Union and SPD: Use inactive accounts for social innovations!

Union and SPD: Use inactive accounts for social innovations!

Deutschland - The discussion about the use of funds from inactive bank accounts in Germany receives new impetus. Union and the SPD have announced as part of their coalition agreement to use funds from newsless accounts for a fund for "social innovations". It is estimated that up to nine billion euros could be on these inactive accounts, which mostly come from accounts that have not been used for at least 30 years.

In the current regulation, such funds fall back to the administrative bank after three decades, which must record and tax these amounts as a profit. Banks manage these amounts, but have so far had little government access to the funds. The inactivity of accounts can arise for various reasons, for example by moving or corporate resolutions.

newly planned deadlines and regulations

The planned changes aim to reduce the deadline for the inactivity of accounts from 30 to possibly only 20 years. The coalition is even considering that credit institutions will be obliged to forward the money to the state in full. This would invent a central registration register for news -free accounts to facilitate their finding. A similar system already exists in Great Britain, where credit can flow to the state after 15 years.

, however, remains unclear how constitutionally justifiable these measures are and whether the funds can actually be used for the desired social innovations. Critics fear that this is an early access to private funds. According to Journalistenwatch

The federal government plans to set up a “revolving fund” with the funds obtained from the inactive accounts. This fund should be used sustainably to finance social projects. However, experts warn of the far -reaching consequences that such a procedure could result, especially since the banks remain even after its booking, as in Apollo-News addressed.

The debate about the planned changes remains tense. Whether and how the measures are implemented remains to be seen, while more and more people are interested in dealing with personal finances and inactive accounts.