Inequality | Enormous East-West differences in inheritances

Significantly more inheritance tax was paid in the West than in the East. Photo: dpa/Jan Woitas Wiesbaden.  According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are clear differences between East and West when it comes to taxable inheritances and gifts. "In 2025, 95 percent of the total value of the tax-accounted asset transfers through inheritances and gifts occurred in the western federal states," as the statisticians in Wiesbaden announced. 

That corresponds to around 143 billion euros that the local tax authorities have assessed. In the eastern countries and Berlin, however, it was eight billion euros. According to the information, almost a fifth (19 percent) of Germany's entire population lived in the eastern German states and Berlin at the end of 2025.

Inheritance and gift tax is a country tax. However, the statistics only reflect inheritances and gifts for which tax was due. According to the Federal Office, the vast majority of asset transfers are within the exemption limits and are therefore not included. When a tax is assessed, the tax offices make a binding determination of the amount of the tax; it is then generally only received as tax revenue later. 

According to statistics, the amount of inherited and gifted wealth taken into account for tax purposes in the East was just under 500 euros per capita, significantly lower than the value in Western countries. A good 2,100 euros per person were transferred there and assessed for tax purposes by the tax authorities. »That was more than four times as much as in the East. The average for all of Germany in 2025 was a good 1,800 euros,” it said.  dpa/nd

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