

How the compound interest effect turns 300 euros a month into half a million — formula, three strategies in a live comparison, the inflation trap, and tax-advantaged vehicles in Germany and Switzerland.

Updated: May 15, 20268 min read
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Salary

International Salary Comparison: How to Evaluate Job Offers Across Countries

A practical methodology for comparing salaries across countries. Move past nominal gross to net pay, purchasing power, taxes, social security, currency, and total household cost before accepting a relocation offer.

Updated: May 7, 20262 min read
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Taxes

Swiss Tax System 2026: Federal, Cantonal, Municipal, and How Our Calculator Stacks Them

How Swiss income and wealth tax really work in 2026: the three tax layers, the Steuerfuss multiplier, imputed rental value, withholding tax, Pillar 3a, pension buy-ins, and how our Swiss tax comparison calculator combines them across all ~2,121 municipalities.

Updated: May 6, 20268 min read
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Salary

DACH Salary Comparison: Germany vs Switzerland vs Austria

A practical framework for comparing salaries across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria without being fooled by gross pay, tax structure, insurance, rent, or purchasing power.

Updated: April 24, 20261 min read
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Taxes

German Tax System 2026: Brackets, Classes, Social Security, Soli, and Church Tax

A practical 2026 guide to German payroll taxes: how taxable income is built, what tax classes actually change, where social security fits, and when solidarity surcharge or church tax matter.

Updated: April 15, 20261 min read
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Benefits

Wohngeld 2026: Germany's Housing Benefit Explained — Eligibility, Formula, and Mietstufen

Who qualifies for Wohngeld in 2026, how the §19 formula works, and what really moves the monthly amount. A practical guide for renters and owner-occupiers, with current 2026 figures.

Updated: December 14, 20255 min read
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