Key Takeaways This is how you do it As your business grows, you’ll need support to keep the operations running and expanding. This is when you want to hire employees to help your business grow. However, before seeking employees, you need to know seve...

Key takeaways This is how you do it What is the Reverse Charge Procedure for Self-employed in Germany? As a business owner in Germany, you are responsible for collecting VAT from your customers and paying it to the tax office (Finanzamt). However, yo...

Key Takeaway This is how you do it What is VAT? VAT or Umsatzsteuer (USt.) is a type of tax that businesses collect from customers and pay to the tax office. It’s also known as “Mehrwertsteuer (MwSt.)”. You (as a business owner) must charge VAT on ev...

Key Takeaway What is the Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer) in Germany? The Chamber of Crafts (Handwerkskammer (HWK)) is an independent public corporation. It supports startups in the crafts domain and represents their interests. HWK maintains the “...

Key Takeaway What is the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer) in Germany? The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK)) is a public corporation that represents the interests of all businesses in...

Key Takeaway This is how you do it What is Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung? Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung is a form through which businesses apply for their tax number (Steuernummer) and VAT ID (optional).  NOTE: Your personal tax numbe...

Key takeaways This is how you do it Many expats come to Germany as students or employees. They are usually not required to file a tax return. However, filing one voluntarily can help them get thousands of euros in tax refunds. Most expats don’t file...

Key Takeaways This is how you do it What is Gewerbeanmeldung? Registering your business in Germany is called Gewerbeanmeldung. You can register at your local trade office (Gewerbeamt), by mail, or via the official website.  If you are establishing a...

Key takeaways This is how you do it Tax Id and Tax Number In Germany, the tax office assigns two numbers to everyone for tax purposes. Tax ID German Tax ID has the following characteristics. Tax number Your local tax office (Local Finanzamt) issues t...

Key takeaways This is how you do it 9 benefits of investing in German real estate Investing in real estate may seem scary to some, but if done correctly, it can be the most rewarding investment. Here are nine benefits of investing in real estate. Let...