Do you have a government pension and live in Germany?
You might not be taxed on it directly… but it could still increase your tax bill.
In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Jordan Vlastuin, CFP® joins Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA to explain a little-known concept for US expats in Germany often referred to as a “ghost tax.”
Here is how it works:
• Certain federal pensions may be tax-free under US-Germany tax treaties
• However, Germany may still use that income to push you into a higher tax bracket
• This means your other income gets taxed at a higher rate
So even if your pension is technically not taxed, it still impacts your overall tax outcome.
This creates a major planning opportunity for US expats living in Germany with pension income.
The key takeaway:
Tax-free does not always mean tax neutral.

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