Law ·
Address for service in Germany (ladungsfähige Anschrift)
What is a German address for service (ladungsfähige Anschrift)? When you need one, why a PO box is not enough and how our business address helps.
Guide for the self-employed in Germany
News and tips about business, taxes, insurance and everyday life – clear and up to date.
Law ·
Permanent establishment: trade registration is not tax law
Why the business premises in your German trade registration are not automatically a permanent establishment for tax – § 12 AO, control and coworking …
Taxes ·
Which German tax office is responsible? Guide for EU citizens
Which German tax office handles self-employed people from the EU? All countries under the UStZustV – including the split for Poland by initial letter.
News ·
German basic tax allowance 2026: €12,348 – also without residence?
Basic tax allowance in Germany 2026: €12,348 tax-free. What it means for the self-employed and how to get it without German residence under § 1(3) ES…
Taxes ·
German tax ID (Steuer-ID): how to get it, even without residence
Getting or finding your German tax ID: what the tax identification number is, how to obtain it with or without residence in Germany and where to find…
Money ·
Payment reminder in Germany: deadlines, interest, court order
Payment reminder in Germany when a client does not pay: when default occurs, default interest and the €40 flat fee, content and the court payment ord…
Law ·
Record retention in Germany: how long to keep invoices
Record retention in Germany: 8 years for invoices and receipts, 10 years for books, 6 years for business letters – start of the period and digital st…
Insurance ·
Business liability insurance for the self-employed in Germany
Business or professional liability insurance: what the self-employed in Germany need, what it covers, what it costs and what carers should look out f…
News ·
Social security contribution ceiling 2026 in Germany
German contribution ceilings 2026: €5,812.50 in health and care insurance, €8,450 in pension insurance – plus minimum and maximum contributions.
Business ·
Register a small business (Kleingewerbe) in Germany
How to register a small business (Kleingewerbe) in Germany: what it is, what it costs, which documents you need and when you receive your Gewerbesche…
Everyday life ·
Social security number in Germany: who needs it and how to apply
German social security number: how it is structured, who needs it, how EU citizens and the self-employed apply and how it differs from the tax ID.
Money ·
Business bank account in Germany: required or optional?
Do the self-employed in Germany need a business account? Not mandatory for sole traders, but useful. Plus: EU accounts and opening one without reside…
Business ·
Change your Gewerbe registration: new address or activity
Changing a Gewerbe in Germany with form GewA2: when a change of registration is needed, what applies when moving to another town, fees and online opt…
Law ·
Writing an invoice in Germany: all mandatory details
Writing an invoice in Germany: all mandatory details under § 14 UStG, small invoices up to €250, the note for small businesses and deadlines – with c…
Business ·
Deregister your Gewerbe in Germany: steps, costs, aftercare
How to deregister a Gewerbe in Germany: when deregistration is required, which form (GewA3) you need, what it costs and what the tax office expects a…
Insurance ·
Health insurance for self-employed EU citizens in Germany
Health insurance for the self-employed in Germany: statutory, private or via your home country? Minimum contribution 2026, EU periods and common mist…
Taxes ·
German small business rule 2025/2026: the new limits
Since 2025: if your turnover was at most €25,000 in the previous year and stays below €100,000 in the current year, you can invoice without VAT (§ 19…
Taxes ·
ELSTER registration for the self-employed: step by step
ELSTER registration explained: which number you need, how the activation letter works, certificate file or app – also if you live outside Germany.
News ·
German minimum wage 2026: €13.90 – and €14.60 from 2027
Minimum wage in Germany 2026 and 2027: €13.90 since January 2026, €14.60 from 2027, new mini-job limit of €603 – and what it means for the self-emplo…
Everyday life ·
Mail forwarding in Germany when moving abroad
Mail forwarding with Deutsche Post: how it works, how long it lasts, whether post goes abroad and why the self-employed need a permanent business add…
Money ·
E-invoicing in Germany: what applies from 2025, 2027 and 2028
Mandatory e-invoicing in Germany for the self-employed: receiving since 2025, issuing from 2027 or 2028, formats like XRechnung and ZUGFeRD and exemp…
Taxes ·
Apply for a German tax number and VAT ID
How to apply for a German tax number (Steuernummer) and VAT ID as a self-employed person, how long it takes and how they differ from the personal tax…
Insurance ·
A1 certificate for the self-employed: when it applies
A1 certificate for self-employed EU citizens working in Germany: when you stay insured at home, when German law applies and where to apply for form A…
Law ·
False self-employment in Germany: criteria and consequences
False self-employment in Germany: criteria under § 7 SGB IV, consequences for clients and contractors, and how the DRV status determination brings cl…
Taxes ·
Tax registration questionnaire in Germany: how to fill it in
The German tax registration questionnaire (Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung) for sole traders: deadline, filing via ELSTER, key fields and commo…
Business ·
Registering a business in Germany without residence – how it works
As an EU citizen you can register a trade (Gewerbe) in Germany without living there. You need a business address in Germany, a valid ID and the regis…
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