The Federal Ministry of Finance (MoF) has sent the draft of a revised version of the attribution taxation for foreign family foundations pursuant to Section 15 of the Foreign Tax Act to certain associations. They as well as interested professionals are given the opportunity to comment until 15 January 2026.
In a currently published judgment, the European Court of Justice held that the German regulation providing favorable inheritance tax classes for domestic family foundations which are not available to foreign family foundations does not contravene the fundamental principle for free movement of capital provided that the legislation in question complies with the principle of proportionality.
In a recent decision, the Hamburg Tax Court commented on the deduction of income-related expenses in connection with dividends from portfolio investments paid to a family foundation who itself is not exempt from corporation tax.
In a most recent judgment, the Supreme Tax Court decided that the restriction for exemption from taxation of the retained income of foreign foundations with their management or registered office in a member state of the European Union or a contracting state of the EEA to be in conflict with the EU free movement of capital.
The Cologne Tax Court has asked the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling regarding the favorable inheritance tax classes for domestic family foundations which are not available to foreign family foundations. The Cologne tax court has doubts as to whether this different treatment is in line with the principle of free movement of capital. In his Opinion delivered today the Advocate General sees no infringement of EU law.
In a most recent decision, the Supreme Tax Court held that the legal form of an institution is not relevant for the qualification as financial company within the meaning of Section 8b (7) sentence 2 of the Corporation Tax Act to be read in connection with Section 1 (3) of the German Banking Act. Therefore, a family foundation under private law can also be considered as finance institution if they are primarily engaged in financial activities.
In a most recent decision, the Supreme Tax Court held that great-grandchildren could also be potential beneficiaries of assets transferred to a family foundation for inheritance and gift tax purposes. They would be the „most distant beneficiary“ according to Section 15 para. 2 of the Inheritance and Gift Tax Act even if they have not yet been born at the time the foundation is established.
The Cologne Tax Court has expressed doubts as to whether a family foundation based in Liechtenstein may be denied the inheritance and gift tax privilege applicable to domestic family foundations and has referred this question to the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling.
Since the wording of Section 27 (7) of the German Corporation Tax Act does not cover estates, private foundations under civil law with legal capacity are not eligible for the specific determination of the special tax contributions account which is necessary to establish the amounts of tax neutral repayments of capital contributions. This was decided by the Supreme Tax Court in two similar cases. Contrary to the view held by other local tax courts the Supreme Tax Court gives precedence to the strict wording of the law.
Are payments and contributions in kind from a foreign family foundation subject to German income tax? And what is the situation as regards the gift tax? Two tax court decisions shed some light. According to the Supreme Tax Court there is no gift tax liability for the beneficiary. The Regional Tax Court of Hamburg is of the opinion that a one-time payment from the foundation is subject to German income tax.
