[anarazel]

45% is the ceiling bracket for income insurance, then there's pension insurance (~9.x%) capped at ~70k income, unemployement (1.5%) also capped at 70k, solidarity surcharge (up to 5.5%, basically redistribution between parts of Germany). Health insurance is separate again (up to %7 capped at 50k).

But with that you have free education including college, health insurance without deductibles & co-payments, continued payment in case of loss of work, kinda somewhat decent-ish retirment money.