Providing names and dates of companies worked for

my spouse and i usually do our own taxes. but this year we're using a tax advisor. my spouse works freelance and i have a contract. my spouse has been asked to make a list of every company worked for and the dates worked. is this normal? we never had to do this before with the finanzamt. we always report everything.

sure it's normal, inasmuch as the finanzamt will want to see if you're reporting the income you earn and if they want to bother, check it against what the company says they paid you

too bad freelancers have to spend so much time on such paperwork which could be better spent making the money inthe first place

There is one other reason why this is being checked with freelancers: in order to detect "Scheinselbstständigkeit", a status where you are basically working only for one company and thus might not be really freelancing but only part of scheme to avoid paying social welfare benefits like other "real" employees.

Hi Starshallow,

I am currently (temporarily) freelancing for a small marketing agency and servicing 3 of their clients. I am invoicing the marketing agency of course. How will this be seen by the Finanzamt ie. will they see that I'm not really a "freelancer" as such, as at the moment I'm getting my work through one source only? It could be that my next project comes from a different source -who knows?!. But if my entire freelance period is only with one employer, how will I be evaluated?

I've only undertaken this freelance work whilst I'm interviewing for a permanent role which often takes 6+ months for a senior level role like mine.

I would be grateful for any light you can shed on this.

Thanks ;-)