Case study
Maria
- Tax savings with a single rental property
The result
Monthly tax saving
€827
- Additional rental income
- €1,006/month
- Deduction
- €22,400/year
- Uplift vs standard AfA
- 5x
A single rental property with the right remaining-useful-life assessment turned a standard write-off into a meaningful monthly tax saving.
The problem
Maria is a Spanish expat working for a tech company in Germany earning €105k/year. She's in the highest tax bracket (42% + Soli = 44.31% marginal rate). We had already set up tax optimised mid- and long-term investment plans for her, her husband, and her daughter. The next lever: reduce her tax burden through a rental property. She had no idea how big the tax break could actually be.
Solution
We found her a rental property in Düsseldorf and commissioned a Restnutzungsdauer Gutachten. This certified that the building's actual remaining useful life is 10 years instead of the standard 50 years assumed by the tax office. This increased her annual depreciation rate from 2% to 10%, giving her a 5x write-off.
Property details (for calculation):
- Location: Düsseldorf
- Size: 81.3 m², 3 rooms, year built 1932
- Purchase price: €319,000 (incl. Nebenkosten: €361,299)
- Price per m²: ~€3,924/m² (Düsseldorf average: €4,400-5,300/m² in 2026)
- Kaltmiete: €1,006/month (€12.38/m²)
- Restnutzungsdauer via Gutachten: 10 years
Through the Restnutzungsdauer Gutachten, Maria deducts €22,400 per year from her taxable income. At her marginal tax rate of 44.31%, that translates to a tax saving of €9,925 per year (€827/month). That's 5x more than the standard depreciation would give her. On top of that, she builds equity through the property, earns €1,006/month in rental income, and benefits from long-term appreciation.
Most people don't know the significance of the tax break exists. A single property with the right Gutachten can put €800+/month back in your pocket through tax savings alone, without counting rental income or appreciation.
The math
| Standard (50 years) | With Gutachten (10 years) | |
|---|---|---|
| AfA rate | 2% | 10% |
| Building value | €224,000 | €224,000 |
| Annual depreciation deduction | €4,480 | €22,400 |
| Tax saving at 44.31% | €1,985/year | €9,925/year |
| Monthly saving | €165/month | €827/month |
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