Finanzen (BMF) What are taxes and what are they used for?

Taxes are the state’s most important source of revenue. The state uses the money to pay for things that are in the public interest. But who decides how much we have to pay in taxes? And why are there so many different kinds of taxes? This brochure provides answers to these and other important questions relating to taxes. It shows who pays what kinds of taxes and explains key terms using easy-to-understand examples.