Tax advisors and consultants in Berlin

Hi, I'm actually asking for next year (I have nothing to claim for 2006, and I was not supposed to work in Germany anyway..), but is there anywhere in Berlin like H&R Block where I can get my taxes done cheaply and efficiently? They don't have to speak English...I can manage it fine in German (especially by early NEXT year, haha!) I don't know a lot about taxes in Germany, and I'm not sure what I can write off or how, so I need some help! I'm asking EARLY because I don't want tax time to roll around and find myself in a blind panic!

TT advertiser Thomas Zitzelsberger isn't based in Berlin, he's down in Bavaria. But the location is irrelavant because in most cases you don't need to actually meet with a tax advisor. Thomas has clients all over Germany and pretty much all of his advice is conducted online, this also helps keep his prices down and his service efficient.

I need one, but for the 2006 German taxes. I'd prefer English speaking - since I know my German stinks. Anyone got a suggestion/recommendation for the Berlin area? Thanks!

it can all be done by email or by post, no need to stop by the office, be warned that if you use a steuerbreater rather than lohnsteuerhilfe it will cost you plenty. we usually pay in the range of 450 euros a year (or used to, 2006 was our last year). That's your highly paid tax lawyer/account vs. your local tax preparer.

I'd definitely check the listings in the TT business directory/advertisers list first, as indeed you don't have to be in the same city.

If you do prefer someone in Berlin, you could also try googling 'berlin + steuerberater + englisch' and you'll get some websites of consultants who advertise the fact they speak English.

For what it's worth, I found my Steuerberater in Berlin through a list I got from the local Institute of Commerce for my country of origin (Italy) where I last paid taxes before coming here. They're in Charlottenburg, this is their website, it's a couple and I only dealt with one of them in German, but her partner also deals specifically with English-speaking clients and 'Internationales Steuerrecht' so you could try and contact him directly, explain your situation and ask for an estimate.

Be warned, I don't have enough experience with them yet and I don't think they're exactly cheap (but which tax consultant is?), I guess it also depends on each specific case. The estimate they gave me was in the range I expected based on hearing from other freelancers here in Germany, but I didn't have to pay anything so far. Also, due to my current income and the 'Kleinunternehmerregelung' I don't have to charge VAT on invoices, so I was told fees would accordingly be (relatively) low as there isn't any paperwork to do during the year. I met my consultant twice, once for a first chat where she explained what I needed to do, and the second time she helped me fill out the form to get my Steuernummer. Then I had to sign a form where I handed over to her all communications with the Finanzamt. She was very nice and helpful, didn't charge for any of that (I was expecting to have to pay something for the assistance with the form), told me I'll pay her fee at the end of the year when she does my taxes.

My friend Sonja is a tax consultant here in Berlin.

Here is her website: www.tax-berlin.de

She has never done my taxes but I can attest that her English skills are solid and she both a kind and professional person.

-Sunny

Thanks guys!
I'd prefer someone in Berlin...so I'll go with the Berlin suggestions, just because I think it might be a bit complicated. It's not too critical that they speak English, as I speak German and I'll probably even be fluent by tax time next year (yay!)
I make enough money that I'm preeeety sure I should be paying taxes (though not for 2006 as I made no money then) and I don't mind paying somewhat for the service as I don't even know what I can write off, etc and I think I'll end up paying more in taxes than if I hired someone to help me.

Not sure if there's a topic on this already (couldn't find any when I searched), but does anyone know an English speaking steuerberater in Berlin? I'm a Dutch freelance journalist who just completed her first job for a German auftraggeber. I was completely useless at Dutch taxes already, let alone when all the info is in German...

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Thanks so much, you've all been very helpful!

Wageman and partners in Berlin is really good and some of their staff speak English, but they are a wee bit more expensive than other tax consultants, I've been told.

Hi,

can anyone recommend an English speaking tax advisor in Berlin, I live in Mitte.

I am about to start to work in Berlin and also will have some income from a property here and would like some tax advice on how best to prepare my papers and just generally be clued up on things. Simple enough I think

best wishes
Mark

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I'm sure I'm only stating the obvious but did you check this ad out above your thread?

Tax consultant

no I did not cos I posted a new thread and it has arrived here, so I will check out the above posts, meanwhile if anyone has anything to add, please write

thanks Mark

This guy charges like a €100 +VAT. How much he areally spends on your case you never know, but he will charge you good.

Christa Schulz, Karl-Marx-Platz 7 (that's near U-Bahn Rathaus Neukölln) Tel: 6322-6723

I've been using her services for over ten years, and many of my colleagues go to her too. I'm not sure about her English, but she explains things in very clear German.

thanks xman, the guy who helped with my mortgage, who has been wonderful, recommended someone who charges 60 EUR for a qualified tax consultant assistent or 120 EUR for a certified tax advisor per hour.
So maybe I will go with the tax consultant for now since I just really want some advice on certain points for now

Mark

Hello!
I got an offer in Berlin and would like to calculate my net salary. The company I work for does not provide this "service" so I would like to talk to a tax advisor asap. I checked some online calculator, but would prefer professional advice as there are some aspects which are not in an online calculator.
If you are a tax advisor could you please call me this afternoon? I am abroad and internet connection is difficult, but have a german mobile number, it is: 0172 291 5939

Thanks!

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Try to contact Starshollow by PM or e-mail.

HI speedygonzi and kay: tks to Kay for the nice recommendation but I am not a tax advisor and by law the information and advise I may give is very very limited. If more information is required then with one of the online-tax calculators as speedygonzi mentiones than you will definetly need to contact a real tax advisor. From all the threads and comments here on Toytown, Thomas Zitzelsberger from Expattax seems to be the best choice. Try to contact him through the advertisement section her in the finance section of TT...

Cheerio

I guess I should have read the small print.

It's generally clients that contact consultants, rather than the other way around.

I highly doubt any tax advisor is going to be reading this and will call you. Tax advisors are too busy... tax advising.

Call or send an email to Thomas Zitzelsberger, he'll sort you out.

Hello! I need to speak to a tax advisor latest by tomorrow noon, if you can recommend someone please kindly let me know their name and phone number. I tried to contact the tax advisors advertized here, but none of them returned my call/email yet.
It is concerning a job offer in Berlin, I would like to calculate my net income (considering that I am married, 2 kids etc). I will have a follow up phone call tomorrow with the company and need to be prepared.

To make things easier I am on holidays in Egypt with limited internet access, no german phone book to look it up...

Thanks!
speedy 0172 291 5939
ps: editor bob please do not remove this post...

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If none of the tax advisors has answered your inquiry it could be that either your inquiry was unlearly phrased or that they do not see how the can charge you for their work/answer, I am affraid. Did you mention that and how you would pay them for the answer? If not: try again, that might speed up things because for a complicated questions that can not be solved with simple online programms you need to expect to be charged a fee for the advice.

Good luck, Cheerio

Hello! Thomas Zitzelsberger called me this morning and was very professional, calculated it right away - considering that I was in a jeep south of egypt with very bad phone reception and I never met him it was very nice of him .

I gave my phone number earlier because i have 1h/day internet access here in egypt and it was urgent. professional tax advice is worth to pay for, i was in a much better negotiating position with the company this afternoon ;-)
thanks TT

Basically what Thomas does is just punch in the data you provide him into a web based calculator that you can find everywhere on the internet.
For this he will charge good. You could have done this yourself and get the same result. But if it works for you, then fine

hi all,

now that i got myself a fulltime job here, i need to find out how "the man" steals
all the money back.

can anyone one here recommend a tax accountant or something similar
willing to give advice on how it all works? and maybe also go over the contract
i have to make sure its all above board.

of course, being able to speak english would be a BIG help

cheers
-a

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Hi Sunny,

Sorry to say that your friend is certainly neither kind, nor professional. I had a nightmare experience with her that I have reported to the administrator of this thread.

sorry to hear that, Mark.

Like I said, Sonja has never done my taxes so I only know her on a non-professional basis.
In this capacity I think she is a kind person with solid English skills.

Hi Guys

can anyone recommend an English speaking tax advisor in Berlin.

I'm currently teaching English a few hours a week, and also setting up a home recording studio, as I compose music, and want to do this on a pro basis.

I just need to go through the legalese on the forms for Gewerbeanmeldung, and the Tax number form

thanks

Steve

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Am looking for a recent referral to a steuerberatur in Berlin. I've heard of the guy in Munich, but I like face time. I'm a freelance English teacher from the States, and have to present my paperwork to immigration the end of July. Any information is greatly appreciated. When giving your referral, please tell me if you've actually used this person before, whether they speak English (my German is actually good,,,but for this, I may need a little handholding), and how your experience with this person was, and would you use them again.

I have searched the forum, but no threads are that current.

Thanks!

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a friend had a decent experience with Abraham and Lohr (mitte): http://www.abraham-loehr.de/english/

but i think they're supposed to charge you something that is commensurate with your income, which is determined by the state of berlin or your finanzamt - but i would always establish the price BEFORE going through with the services in writing.

I visited the lohnsteuerhilfeverein of Berlin earlier this year, www.lhbb.de. Although they can not help self employed/freelancers, the guy there is also a qualified steuerberater and can help you in his own right. They were very friendly and although we did everything in German, they have staff there who can speak English if needed.

Hello,
refreshing this topic (sorry!) to beg (beg!) for any more personal recommendations of tax-advisors who are a. based in Berlin with an office you can go to, b. ideally someone who can explain everything in words of one syllable to a freelancer in deep do-do, c. not necessarily english-speaking.
Ta VERY much for ANY recommendations!
Jenny

Hi Jenny,

My Steuerberater sounds like he might fit the bill:

Roland Meier
Schönhauser Allee 114
10439 Berlin

030 446 775 20

He was recommended to me by a friend and I went to him for an initial meeting back at the beginning of the year, feeling absolutely "in the dark" as far as taxes were concerned. He was very friendly and explained everything to me clearly (several times, when I was being thick). Since then, he has been doing my monthly Umsatzsteuervoranmeldungen and has always been very efficient and helpful. I will be using him for my Steuererklärung when the time comes.

Hope to have been of some help!

Fantastic, thanks!

Hi, quick question...

Anybody have a reliable English-Speaking tax accountant to help with the paperwork-laden German laws for freelancers? All I know is I'd better pay some Steuer real soon or the LABO is gonna be upset (visions of black-clad, marching Polizei coming to get me).

Thanks in advance for any referrals.

SB

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