Church exit in the north: fees remain stable, what does that mean?

Church exit in the north: fees remain stable, what does that mean?

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Deutschland - A topic that is currently very popular is the church leak in Germany. Many people are thinking of leaving the church and raises questions about the fees incurred. In Germany, these fees vary strongly depending on the federal state and there are some interesting developments.

In Hamburg, for example, the fee for the certificate for leaving the church remains stable at 31 euros, a prize that has been set since January 1, 2005. In comparison, there was an increase from 30 euros to 36 euros in Thuringia, which shows that it was time to revise the conditions. In the northeast of Germany in particular, the tariffs for exit from church are different and are between 15 and 31 euros, depending on the federal state. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the fee 2021 was raised from 12 to 15 euros, while in Schleswig-Holstein the fees of 20 euros have remained unchanged for several years. Interestingly, the fee in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is only raised by people aged 14 and over, younger children do not have to pay anything, and an increase is currently not being planned. This is reported by the Stern .

legal situation and process

Church exit is not only a question of money, but also a legal process. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the law on the collection of church tax regulates that tax liability begins on the first day after the start of membership or residence in this state. The exit can be explained from the age of 14, but children under the age of 14 have to leave their legal representative, although the child's consent from the age of 12 is required. The declaration must be submitted to the competent registry office and can be carried out both verbally and in writing. As a rule, the competent church and the registration authority are informed within a week as far as the administration of the exit is concerned, so Kirchenaufung.de .

Another important point is that the fees for leaving the church are not always the same. In various regions of Germany, from Baden-Württemberg to Schleswig-Holstein, the fee fluctuates between 25 and 35 euros, whereby there are even places where you can escape free of charge. For example, no fees were charged in Brandenburg and Saxony, while in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the fees are around 30 euros. The fees primarily cover administrative and personnel costs, and in the event of a church exit, there is no obligation to pay church tax, which can make up to 9 percent of income tax. This shows that financial considerations often play a role when it comes to the decision to leave the church, as "https://geglaubigt.de/blog/was-kostet-der-kirchen exit"> BAGAGEIGEN.de summarized.

Current trends and declines

The numbers of church exits also remain an exciting topic. In 2021, a total of 639,205 church leaks were recorded in Germany. In 2023, around 402,694 people from the Catholic Church and around 380,000 escaped from the Evangelical Church. Despite a slight decline compared to 2022, the trend towards leaving religious communities remains, often influenced by social events such as abuse scandals. Finally, the church exit is a law protected by the fundamental right to freedom of religion and must be possible at any time without refusing the consent of the citizen.

summarized can be said that church exit in Germany is still a topic of great relevance. The fees are variable and reflect both regional peculiarities and social developments, which makes the topic so exciting and often emotionally charged.