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Starter kit for freelancers.
Checklist, a guide to the tax office forms and templates: everything you need to start as a freelancer (Freiberufler) in Germany.
- 5-step checklist
- Guide to registering with the tax office
- €25 plus VAT, one-off
The starter kit contains general information and templates. For your individual case, our partner tax firms can advise you.
Everything in one package
Starter kit for freelancers
For anyone going self-employed as a freelancer.
€25plus VAT, one-off
- Checklist: becoming a freelancer in 5 steps
- Information on freelancer status and how it is recognised
- Guide to the tax registration questionnaire
- Tips on your name, business account and false self-employment
- Templates for invoices, employment contracts and your legal notice
What you should know as a freelancer
- § 18 EStG
Liberal profession or trade
Listed professions such as doctors, journalists or engineers count as liberal professions. The tax office assesses similar activities case by case.
- Trade tax
No trade registration
Freelancers only register with the tax office and pay no trade tax.
- § 138 AO
Tax registration
With the tax registration questionnaire, you register with the tax office and receive your tax number.
- § 4 Abs. 3 EStG
Simple bookkeeping
Freelancers usually calculate their profit with a simple cash-basis statement (Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung), without a balance sheet.
- § 7 SGB IV
False self-employment
If you work for only one client and follow their instructions, you may have to pay social security contributions as an employee would (false self-employment, Scheinselbstständigkeit).
- § 15 Abs. 3 EStG
Mixed activities
If you work both as a freelancer and commercially, keep the two apart. Otherwise, in a partnership everything can become subject to trade tax.
Which route to a tax number suits you?
| Service | Who | Scope | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply for a tax number | You fill it in, we submit it via ELSTER | Tax registration questionnaire (Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung) | from €39 plus VAT, one-off |
| Tax registration help | Partner tax firm | 45 minutes, the firm files for you; only with bookkeeping and annual accounts | €249 plus VAT |
| Starter kit for freelancers | You, with a form guide | Checklist, form guide and templates | €25 plus VAT, one-off |
How to start as a freelancer
- 1
Order the starter kit
Order the starter kit, or book a free initial call above if you still have questions.
- 2
Work through the checklist
Five steps from your liberal profession to your first invoice.
- 3
Tax office
With the guide, you fill in the tax registration questionnaire yourself.
- 4
Get started
Use the templates, keep your accounts separate, take on your first jobs.
Integrations
Export and filing
As seen in
Official
Qonto
Partner
The partner founders trust
Company formation, registrations and ongoing bookkeeping in one place. Anything that requires a licence is handled by notaries and tax advisors from our partner network.
What founders say
“I set up my GmbH in a single afternoon. All the formation documents were prepared smoothly, and the commercial register application went out the next day.”
What you can rely on
ELSTER
VAT returns and annual accounts go straight to the tax office via the ELSTER interface.
DATEV
Bookings and receipts are ready in DATEV format – your tax firm keeps working as usual.
- 4.6
Top-rated
4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Rated by founders who have actually used firma.de.
Made in Germany
Developed in Germany, servers in the EU, GDPR-compliant. Anything that requires a licence comes from tax advisors and notaries.
Frequently asked questions about the freelancer starter kit
What is included in the starter kit?
A 5-step checklist, information on freelancer status, a guide to filling in the tax registration questionnaire (Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung), and templates for invoices, employment contracts and your legal notice (Impressum).
How much does the starter kit for freelancers cost?
€25 plus VAT, one-off.
Am I a freelancer or a commercial business?
That depends on your work. The listed professions in § 18 EStG are clear-cut; for similar professions, the tax office decides. The starter kit shows you what matters.
Do I need a separate business account?
It is not required, but highly recommended. Separate accounts make bookkeeping and your tax return much easier.
Does the starter kit replace a tax advisor?
No. It contains general information and templates. For advice on your individual case, our partner tax firms can help, for example in a tax consultation.
Can I work together with others?
Yes, for example in a GbR or a Partnerschaftsgesellschaft (partnership for liberal professions). The starter kit explains the options.