Although the payments won’t start until after the summer, Austrians have already received mail from the Austrian government.
As in previous years, the climate bonus will be paid out again this year – “after the summer” to all people who have had their main residence in Austria for more than six months – automatically and without an application. But mail from the Ministry of Climate Protection is already fluttering through the letterbox. “Today” explains what it’s all about.
This year, too, the amount of the climate bonus depends on where you live. People who live in the city and enjoy a well-developed public transport network receive less than people in the countryside who are dependent on their cars.
The so-called base amount, i.e. the minimum amount, was raised to 145 euros due to the rising CO₂ price. Payments are made in stages of 145, 195, 245 and 290 euros. – or half for children and young people under the age of 18.
This is – among other things – what the letter that should have fluttered into your mailbox these days is about. “The climate bonus will either be transferred directly to your account or sent as a voucher by post – between fall 2024 and spring 2025. And you don’t have to do anything for it,” it says. The Sodexo vouchers could be redeemed in thousands of stores or exchanged for cash at Swiss Post bank branches (Bank 99).
It is also pointed out that the state levies taxes on the climate bonus. But not for everyone. The Climate Protection Ministry of Leonore Gewessler (Greens) explains: “In order to increase social justice, this year it is stipulated that the climate bonus is taxable from an annual income of more than 66,612 euros”.
This means that for a gross monthly income of around EUR 4,758 (14 times), the climate bonus will be added to the assessment base and taxed at the end of the year. Due to the progressive tax structure, it is impossible to specify a flat-rate tax rate, but based on the marginal tax rate, the tax for the climate bonus is at least 48% for this income level.
- source: heute.at/picture: hp
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