Who, when and how much? – Government pays out: how to get your money?

180 euros once per child: As part of the child benefit, there are direct payments in August. If you are already receiving child support, you no longer need to register – the money should be transferred automatically.

300 euros for the unemployed and minimum pensioners: This benefit also occurs automatically if you receive unemployment benefits or a minimum pension. The money should be flowing in September.

500 euros for all adults: Probably the thickest chunk in the package is divided into the so-called climate bonus of 250 euros and an inflation surcharge of another 250 euros for adults – there must also be another 250 euros per child! This money will also be paid automatically from October, provided account details have already been entered. With this measure alone, a family with two children raises 1500 euros…

Request via web form: The above services are automatically provided if you are already registered with the tax authorities or FinanzOnline or for receiving a benefit. For Austrians, for whom no data is available so far, there is the option of an online application, the federal government told krone.at, and they also want to inform people by mail.

Family bonus and child benefit: In addition, the increased family allowance and the increased child benefit (from 250 to 550 euros) will be brought forward to 2022 (originally 2023). On the one hand, this has to be done via wage tax equalization – for example, in the near future you can already claim a family allowance of €2,000 (instead of €1,500 previously) and an additional child benefit of €500 (instead of €250 previously) for the employee’s assessment. A second model here is the agreement with the employer that the bonuses are paid monthly together with the pay slip – this takes effect in September.

New fixed deductible amount: Last but not least, a new “cost of living” of 500 euros will also be introduced for 2022 – this can also be requested on the next tax return.

Cold progression gone, social benefits increased, utilities reduced
All in all, the gigantic package from the turquoise-green federal government will gobble up 28 billion euros. In the long term, the controversial cold progression for years must be abolished, social benefits adjusted annually in line with inflation and non-wage labor costs reduced. It is also the third collection of shelters in this term of office, the first two having a total volume of four billion euros.

“A Mighty Throw”
Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) described the abolition of the cold progression as a matter of fairness, as the state benefits from high inflation. Depending on how inflation develops, taxpayers could save 15 to 20 billion euros in 2026: “It’s a huge jump.” The tax brackets will be adjusted for the first time on January 1, 2023 and thereafter annually. The respective annual inflation must be fully compensated, except for the highest tax rate of 55 percent.

“The state can afford it”
According to Brunner, half of the 28 billion euros that the latest package costs would be financed by higher VAT revenues due to inflation and a third from higher consumption. In total that is 24 billion euros. “The state can afford it,” said Wifo boss Gabriel Felbermayr at a first classification for the “Krone”.

“Paying working people”
The opposition, especially the SPÖ, mutters: “The so-called cash-back package will not skim off the corporations’ excess profits to provide counter-financing. War winners remain war winners. 85 percent of that is paid by taxes on work and consumption, i.e. by working people.”