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Your current electronic wage tax characteristics (ELStAM) are shown in every payslip.

ELStAM data includes the following information, for example:

• Tax class,
• religious affiliation,
• number of child allowances and
• exemptions and allowances.

Your employer is responsible for registering and deregistering you at the start or end of your employment relationship. The same applies to the retrieval of ELStAM in order to carry out the wage tax deduction.

You can view your ELStAM data and your employer's retrievals electronically at any time via the online tax office "My ELSTER". Alternatively, you can request a written notification from your responsible office.
You can also request that

• ELStAM no longer be created for you in future or
• the ELStAM be blocked or activated for certain employers.

Only the relevant tax and registration offices can make changes to the entries.

• For written notification: form "Applications for the electronic wage tax deduction features - ELStAM"

There are no costs.

If you want to view your income tax deduction details, you can do this electronically as follows:

• Visit "ELSTER - Ihr Online-Finanzamt" on the Internet.
• Log in with your access data and your personal security procedure.
• Once you are logged in, click on "Forms & services" in the navigation menu and select "Information on the electronic income tax card (ELStAM)".
• You will be shown a brief information message and if you click on "Next page", you can send the electronic form.
• You will receive a notification in "My inbox" when the list of your income tax deduction details has been completed.

Alternatively, you can request to view the ELStAM in writing:

• Visit the Federal Finance Administration's "Form Management System (FMS)" website.
• Download the PDF form "Applications for electronic wage tax deduction features - ELStAM" and fill it out.
• Print out the completed document, sign it and send it to the relevant tax office.
• You will receive written information about your income tax deduction details.

There is no deadline.

Responsibility lies with the tax office responsible for you.

You can find the tax office responsible for you via the tax office search on the website of the Federal Central Tax Office.

• Tax office search on the website of the Federal Central Tax Office

• § 39e Absatz 6 Satz 4 Einkommensteuergesetz (EStG)

• Artikel "Elektronische Lohnsteuerabzugsmerkmale (ELStAM)" auf der Internetseite des Bundeszentralamts für Steuern
• Artikel "Die elektronische Lohnsteuerkarte" auf der Internetseite "Elster Online-Finanzamt"

Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)