When it comes to Trade Republic tax report Germany, getting the facts straight can save you time, money, and frustration.

⏱️ 20 min read · 3,832 words · Updated Jun 25, 2026

Understanding Trade Republic tax report Germany is essential for making informed decisions in today’s market.

Let’s get something straight right away.

“If you’re using Trade Republic and you live in Germany, you will eventually need to deal with your taxes.”

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There’s no way around it. The good news is that Trade Republic makes this easier than most brokers. The bad news is that “easier” doesn’t mean “easy.” You still need to understand what’s happening with your account, what the tax report actually contains, and what you’re supposed to do with it.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know about the Trade Republic tax report in Germany. We’ll cover what the report is, when you get it, what’s inside it, and how to use it when filing your tax return. No fluff. No filler. Just the stuff that matters.

Throughout this guide, we’ll explore Trade Republic tax report Germany and how it directly impacts your financial future.

What the Trade Republic Tax Report Actually Is – Trade Republic tax report Germany

The Trade Republic tax report is an annual document that summarizes all the tax-relevant events from your account. Think of it as a receipt for everything that happened during the tax year. It includes dividends you received, capital gains from sales, the Vorabpauschung on your ETFs, and any taxes that were already withheld.

You’ll find this report in your app under the “Account” section, then “Documents,” and then “Tax Report.” Trade Republic typically makes it available in February or March of the following year. So if you’re looking for your 2024 tax report, expect it around February or March 2025.

Here’s something that catches people off guard. The report is not a tax return. It’s information you use to file your tax return. You still need to submit everything to the Finanzamt yourself, either through ELSTER or with the help of tax software like WISO Steuer, Taxfix, or Elster.

The report itself is a PDF document. It’s usually between 5 and 20 pages long, depending on how active you were during the year. If you only held ETFs and never sold anything, it’ll be short. If you traded individual stocks, received dividends from multiple companies, and did some selling, it’ll be longer.

Understanding the Key Components of Your Tax Report – Trade Republic tax report Germany

Let’s break down what’s actually inside this document. Each section matters, and skipping over one of them is how people end up making mistakes on their tax returns.

Dividends and Withholding Tax – Trade Republic tax report Germany

Every dividend you receive from a stock or ETF shows up here. The report lists the company name, the date of payment, the gross dividend amount, and the tax that was already withheld. In Germany, dividends are taxed at 26.375 percent, which includes the Abgeltungsteuer of 25 percent plus 1.25 percent solidarity surcharge. Church tax may also apply if you’re registered as a member.

The important thing to check is whether the correct amount of tax was withheld. Trade Republic handles this automatically for most cases, but there are exceptions. US-dividend stocks, for example, have a 15 percent withholding tax at source under the US-Germany tax treaty. The remaining German tax is then calculated on top of that.

Capital Gains from Sales – Trade Republic tax report Germany

When you sell a stock or ETF at a profit, that gain is listed in your tax report. The report shows the purchase date, sale date, purchase price, sale price, and the resulting profit. Losses are also listed, and they matter because you can offset them against your gains.

This is where things get interesting. Germany has a system for handling capital gains that involves something called the “Freistellungsauftrag,” which is basically a tax-free allowance for private investors. For 2024, that allowance is 1,000 euros per person, or 2,000 euros for married couples filing jointly. If your total capital gains stay below this threshold, you owe no tax on them.

But here’s the catch. The Freistellungsauftrag only works if you actually set it up with your broker. If you never told Trade Republic about your allowance, they’ll withhold the full 26.375 percent on every gain. You’d then have to claim it back through your tax return. It’s not the end of the World, but it’s an unnecessary hassle.

The Vorabpauschung on ETFs

This is the part that confuses people the most, and honestly, it confuses people who’ve been investing for Years. The Vorabpauschung is a fictional advance payment on the tax you’ll owe when you eventually sell your ETF shares. It was introduced in 2018 and applies to all accumulating ETFs held in Germany.

Here’s how it works. Every year, the German government calculates a “base interest rate” called the Basiszins. For 2024, that rate is 2.29 percent. The Vorabpauschung is calculated as a percentage of the value of your ETF holdings at the beginning of the year, multiplied by this base rate. The exact formula depends on the type of ETF, but the simplified version is roughly 0.67 percent of your ETF portfolio value for equity ETFs.

This amount is listed in your Trade Republic tax report. It counts as a tax payment, which means it reduces your tax liability when you eventually sell. But it also means you’re being taxed on gains you haven’t actually realized yet. If your ETF loses value the next year, you’ve been taxed on money you never made.

I think the Vorabpauschung is one of the most unfair parts of the German tax system for retail investors. You’re essentially being forced to pay tax on hypothetical gains. But complaining about it doesn’t change anything, so you need to understand it and plan around it.

How to Set Up Your Freistellungsauftrag with Trade Republic

If you haven’t set up your Freistellungsauftrag yet, do it now. It takes about two minutes in the app and it saves you real money.

Go to your Trade Republic app, tap on “Account,” then “Settings,” then “Taxes.” You’ll see an option to set your Freistellungsauftrag. Enter the amount you want to claim. For most people, that’s 1,000 euros. If you’re married and filing jointly, you can split the 2,000 euros between your Trade Republic account and your spouse’s account.

One thing to watch out for. If you have multiple brokers, you can only use the full allowance once across all of them. So if you have 500 euros set at Scalable Capital and 500 euros at Trade Republic, that adds up to your 1,000 euro total. If you accidentally set 1,000 euros at both brokers, one of them will be invalid, and you’ll have a tax problem to sort out.

Trade Republic will automatically apply your Freistellungsauftrag to your tax report. You’ll see the calculation in the document, showing how much tax was withheld and how much was refunded based on your allowance.

What Happens When You Have Losses

Losses are your friend, at least from a tax perspective. When you sell an investment at a loss, that loss can offset your gains and reduce your overall tax bill. Your Trade Republic tax report will list all your losses separately, and you’ll need to include them in your tax return.

There’s a specific order in which losses must be applied in Germany. First, losses from the current year offset gains from the current year. If you still have losses left over, they can be carried forward to future years. The Finanzamt keeps track of this through something called the “Verlustverrechnungstopf,” or loss compensation pot.

One important detail. Losses from different types of investments are treated differently. Losses from stocks can only offset gains from stocks. Losses from ETFs can only offset gains from ETFs. You can’t mix and match across categories. Your tax report will separate these for you, which makes it easier to file correctly.

Trade Republic vs Other Brokers: Tax Report Comparison

Not all brokers make tax reporting equally easy. Here’s how Trade Republic stacks up against some of the more popular alternatives in Germany.

| Feature | Trade Republic | Scalable Capital | ING DiBa | Comdirect |
|—|—|—|—|—|
| Tax report available as PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Freistellungsauftrag | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vorabpauschung calculation included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tax report available in app | Yes | Yes | No (web only) | No (web only) |
| Report available by February | Usually yes | Usually yes | Sometimes delayed | Sometimes delayed |
| ELSTER-compatible export | No (manual entry) | Yes (partial) | Yes | Yes |
| Cost for basic brokerage | Free | Free | Free for some plans | 4.90 euros per trade |

The biggest difference is that Trade Republic doesn’t offer a direct ELSTER export. Scalable Capital and Comdirect both let you export your tax data in a format that integrates with ELSTER or tax software. With Trade Republic, you’ll need to manually enter the numbers from your PDF into your tax software. It’s not hard, but it takes a few extra minutes.

On the other hand, Trade Republic’s app is cleaner and more intuitive than most banking apps. Finding your tax report takes seconds. With some traditional brokers, you might need to dig through multiple menus or wait for a paper copy to arrive by mail.

“The Vorabpauschung is one of the most unfair parts of the German tax system for retail investors. You’re being taxed on gains you haven’t even realized yet.”

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Filing Your Tax Return with the Trade Republic Report

Now let’s talk about the actual filing process. You have a few options, and the right one depends on how comfortable you are with German tax forms.

Option one is to use ELSTER, the official German tax portal. It’s free, but the interface is dated and the learning curve is steep. You’ll need to enter your capital gains in Anlage KAP, your dividends in Anlage KAP as well, and your Vorabpauschung in the appropriate section. The numbers from your Trade Republic tax report map directly to these forms, but you need to know which number goes where.

Option two is to use tax software. WISO Steuer and Taxfix are the most popular choices. WISO Steuer costs around 30 to 40 euros per year and walks you through the process with guided questions. Taxfix is free for simple tax returns and charges a fee only if you want to file. Both of them let you enter your capital gains and dividends in a more user-friendly format than ELSTER.

Option three is to hire a tax advisor, called a Steuerberater in Germany. This makes sense if your situation is complex. Maybe you have income from multiple sources, foreign investments, or you’re not sure how to handle something on your report. A Steuerberater will cost you, but they’ll also catch things you’d miss.

My honest recommendation for most Trade Republic users is to use WISO Steuer or Taxfix. The interface is straightforward, the guidance is clear, and the cost is minimal. ELSTER is fine if you’re comfortable with bureaucracy, but most people aren’t.

Common Mistakes People Make with Their Trade Republic Tax Report

I’ve seen the same mistakes come up over and over again. Here are the ones that cause the most problems.

Forgetting to set up the Freistellungsauftrag. This is the number one issue. People leave money on the table because they never told Trade Republic about their tax-free allowance. The broker can’t apply it automatically unless you explicitly request it.

Not reporting the Vorabpauschung. Some people see this line on their tax report and ignore it because they haven’t sold anything. But the Vorabpauschung is a real tax event. It needs to be included in your return, even if you haven’t sold a single share.

Mixing up accumulating and distributing ETFs. Accumulating ETFs reinvest dividends internally, which means you don’t see cash payments but you still owe tax on them. Distributing ETFs pay dividends directly to your account. Your tax report handles both types, but you need to understand the difference when filing.

Ignoring the tax report entirely. This is more common than you’d think. Some people assume that because Trade Republic withholds taxes automatically, they don’t need to file a return. That’s wrong. You still need to file, even if no additional tax is owed. The Finanzamt expects to see your capital gains reported, regardless of whether tax was already withheld.

Not keeping old tax reports. The Finanzamt can go back up to four years in most cases, and ten years in cases of fraud. Keep your tax reports from every year. Store them digitally and keep a physical copy if you’re the cautious type. You’ll need them if you ever get audited or if you need to verify past transactions.

What About the Vorabpauschung on ETF Savings Plans?

This deserves its own section because it’s where most confusion lives. If you have an ETF savings plan with Trade Republic, the Vorabpauschung applies to every single contribution you make throughout the year. The calculation is based on the value of your holdings at the beginning of the year, plus a proportional amount for each new contribution based on when it was made.

For example, if you invest 200 euros per month into an ETF savings plan, the Vorabpauschung for each monthly contribution is calculated based on how many months it was held during the year. Your first January contribution is held for 12 months, so it gets the full Vorabpauschung applied. Your December contribution is held for one month, so it gets roughly one-twelfth of the full amount.

Your Trade Republic tax report will show the total Vorabpauschung for the year, broken down by ETF if you hold multiple funds. You’ll need to enter this total in your tax return. The good news is that this amount counts as a tax payment, so it reduces your overall liability. The bad news is that it’s still money leaving your account before you’ve realized any gains.

Here’s a counterintuitive thought. Some people suggest avoiding accumulating ETFs entirely because of the Vorabpauschung. I think that’s an overreaction. The tax efficiency of accumulating ETFs still outweighs the Vorabpauschung in most cases, especially if you’re investing for the long term. The convenience of automatic reinvestment and the lower transaction costs make them the better choice for most retail investors.

How Trade Republic Handles Foreign Taxes

If you hold US stocks or ETFs in your Trade Republic account, you’ll encounter foreign withholding tax. The US withholds 15 percent of dividends at source under the tax treaty with Germany. Trade Republic handles this automatically, and it shows up in your tax report.

The tricky part is claiming this foreign tax against your German tax liability. You can credit the 15 percent US withholding tax against your 26.375 percent German tax on the same dividend. This means you only owe the difference, which is about 11.375 percent. Your tax report will show both amounts, and you’ll need to enter them correctly in your return.

For non-US foreign stocks, the withholding tax rates vary. France withholds 30 percent, Switzerland withholds 35 percent, and so on. The German tax treaty with each country determines how much of that foreign tax you can credit. Trade Republic’s tax report lists the foreign withholding tax for each dividend, but it’s your job to make sure it’s applied correctly in your return.

“If you haven’t set up your Freistellungsauftrag with Trade Republic, you’re literally giving the Finanzamt money you don’t owe them. It takes two minutes in the app.”

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Deadlines and Timing for Your Tax Return

In Germany, the tax return for a given year is due by July 31 of the year after next. So your 2024 tax return is due by July 31, 2026. That sounds like a long time, and it is, but don’t wait until the last week.

Trade Republic typically releases tax reports in February or March. Some years it’s been as late as early April. If you’re waiting for your report to start filing, you have plenty of time. But if you’re planning to use a Steuerberater, they’ll want your documents as early as possible because their workload peaks closer to the deadline.

If you miss the deadline, the Finanzamt can impose a late filing penalty called the Verspätungszuschlag. The standard penalty is 0.25 percent of your tax owed per month of delay, up to a maximum of 10 percent. For most people with small investment portfolios, this isn’t a huge amount, but it’s still money you don’t need to spend.

You can also request an extension. If you have a good reason, like illness or missing documents, you can ask the Finanzamt for more time. They’re usually reasonable about it, especially if you communicate early.

What Changes for 2025 and Beyond

The German tax landscape for investors is always shifting. The Sparerpauschbetrag, which is the tax-free allowance for capital gains, was 1,000 euros for 2024. There have been discussions about increasing it, but nothing has been confirmed for 2025 yet. Keep an eye on announcements from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The Vorabpauschung calculation also changes every year because the Basiszins is set annually. For 2024 it was 2.29 percent. For 2025, it may be different depending on interest rate movements. A lower Basiszins means a lower Vorabpauschung, which is good for investors. A higher one means you’ll pay more.

Trade Republic itself has been expanding its features. They now offer a savings account with interest, which is also subject to capital gains tax. If you’re using that feature, your tax report will include the interest earned, and you’ll need to report it alongside your investment income.

Another thing to watch for is the potential introduction of a digital tax report format that integrates directly with ELSTER. The German government has been working on digitalizing tax processes, and it’s possible that in the next few years, brokers will be able to send your tax data directly to the Finanzamt. That would make the whole process much simpler, but it’s not here yet.

Practical Tips for Keeping Your Tax Situation Clean

A few things that will make your life easier when tax season rolls around.

Keep your Freistellungsauftrag up to date. If your financial situation changes, like you get married or your income drops significantly, adjust your allowance accordingly. You can change it at any time in the Trade Republic app.

Don’t trade just to realize gains before year end unless you have a specific tax strategy. Some people sell losing positions in December to harvest tax losses. That’s a legitimate strategy, but only if it makes sense for your investment plan. Don’t let the tax tail wag the investment dog.

Screenshot your tax report when it becomes available. Servers go down, apps get updated, and documents sometimes disappear from cloud storage. Having a local copy on your phone or computer means you’ll always have access to it.

If something on your report looks wrong, contact Trade Republic support immediately. They’re generally responsive, and it’s better to fix an error in March than to discover it in June when you’re trying to file.

Consider using a separate broker for your long-term ETF holdings and another for active trading. This isn’t strictly necessary, but it can make tax reporting simpler because each broker’s report will be smaller and easier to manage.

FAQ

When does Trade Republic release the tax report?

Trade Republic typically releases the annual tax report in February or March of the following year. For the 2024 tax year, expect it around February or March 2025. You’ll find it in the app under Account, then Documents, then Tax Report.

Do I need to file a tax return if Trade Republic already withheld taxes?

Yes, you still need to file. Trade Republic withholds the Abgeltungsteuer automatically, but you’re required to report your capital gains and dividends to the Finanzamt. Filing ensures that your Freistellungsauftrag is applied correctly and that you get any refunds you’re owed.

What is the Vorabpauschung and why am I being charged for it?

The Vorabpauschung is a fictional advance payment on the tax you’ll owe when you sell your accumulating ETF shares. It was introduced in 2018 and is calculated based on the value of your ETF holdings and the annual Basiszins. It appears in your Trade Republic tax report and must be included in your tax return.

Can I use ELSTER to file my tax return with Trade Republic data?

Yes, you can use ELSTER, but you’ll need to manually enter the numbers from your Trade Republic tax report into the appropriate forms. Trade Republic doesn’t currently offer a direct ELSTER-compatible export. Tax software like WISO Steuer or Taxfix may be easier for most people.

What happens if I forget to set up my Freistellungsauftrag?

If you never set up your Freistellungsauftrag, Trade Republic will withhold the full 26.375 percent on your capital gains and dividends. You can still claim your allowance back through your tax return, but it’s much easier to set it up in advance and avoid the over-withholding in the first place.

How long should I keep my Trade Republic tax reports?

Keep your tax reports for at least four years, which is the standard statute of limitations for tax assessments in Germany. If there’s any suspicion of intentional evasion, the Finanzamt can go back ten years. Storing digital copies is fine, but keep them in a safe and accessible location.

Sources

• German Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) on capital gains tax
• Trade Republic help center on tax reporting
• Federal Ministry of Finance on the Vorabpauschung

Conclusion

Handling your Trade Republic tax report in Germany doesn’t have to be stressful. The key steps are straightforward. Set up your Freistellungsauftrag in the app. Download your tax report when it becomes available. Enter the numbers into your tax software or ELSTER. File before the deadline. Keep your records.

The most important thing is to not ignore it. Tax reports have a way of piling up when you put them off, and the longer you wait, the more confusing it gets. Take 30 minutes, open the app, and make sure your Freistellungsauftrag is set correctly. That one action alone can save you hundreds of euros over the years.

If your situation is complex, or if you’re unsure about anything on your report, talk to a Steuerberater. The cost of professional advice is almost always less than the cost of a tax mistake. And if your situation is simple, which it probably is if you’re just using Trade Republic for ETF investing, then a 30 euro tax software subscription will get you through it without any trouble.

The German tax system isn’t designed to be friendly to retail investors. But once you understand the basics, it becomes manageable. Your Trade Republic tax report is the starting point. Everything else follows from there.