„Deutsche Bahn promises that business travellers can now also benefit personally from BahnBonus advantages. To this end, it is implementing flat-rate taxation for the BahnBonus benefits programme as of July.”
In Germany, all persons liable to wage tax must declare benefits they have received on business occasions and from which they benefit privately in their personal tax return (“imputed income”) if allowances are exceeded. At the Mobility Symposium in Berlin this week, DeutscheBahn announced that from 1 July 2023, DB Fernverkehr AG will take over the flat-rate taxation for the BahnBonus benefit programme. In accordance with § 37a EStG, it will make a lump-sum compensation payment.
Business travellers who are allowed to use BahnBonus points collected on business trips for private purposes will thus no longer have to make any entries in their personal income tax in future. The companies will no longer have to deal with the corresponding administrative work.
With this step, Deutsche Bahn emphasises, the benefit programme can also become a real incentive for employees. They can collect points and, if permitted by the company, use them personally, including status benefits for frequent travellers.
“We have to rethink mobility. When we talk about New Work, we also have to plan New Mobility,” says Stefanie Berk (photo), Head of Marketing and Sales DB Fernverkehr AG. “With the flat-rate taxation, we increase the incentive to choose the climate-friendly train more often for business trips.”
