VIDEO: Tax number and identification number

Since 2008 every citizen has received his personal, lifelong tax identification number by post. Even if the identification number will replace your tax number after a transitional period, should In any case, you should continue to provide your tax number as long as it is requested in the forms will.

The tax number

• The length of your tax number depends on the state in which you live.
• Depending on the federal state, the tax number varies between 10 and 11 digits in the format 12/123/12345 or 123/123/12345.
• The first group of digits stands for the Federal Tax Office group, the second group of digits for the district number in the relevant responsible Tax office and the last one (five-digit) is made up of a four-digit, personal distinguishing number and a one-digit check digit.
• Your tax office gave you the tax number with your first tax assessment.


Find out the tax number - this is how it works

Every citizen of the Federal Republic has a tax number. Married couples who work together to ...

• As a married couple, you received a common tax number.

The identification number

Since August 2008 every citizen - from babies to senior citizens - has received their identification number.

• The individual identification number consists of 11 digits and is automatically assigned to every citizen at birth and saved by the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt).
• The data contained in the identification number will be saved for your life and updated if necessary. Your registry office, for example, informs the responsible office when you get married or change your name. The registration office will notify you of any changes of address. The identification number is stored for up to 20 years after the taxpayer's death.

You can find your identification number here

• On the top right of your 2010 income tax card.
• You can find both your identification number and your tax number on your tax assessment from the previous year.
• You can even find your eTin above your identification number on your employer's income tax certificate.
• If you have your identity checked by the BZSt for taxes - Your identification number will be sent in writing after it has been checked.

Target of the identification number

The identification number is intended to modernize and facilitate tax procedures.

In addition, the identification number also opens up new control options:

• A comparison of the population registers with identification numbers can ensure that nobody is registered with more than one registration office with their main residence.
• Are you investor with account in other EU countries, you will in future have to provide your identification number when opening an account or submit it later if you already have an account in another EU country.
• The following applies to pensioners: the identification number can become a tax trap, as it is also used to transmit the pension receipt notifications.
• In the case of tax evasion, the following applies - heirs are liable for their deceased. So if Grandpa has forgotten his pattern interest charges taxing his identification number can lead to the grandchild Max being asked to pay for it afterwards.

So what are the differences between identification number and tax number?

• So while your identification number will remain loyal to you throughout your life, your tax number will change for a variety of reasons.
• If you change your place of residence, another tax office may become responsible for you and you will be given a new tax number. Your identification number leaves such changes indifferent - it is simply updated and you are satisfied.
• Even if you get married or change your name for any other reason, your tax number will take that away from you crooked and - in contrast to your identification number - it can be changed from a new tax number, so to speak substitute.
• It can also happen that you get a new tax number, for example if you become self-employed - i.e. the type of your income changes.
• Even if your tax office is restructured, it can happen that you get a new tax number.

• Your identification number contains all important data about you and is easily updated in the event of changes that affect you.

Conclusion: The identification number is much simpler, "easier to maintain" and above all else Less bureaucratic than the tax number, as the data stored in it are only updated to need.