Use your saver's allowance before 31 December
Enter what you have already realised at your bank this year and which positions are up or down. The calculator shows how much gain you can still take tax-free, whether selling at a loss has an effect this year, and which year-end deadlines matter.
Already realised in 2026 (at this bank)
Open positions
Simplified calculation for one account at one bank, not tax advice. Your bank's tax overview is authoritative; ETF gains appear there after the partial exemption.
By 31 December you can realise €857.14 of book gain tax-free, about 28.6% of the position.
Position type Equity ETF/fund: 30% of the gain is tax-exempt (partial exemption), so more gain fits into the free amount. Selling and buying straight back keeps the position and raises your cost basis: the later taxable gain falls by exactly this amount. Order fees and the spread reduce the benefit.
2026 allowance still free
€600.00
Realisable tax-free
€857.14
Later tax avoided
€158.25
And the book loss?
No effect this year: banks only offset share losses against gains from selling shares, not against ETF gains, dividends or interest. €600.00 stays in the share pot and reduces later share gains.
| Share gains after offsetting | €0.00 |
|---|---|
| Other income after offsetting | €400.00 |
| Covered by the exemption order | − €400.00 |
| Tax for 2026 so far | €0.00 |
- Several banks? Deadline 15 December 2026. Banks do not offset anything between each other. If losses sit at one bank and gains at another, request a loss certificate from the bank holding the losses. The irrevocable request must reach it by 15 December 2026 (§ 43a(3) sentence 5 EStG).
- Advance lump sum in January. Your bank debits the advance lump sum (Vorabpauschale) for 2026 in early January 2027. It uses the 2027 exemption order, not what is left of 2026. The Vorabpauschale calculator shows how much it will be.
What does this mean for your real wealth?
The calculation above uses the amounts you entered. In Planafolio, the free tax overview shows your realised gains and income from imported transactions; the loss-offsetting assistant in Pro shows which book losses could still be offset.
Check my allowance and loss potsWhat does the result mean?
The result shows how much book gain you can still realise tax-free this year and what selling at a loss before 31 December does: less tax, freed-up allowance, or only a carry-forward into next year.
Model assumptions
- Tax rules as of 2026: flat tax, solidarity surcharge, church tax, partial exemption and saver's allowance as set out in law.
- One account at one bank: losses, income and exemption orders at other banks are not included.
- The gain is spread evenly across a position's units; for partial sales the bank actually applies FIFO.
- Order fees and the spread for selling and buying back are not deducted.
How the calculator works
The amounts so far are netted like your bank does, in the share pot and the general pot: losses from the general pot also reduce share gains, share losses only reduce share gains. The exemption order applies after that. Open gains and losses on funds are reduced by the partial exemption. Tax is flat-rate tax, solidarity surcharge and church tax where applicable.
More on the methodologyWorked example
Example: take an ETF gain tax-free, check a share loss
The calculator's defaults above: dividends have used part of the exemption order, an equity ETF is in profit and a single share is at a loss.
Inputs
- Dividends and interest so far€400
- Exemption order at this bank€1,000
- Book gain (Equity ETF/fund)€3,000
- Book loss (Single share)€600
Calculation
| Exemption order still free | €600.00 |
|---|---|
| Book gain realisable tax-free (30% partial exemption) | €857.14 |
| Share of the position to sell | 28.57% |
Result
| Later tax avoided | €158.25 |
|---|---|
| Share loss that only goes into the carry-forward | €600.00 |
The ETF gain can be taken tax-free up to the free amount. The share loss does not help this year because there are no share gains it may be offset against.
Rules as of 2026, without church tax and order fees. Amounts rounded to the cent.
Common mistakes
Counting the allowance twice
An exemption order only applies at the bank where you filed it, and all of them together are capped at €1,000. Interest on a savings account at another bank uses up its own share there. Enter only this bank's exemption order here.
Offsetting a share loss against ETF gains
Banks only offset share losses against gains from selling shares. Selling a share at a loss to shelter ETF gains or dividends saves nothing this year; the loss goes into the carry-forward.
Using the average gain for a partial sale
If you sell only part of a position, the units bought first count as sold first (FIFO). With a long-running savings plan these often carry the largest gain. The calculator spreads the gain evenly; check the actual gain in your bank's order preview or contract note.
Requesting the loss certificate after 15 December
The request for a loss certificate must reach the bank holding the losses by 15 December. After that it is excluded for the current year, and the losses stay in that bank's carry-forward instead of reducing gains at another bank.
Sources and status
Content reviewed on October 20, 2026. Legal status: 2026. The sources are official German legal texts and data and are therefore in German.
- § 20 Abs. 9 EStG – Sparer-Pauschbetrag
- § 20 Abs. 6 EStG – Verlustverrechnung, Aktienverluste nur mit Aktiengewinnen
- § 43a Abs. 3 EStG – Verlustverrechnung der Bank, Verlustbescheinigung bis 15. Dezember
- § 20 InvStG – Teilfreistellung
- § 32d EStG – Abgeltungsteuer
The calculation is a simplified estimate and does not replace tax advice.
What can I do?
Before selling, check your bank's tax overview: pots, loss carry-forward and exemption order. With an imported portfolio, Planafolio shows the figures from your real transactions.
How the check works
Three levers before the year ends
All three only work while the tax year is running.
Use the allowance
The saver's allowance of €1,000 applies per calendar year (§ 20(9) EStG). Whatever income has not used it by 31 December is not carried over to the next year.
Sell and buy back
A gain up to the free amount can be realised without tax. If you buy straight back, the position stays the same, only the cost basis rises, and the later taxable gain falls.
Use losses deliberately
A realised loss reduces gains in the matching pot. Share losses only count against share gains; losses on ETFs and funds count against all capital income (§ 20(6) EStG).
More on the topic: the tax guide, loss pots explained (German) and the capital gains tax calculator for a single gain.
FAQ
Common questions at year-end
As much as your exemption order at this bank still has free after this year's income, plus unused losses in the matching pot. For equity ETFs, 30% of the gain is tax-exempt, so more book gain fits into the free amount than with single shares.
The allowance you use reduces the later taxable gain by the same amount, with no tax now. Against that stand order fees and the spread. For small amounts the costs can eat up the benefit; the calculator does not deduct them.
Losses from selling shares may only be offset against gains from selling shares (§ 20(6) EStG). They do not work against ETF gains, dividends or interest. They do not expire, though; the same bank carries them forward to next year.
By 15 December, at the bank holding the losses (§ 43a(3) sentence 5 EStG). The request is irrevocable: the bank no longer carries the certified losses forward itself, and you offset them in your tax return.
No. The advance lump sum for 2026 is deemed received in early January 2027 and uses the 2027 exemption order. It cannot use the 2026 allowance any more.
No. The calculator shows a simplified calculation for one account at one bank under the rules as of 2026. It knows nothing about your other accounts, costs, withholding tax or special cases. For a binding answer, ask a tax adviser or a tax assistance association (Lohnsteuerhilfeverein).
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