# Self employed in Frankfurt



## SoniaaaJ

Hi

I would like to know as to how am I meant to register as self employed in Frankfurt, are there a lot of forms to fill in, if so could you please send me links to them.

Also I am thinking of being a cleaner as self employed job if I can not work, would I have to just register at the tax office for this. is it easy to be self employed form filling do they ask a lot of questions?

I have been told that for self employed it is ok to use my own person account is this correct?

I have been told by a cleaning agency that I will have to register at "Gewerbeamnt" to get the "Gewerbeschein" after getting this I will receive a tax number. 

I have tried searching for this but I cant find it, please can someone tell me if this is the one I need for being self employed as a cleaner & what documents would I need to show I am a British citizen by the way.

What about tax etc I've been told that I won't have to pay tax if your earn a certain amount so would whatever I earn be all in my pocket? But then what about health insurance I know everyone needs that ( I have got my ehic card already)

Please can someone shed some light on this matter as I am very confused about where to apply for self employed if they speak English in the office and about tax etc would I need to show proof of my incoming money from my customers by receipts as my husband is non EU and would have to apply for his RC, would this effect us if I am not giving any tax? :/ 


Ohh and another question is it quite hard to get an apartment in Frankfurt?

I hope I made sense.

Thanks


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## James3214

Just head down and register at the burgeramt. Just take your passport and say you are self employed. At the end of 2015 it is probably best to get a native speaker or accountant who can declare your income, but you can pay it in to your normal bank a/c and it will be taxable above a certain amount. Your EHIC is only valid if you are visiting Germany (or other EU country) and it cannot be used as health insurance which you need to purchase separately and is deductible from your tax.


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## ALKB

James3214 said:


> Just head down and register at the burgeramt. Just take your passport and say you are self employed. At the end of 2015 it is probably best to get a native speaker or accountant who can declare your income, but you can pay it in to your normal bank a/c and it will be taxable above a certain amount. Your EHIC is only valid if you are visiting Germany (or other EU country) and it cannot be used as health insurance which you need to purchase separately and is deductible from your tax.


First when you move, you have to register your residence at at the Bürgeramt.

This is will give you a regular tax number.

BUT! Before you can start working as self-emplyed, you have to go to the Gewerbeamt (this seems to be part of the Ordnungsamt in Frankfurt am Main):

https://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=2778&_ffmpar[_id_inhalt]=5640313

Where you declare the sort of business and set up you are planning for your company and get a Gewerbeschein. Some businesses are restricted and need quite a lot of paperwork but cleaning should be fine.

With that (and before you start trading!) you need to go to the local Finanzamt (tax office) and register your business there.

Then you are all set


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## beppi

SoniaaaJ said:


> I have been told by a cleaning agency that I will have to register at "Gewerbeamnt" to get the "Gewerbeschein" after getting this I will receive a tax number.


There you already have your answer - this is correct!
When dealing with German officialdom, do not count on anybody speaking English or any forms being available in other languages. You need to take a native speaker along for most things.
Tax filings are very complicated and basically impossible to do yourself as a non-native speaker - get a good (English speaking) tax consultant! As a self-employed, you have to file even if you earned so little that you'd not have to pay any tax in the end (the threshold is approx EUR8300/year).
You need German health insurance, and as a freelancer you need to pay a minimum monthly premium of around EUR350 for this (it is cheaper for employees).


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## SoniaaaJ

Thanks for your replies  so whatever I earn will be taxed and when is the tax year for this?

Isn't it if you earn less that you don't pay tax? :/ 

And does your health insurance get out from your tax, that would be for my husband & daughter too?

Thanks for your help


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## SoniaaaJ

So I would pay 350 euro every month for my health insurance? 

Thanks for all the information I really appreciate it.


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## SoniaaaJ

I know that I have to go to the Rathaus in Frankfurt to register address within 1 week & tax number would come in the post.

The self employed I was told that I would have to just register self employed at the tax office not as registering company, can someone clear it up please.

Even if I earn less still would my tax get cut, & would it have a bad effect on my husbands RC if don't pay tax would he still be able to get the RC?

My husband will be looking for work.


Can anyone recommend a translator whom I should can fill in the forms too?

Thanks


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## James3214

Tax year runs in the calendar year ie. it starts this month till Dec. You need to get some quotes for health insurance but it should be anything from 250 to 400€. Shop around and you might get it cheaper if you offer to pay the first 100€/200€/500€,etc to the medical costs (including dental) but that is just for you. You will have to pay more if you include your husband and daughter. You can deduct the insurance cost from your taxable income. Tax starts at around 8,500€.


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## James3214

SoniaaaJ said:


> I know that I have to go to the Rathaus in Frankfurt to register address within 1 week & tax number would come in the post.
> 
> The self employed I was told that I would have to just register self employed at the tax office not as registering company, can someone clear it up please.
> 
> Even if I earn less still would my tax get cut, & would it have a bad effect on my husbands RC if don't pay tax would he still be able to get the RC?
> 
> My husband will be looking for work.
> 
> Thanks


Don't go to the 'Rathaus' to register your address but go to the 'Burgeramt' near 'Konstablerwache'. For the tax number I always left it to my accountant to obtain one but if you want to do it yourself I would register first at the Burgeramt and then ask where you should go to get the tax number. They will probably send you to the finanzamt at
Gutleutstraße 124, 60327 Frankfurt am Main. But you can't do anything there until you get your 'anmeldebescheinung' from the Burgeramt.


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## ALKB

SoniaaaJ said:


> Thanks for your replies  so whatever I earn will be taxed and when is the tax year for this?
> 
> Isn't it if you earn less that you don't pay tax? :/
> 
> And does your health insurance get out from your tax, that would be for my husband & daughter too?
> 
> Thanks for your help


If you earn below threshold, you won't have to pay tax but you still have to declare the income to the Finanzamt. They will then send you a tax invoice which might well be €0.00

In the tax forms they ask for health insurance-related cost and some or all of it will be considered. To be honest, I don't know, rules are complicated and change constantly. I have never been self-employed but everybody I know who is, would not attempt to do their tax themselves. 

How much you will really pay for health insurance depends on which health insurance you go with, so it pays to shop around a bit. € 350.00 is a good, realistic ballpark figure.

As long as your husband does not have income of his own, he can be covered for free as a dependent family member. If he starts working, he would need his own health insurance and the cost for that would be deducted from his salary by his employer.

Your daughter could be ensured under either you or him (if/when he gets a job) as long as she is a minor and/or does not have own income.

Just curious: why Frankfurt am Main and why self-employment?

Regarding flats - Frankfurt is very expensive and the rental market is competitive.


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## beppi

We're confusing here the two health insurance systems in Germany!
My post was entirely about the public health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenkasse) , James' apparently contradicting post was about the private health insurances, and ALKB's post mixes both and is thus misleading.
The public system costs a certain percentage of your income (regardless of health and age), subject to a maximum ceiling (and, for freelancers, also a minimum) and covers dependants without own income free of charge. All insurers (there are about 200) cost the same and offer the same benefits. For a freelancer, the minimum premium is around EUR350/month and the maximum EUR750/month, depending on income. For employees, the maximum is EUR350/month.
The private system costs according to the risk you present to the insurer, which might be cheaper if you're young and healthy, but will sure cost more later in life. Also, dependants do cost extra, thus it's usually expensive if you have any. You can change from public to private, but not back - it's a decision for life (or as long as you remain in Germany). There are thousands of private insurers, each with various plans offering different conditions and coverages.
You can (and should) get a private insurance quote from some broker websites (they'll ask you hundreds of questions before they can compute it!) and compare to the cost of public insurance. But don't let them talk you into unnecessary add-ons!


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## SoniaaaJ

Thanks for your replies 

We are thinking of Frankfurt am Main because we have relatives there so would like a place near by them for some time & self employment just in case if I cant find a job.

Thanks for the links I will take a look.

I've been told also that you can get German child benefit also but is quite lengthy in paperwork is this true so all forms still in German yes? 

Thanks for all your help


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## beppi

You are eligible for German child benefit (Kindergeld) if you are tax-liable in Germany (for most practical purposes this means you have a permanent residence on German soil). It is relatively easy to apply for - at least compared to other government stuff. It is EUR180/month for the first and second child, higher for subsequent ones.
With very few exceptions, government forms and communication are entirely in German language. What do you expect in a country where this is the (only) official language?


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