Entlastung für Rentner: Wer 2024 auf die Rente Steuern zahlen muss

Stand:17.07.2024, 18:02 Uhr

Von: Amy Walker 

Viele Rentner müssen durch die Rentenerhöhung Steuern zahlen. Dagegen hat die Ampel-Koalition jetzt etwas getan. © IMAGO

Die Rentensteigerung zum 1. Juli 2024 hat dazu geführt, dass zahlreiche Rentner und Rentnerinnen plötzlich steuerpflichtig wurden. Eine frische Steuerentlastung stellt jedoch sicher, dass dies auf viele nicht zutrifft.

Berlin – Die Rentenerhöhung von 4,57 Prozent hat vielen Rentnern und Rentnerinnen in Deutschland ein spürbares Plus auf ihre gesetzliche Rente gegeben. Zum 1. Juli wurde das zusätzliche Geld das erste Mal ausgezahlt – allerdings erwarten einige Rentenbeziehenden die Erhöhung erst Ende des Monats. Für 114.000 Rentner und Rentnerinnen bedeutet die Erhöhung jedoch, dass sie jetzt steuerpflichtig werden. Ihr Einkommen überschreitet nämlich den für 2024 noch gültigen Grundfreibetrag von 11.604 Euro im Jahr. Das geht aus einer Antwort des Bundesfinanzministeriums auf eine Kleine Anfrage der BSW-Vorsitzenden Sahra Wagenknecht hervor, die der Nachrichtenagentur AFP am Samstag (13. Juli 2024) vorlag.

Ampel hebt Grundfreibetrag rückwirkend an - Entlastung für viele Rentner

Doch das soll sich nun wieder ändern. Denn Bundesfinanzminister Christian Lindner (FDP) hat bereits ein Gesetz auf den Weg gebracht, das den Grundfreibetrag rückwirkend zum 1. Januar 2024 nochmals erhöhen soll, auf 11.784 Euro. Damit dürften viele Rentner und Rentnerinnen von der Steuerpflicht verschont werden. Zum 1. Januar 2025 wird der Grundfreibetrag dann nach dem Willen Lindners auf 12.084 Euro steigen, 2026 dann erneut auf 12.336 Euro. Das Gesetz ist noch nicht in Kraft und soll nach der Sommerpause im September beschlossen werden. Vor dieser Steuerentlastung waren mit der Rentenerhöhung fast 6,3 von rund 21 Millionen Rentnern steuerpflichtig. In Westdeutschland einschließlich Berlin rutschten nach der Erhöhung 91.000 Rentnerinnen und Rentner wieder in die Besteuerung - zuvor waren 197.000 aufgrund des gestiegenen Grundfreibetrags aus der Besteuerung herausgefallen. In Ostdeutschland müssen nun zusätzlich 23.000 Menschen im Ruhestand Einkommenssteuern zahlen, 47.000 fielen zuvor aus der Besteuerung.

Ab wie viel Rente müssen Rentner Steuern zahlen?

Doch ab wie viel monatliche Rente muss man denn jetzt prüfen, ob man Steuern zahlen muss? Wer eine monatliche Rente von 982 Euro bezieht, kommt auf genau den Grundfreibetrag von 11.784 Euro. Doch damit muss man in der Regel noch keine Steuern zahlen – denn zuzüglich anderer Ausgaben wie Werbungskosten, Sonderausgaben und anderen Belastungen bleiben die meisten Menschen dann doch noch steuerfrei. Wer also als einziges Einkommen eine Rente von unter 1000 Euro im Monat bezieht, wird mutmaßlich noch keine Steuern zahlen müssen.  Allerdings sollten Rentner und Rentnerinnen, die eine so kleine Rente haben, sich informieren, ob sie Anspruch auf Grundsicherung haben. Außerdem gibt es eine Reihe anderer Zuschüsse wie Wohngeld, die Rentner und Rentnerinnen beantragen könne.

Wagenknecht nennt Renten-Steuer „beschämend“

Die BSW-Vorsitzende Wagenknecht nannte es derweil „beschämend“, dass nach der Rentenerhöhung wieder über 100.000 Rentnerinnen und Rentner in die Besteuerung fielen. „Die Rentensteuer ist eine der ungerechtesten Steuern Deutschlands“, sagte sie AFP dazu. „Jahrzehntelang abrackern und einzahlen, dann eine Rente erhalten, die im europäischen Vergleich unterdurchschnittlich ist und dann meldet sich auch noch das Finanzamt und hält die Hand auf.“

Das BSW fordert deshalb „eine Rentensteuerbremse“: Bis 2000 Euro sollte die gesetzliche Rente demnach steuerfrei bleiben. „Das würde Millionen Rentner mit kleinen und mittleren Renten entlasten“, so Wagenknecht. (mit Material von AFP)

How do you find someone in the Philippines knowing only his name and province?

 Christopher Atkinson's Space

A very helpful site to visit, providing a rich assortment of public and private data. It outperforms single-source searches and mainstream search engines like Google. Access public records, social media profiles, extensive web searches, court documents, criminal histories, mobile phone data (from both public and private directories), driving records, and much more.

The devastation wrought by Typhoon Haiyan has left hundreds of thousands displaced in the Philippines. In the province of Leyte, which was in the storm’s direct path when it hit on Friday, there is still an undetermined number of missing. Tacloban, the capital of the province with a population of 220,000, lies in ruins with electricity yet to be restored.

For Filipino-Americans living in the United States, contacting relatives overseas has been difficult. PBS NewsHour will round up the best ways to begin your search.

According to Lynette Lim, Asia communications manager at Save the Children, two of the best ways to look for missing people are through the Google People Finder and the Red Cross. – Google People Finder is a social tool that relies on information provided by the searchers, and those who have information on people on the ground in the Philippines. Once on the website, you can enter the name of the person you are looking for in the Philippines.

'Fake Filipinos' prompt call for stricter birth certificate validation

Ian Laqui - Philstar.com

July 17, 2024 | 12:42pm

Sen. Win Gatchalian presides over the Senate ways and means panel hearing tackling proposed measures seeking to permanently ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, and prohibit online gambling in the country on July 16, 2024. On Wednesday, July 17, Gatchalian urged government to reform the processing of birth certificates—a system that has been abused by foreigners who want to pass as Filipinos.

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday called for the reform of the validation and processing of birth certificates following the discovery of illegally obtained birth documents in Davao del Sur.

The senator stressed the need for more “accountability” among issuing agencies.

“We will definitely reform the entire birth certificate process in our country. The process was designed to make it easier for our constituents, our own people, to access…to get birth certificates,” Gatchalian said in an interview with ANC Headstart. 

He added that the birth certificate procurement process, designed for the convenience of Filipino citizens, has been exploited by foreigners who can falsely claim Filipino identity.

The senator pointed out that local civil registrars hold significant power in issuing birth, death and marriage certificates, without needing verification from the mayor. 

This decentralization, while convenient, has led to vulnerabilities with reports of foreigners buying land and allowing them to run for public office, according to Gatchalian. 

“There are now news reports that a lot of foreigners are buying lands in some parts of our country. So this raises the question of whether this purchase is legitimate or is being done by fake Filipinos,” he said. 

When asked about the timeline for these reforms, Gatchalian said that the Senate urged the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to come up with administrative reforms. 

“They (PSA) don’t have to wait for a law to reform their process,” he said. 

On July 12, Gatchalian first bared that Chinese nationals illegally obtained Philippine birth certificates, passports and driver’s licenses for the price of P300,000. 

Citing a report from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), he said that 200 questionable birth certificates were issued to Chinese nationals from 2018 to 2019 in Davao del Sur. 

However, it was noted that the actual number of dubious birth certificates is around 1,200, according to NBI Director Jaime Santiago. 

The senators said that this incident might just be the “tip of the iceberg.”

Following the discovery of the questionable documents, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingo said the Bureau of Immigration would conduct an investigation into the alleged illegally obtained documents.

So lonely together

By: Muna Khan - @inquirerdotnet

I cannot count the number of times I was made to give up my bedroom for a relative visiting wherever we were living as expats in the ’70s to ’90s. It was not a choice. In fact, I didn’t even know I had a choice until I turned 21. It was pretty common for people to turn up unannounced—aunties and uncles who helped raise us—and we were expected to be there, irrespective of homework, exams, etc. We were scolded if we complained about unexpected guests.

Now, I can’t remember the last time we had an unexpected visitor drop by. I myself have not dropped in on anyone without calling to check if they are available. I guess we’re all just that busy now.

Technology has undoubtedly changed our lives and made the world smaller; we can talk to friends and family anywhere, anytime. You can attend birthdays, weddings, even funerals online. You can find everything you need online; you may even be safer online. But you are also cocooned in your own world online and the internet has made us more self-absorbed.

Yet paradoxically there’s a loneliness epidemic all over the world. The United Kingdom was the first to announce a minister for loneliness in 2018, with the aim of reducing feelings of isolation, anxiety, and suicide ideation. Japan followed in 2021 as it sought to address the social isolation caused by COVID-19 which also saw the first uptick in suicide in 11 years.

Maybe we’re ashamed to say “I’m lonely” because loneliness is seen as taboo, something to feel embarrassed about. Perhaps because we are seen as a family-oriented society, with a strong sense of community, it’s hard to say you’re lonely when you’re surrounded by people, even when you don’t want to be.

As sad as that is, I’m more worried about younger folks who may not even know they are lonely because they believe their community is online. But as their elders, we know better: It is not the same as showing up for someone in their time of grief and happiness or just to shoot the breeze.

“The liminal spaces of our new world are massive—easy for us to be swallowed into—and disorienting,” writes Athena Dixon in “The Loneliness Files,” part memoir, part critique on technology’s impact on our lives.

Loneliness is personal but it’s also the result of technological advancement in communication. By now, most of us have experienced some form of isolation courtesy of the pandemic. In fact, isolation was mandated; quarantine was essential for one’s survival. Some isolated with families while others were on their own—both faced issues: Either wanting space or craving company.

Back in the day, artists and writers sought solitude and produced great works of art. Today, if you have a minute to yourself, you reach for your phone, as if being left alone with your thoughts is too awful a task to bear. Solitude is necessary for creation but look around you and everyone is scrolling on their phones, bookmarking places we’ll never travel to or books we’ll never read. We are simply “liking” posts, not living lives. We’re moving away from what made us human in the first place.

Given the current economic crisis, which makes it harder to meet up with friends because we simply cannot afford to, could we begin to see a loneliness epidemic among youngsters, the largest demographic in the country and one that is always online?

We won’t even get a minister to care about this. They would probably tax loneliness if they could. Or happiness. Or breathing, bad air at that, too.

Simone Heng, who wrote a book on loneliness, told Al Jazeera English: “Online connection is the junk food of connection.” How can we find our way back to that time when we showed up for each other and didn’t have so many boundaries that are isolating us?

Dixon writes about her overwhelming loneliness. “I know there are those who feel the world is always just a little too far away or a little too close—never comfortable in either situation,” she writes.

Loneliness is more than a mental health issue; it has serious health consequences. Loneliness can increase our chances of dementia, heart disease, depression, early death.

The internet is filled with tips on how to manage it—finding hobbies, volunteering, exercise. But my nonexpert, tried, and tested tip is to embrace it. To resist Netflix, true crime podcasts, the news—all these 24/7 connections are geared to keep you distracted from facing something you’re avoiding. I believe a period of solitude helps you reflect on things that matter, which in my case, was relationships with friends. We meet to talk about how we’re doomed, but at least we are doomed together. Dawn/Asia News Network

Filipina director honors PH Olympians in mini docuseries

BY MARK REY MONTEJO

Jul 16, 2024 10:27 PM

  

---

AT A GLANCE

• As the 2024 Paris Olympics draws near, Mayuga’s love of sports led her and Malaya Creatives to create a heart-warming series that showcases the Filipino athletes’ journey on their way to qualifying to the biggest sports spectacle in the world.

---

There are always captivating stories behind every journey of athletes which film director Clev Mayuga aims to capture and share to the Filipino audience.

Clev Mayuga (Clev Mayuga's Facebook post)

As the 2024 Paris Olympics draws near, Mayuga’s love of sports led her and Malaya Creatives to create a heart-warming series that showcases the Filipino athletes’ journey on their way to qualifying to the biggest sports spectacle in the world.

Titled “Puso in Paris”, the four-part documentary, created in partnership with Smart, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, is aimed at showing the process of becoming an Olympian. 

“When we were creating the idea of Puso in Paris, it was clear to me that I don't want to do the origin stories, what they went through, or what they got from it,” Mayuga told Manila Bulletin after the exclusive media screening of Puso in Paris at Smart Tower in Ayala Ave., Makati City Tuesday, July 16.

“Because I feel like people already know about it. What we want to encapsulate in Puso in Paris is what is the process or journey of being a Filipino Olympian,” the University of the Philippines Diliman alumna and mental health advocate added.

The series featured boxers Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Eumir Marcial, Hergie Bacyadan and Aira Villegas; weightlifters Elreen Ando, John Febuar Ceniza and Vanessa Sarno; gymnast Carlos Yulo; and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

Mayuga and her team followed the athlete's journey during their respective training and competitions: in Bangkok, Thailand where Bacyadan and Paalam earned their Olympic slots, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex where the three weightlifters train, somewhere in Manila where Yulo also hones his craft, and in Los Angeles, California in one of Obiena's competition stints. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Mayuga said these moments in their preparations played significant roles in the series that can help the viewers understand their hardship and sacrifices.

“I think what we got is how excited or how much the feeling of privilege of the athletes to represent the Philippines in the Olympics,” Mayuga said.

“It also shows what athletes need to achieve that level of excellence and greatness. But per episode, we looked at the story of each one and their mindset going into the Olympics,” she added. 

According to Mayuga, the feature is a way of honoring the Olympians as well and the people behind them.

“Oh, for sure. Honoring them and also showing the Filipino people that if you really give support to the athletes, like what SMART, MVPSF, POC, PSC are doing,” she added.

The series will be divided in four parts, starting with Yulo, followed by the five boxers and three lifters, with Obiena’s journey as the final episode.