If you are a single individual who has nothing but income as an employee and who has worked in Germany for the full year you have no obligation to file a German tax return at all (this can be different for married couples). However, you can voluntarily file a tax return if you expect a…
How to Register as a Freelancer/Contractor? You need to register with your local Finanzamt as “selbständig”. You can find the required registration form at: https://www.formulare-bfinv.de Your Finanzamt will then issue a tax number for you. The registration is not as complicated as the 8 page form would suggest. You need to provide information on your…
Can I Submit Forms Online? You can submit your German tax forms online at https://www.elster.de/eportal/start You need to make sure to download (for free) the most current version of the tax software onto your system. How can I Identify my Local Tax Office? To find out which Finanzamt you need to report your taxes to you…
If you can show that you relocated for work purposes you can make a claim for your relocation expenses. In most cases it is sufficient to show that you took up work in Germany within a reasonable period after relocating. You can claim the cost of transport for yourself and all members of your family…
If you did not register as “Kleinunternehmer” you will in most cases have to show VAT on invoices if your customer is located in Germany. The most frequent domestic case we come across in which a VAT exemption applies is teaching income (if your customer is VAT exempt). If you provide a consulting service to…
How Does Renting Out a Home Overseas Affect My German Taxes? For German tax purposes the income from a foreign rental property is calculated according to German tax rules. Under German tax rules you can offset interest payments on a mortgage, a 2% annual depreciation on the purchase price of the building and any other…