Tax exemption order (Freistellungsauftrag)
An instruction to your bank not to tax investment income up to the saver's allowance.
In short
As of 5 October 2026A tax exemption order (Freistellungsauftrag) tells your bank not to tax investment income up to the saver's allowance. You usually file it online with your tax ID. With several banks, you split the amount, up to 1,000 euros in total, or 2,000 euros for couples, for example 700 euros for your brokerage account and 300 for savings.
With a tax exemption order (Freistellungsauftrag) you tell your bank: please don't deduct capital gains tax up to this amount. You usually set it online in a few clicks; the bank needs your tax ID (Steuer-ID).
You can split the saver's allowance across several banks. In total, your orders must not exceed 1,000 euros (couples: 2,000 euros). The Federal Central Tax Office checks this.
Example: you have a brokerage account and a savings account. You assign 700 euros to the brokerage account and 300 euros to the savings account, because you expect about 300 euros of interest there.
Related terms
Sources
- Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG), § 44a Freistellungsauftrag
- Verbraucherzentrale: Steuererklärung 2025, Freibeträge
As of 5 October 2026 · Educational content, not investment or tax advice.