Form descriptions – Germany (CBF)
Application for a refund of German capital income tax
In Germany, income from capital is subject to a 25% capital income tax plus a solidarity surcharge of 5.5%. In general, this applies regardless of whether the recipient (creditor) of the domestic income is resident in Germany or abroad.
Capital income recipients who are resident outside of Germany can obtain relief from capital income tax by using the “electronic procedure” to receive a refund for capital income tax that has already been withheld and remitted to the tax authorities.
In any case, refund applications must include a certificate of residence and all relevant tax certificates. Applications cannot be processed without these records.
Electronic filing procedure
Applications for capital income tax relief (in accordance with section 50c (3) / section 44a (9) / section 50c (2) sentence 1 no 1 of the Income Tax Act) must be filed in electronic form. Detailed information on this procedure is provided the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern; BZSt). Clients may use the link provided under Tax forms to use - Germany (clearstream.com)
One-Time Customer Declaration (OTCD) to request German Tax Vouchers
Before requesting German Tax Vouchers via the BO Upload List application or Xact Web Portal or starting tax reduction instruction based on the German Investment Tax Act (Investmentsteuergesetz; InvStG), clients must first complete the relevant OTCD:
- OTCD Clearstream Banking AG German version;
- OTCD Clearstream Banking AG English version;
The OTCD must then be sent via mail to:
Clearstream Services Prague Branch
Tax Services Prague
Futurama Business Park
Building B
Sokolovská 662/136b
18600 Prague 8
Czech Republic
The OTCD needs to be provided on the Clearstream client’s letterhead paper and/or with a company stamp and authorised signatures.
Who completes it? | Client. |
How often is it | Once. Valid until revoked. |
When is it provided? | Before requesting German tax vouchers. |
Copy or original? | Original required. |
Request for German tax voucher or tax reduction breakdown
The client can file an application for a single tax voucher (“Einzelsteuerbescheinigung”) with respect to either their own assets or to those of their client. The client can also file an instruction or tax reduction breakdown based on the German Investment Tax Act (Investmentsteuergesetz; InvStG).
An application for a German tax voucher or tax reduction breakdown with respect to a Clearstream Banking client’s assets must be made via electronic upload of a data file in the name of the beneficial owner/end-investor of the capital income (see Guidelines for uploading CSV files for German tax breakdowns, tax vouchers and Reporting Standing Instructions via BO Upload (clearstream.com)).
Upload processing rejections can be avoided among other by using a dot "." as a separator for shares and fractions. A comma "," should not be used as a separator in your file when ordering German Tax Vouchers. For a full list of guidelines, refer to the German Investment Tax Act (InvStG) webpage.
Who completes it? | Client. |
How often is it provided? | Per individual request. |
When is it provided? | Per individual request. |
Copy or original? | Original required. |
Fund Status Certificate
Dividends and similar taxable income in German equities, participation rights and convertible bonds, held by a certified investment fund company via a non-German account in Clearstream Banking AG can be processed at the reduced rate of 15% capital income tax, if evidence is provided for classification of the investment fund as a fund pursuant to § 1 InvStG or a special investment fund pursuant to § 53 InvStG. This is applicable to client accounts with standing instruction holding positions in taxable German securities on behalf of certified investment funds exclusively.
The Fund Status Certificate needs to be provided to Clearstream Banking AG before the relevant taxable income payment date.
The Fund Status Certificate must be requested from the German Tax Authorities (in most of cases the BZSt).
Who completes it? | The Fund Status Certificate must be requested from the German Tax Authorities (in most of cases the BZSt). | |
How often is it provided? | Once, during the period of validity. The Fund Status Certificate is valid for three years. | |
When is it provided? | Before the first taxable income payment. | |
Copy or original? | Original required. |
Auftrag zur Abrechnung von Erträgen mit dem ermäßigten Kapitalertragsteuersatz i.S.d. § 7 Abs. 1 InvStG
To use the Standing Instruction Service offered by Clearstream Banking AG to receive income payments for certified investment funds at the reduced tax rate, clients must complete the request “Auftrag zur Abrechnung von Erträgen mit dem ermäßigten Kapitalertragsteuersatz i.S.d. § 7 Abs. 1 InvStG” available under Tax forms to use - Germany (an English version for information only is available as well). The completed request must be:
- Printed on letterhead paper and/or submitted with company stamp;
- Duly signed; and
- Sent to the following address:
Clearstream Banking AG
Attn: Tax Support Frankfurt - OSF
D-60485 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
In addition to the request, clients must:
- open an omnibus account (main account, for example xxxx/000); OR
- use an existing omnibus account.
on which they hold only securities subject to German withholding tax for entitled and certified fund companies or segregate the securities on the account for this purpose.
Segregated, non-German securities can also be deposited in the account.
Who completes it? | Client. |
How often is it | Once. Valid until revoked. |
When is it provided? | Before using the new omnibus account. |
Copy or original? | Original required. |