Finance and bureaucracy

Who should file a tax return in Germany

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Briefly about who should file a tax return in Germany, I wrote in the introduction to the topic on filling out a German income tax return. But there was no answer to the question:
I came in Germany this year
I am employee and have no other income
– should I file a declaration in Germany for this year?

In the list of those who must file a tax return in Germany, there are no fresh arrivals in the country. But my old memories of working for a tax magazine brought to the surface a vague knowledge of tax residency. Let’s try to understand this difficult topic, but first we will find out who is still on the list of those who must file.

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Child expenses in Germany in October 2022

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We begin to record the costs of three children in Germany. Age categories: toddler, primary school child, teenager.

Mode of use is economical. A rare budget with three children will survive with all bio. We prefer not bio, but what is called in Germany “nachhaltig” (I don’t meet still good translation: “nachhaltig” means with thinking about nature, without unnecessary).

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And you thought you were being praised. German certificate of employment Arbeitszeugnis

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German certificate of employment Arbeitszeugnis is a carefully coded document to be studied with a list of words and expressions.

Knowing the German language fully is not only knowing the words and grammar. Because hints play a huge role in German. They never speak their mind directly. A direct statement is often perceived as aggression, or a threat, or arrogance. This is not surprising, because if, as you will see later, a negative characteristic is hidden under the indication of punctuality, then the mind, looking for subtext everywhere, will see an insult in simple direct criticism.

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Grundsteuererklärung – real estate declaration in Germany

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The Grundsteuererklärung real estate declaration in Germany, although it took a long time to prepare, does not have good explanations with examples. It took me two weeks to fill out, understand and order the papers.

If you haven’t started filing a real estate declaration yet, do it now. The time is already approaching the middle. The declaration must be submitted by everyone who owns real estate (apartment, house, garage – in whole or in part). Even apartment owners own some land (Grundstück).

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How to change health insurance in Germany

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Health insuranse in Germany

We have already found out how the contributions to the state health insurance are formed, who is obliged to have it, and what exactly of the medical services we are paid for, and for which we will have to pay extra. Now let’s find out how to change health insurance in Germany if another insurance promises a lot of free additional services or if the old one does not suit us with its service.

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Credit cards in Germany

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Credit cards in Germany are the second vital issue after Girokonto. Everyone wants to effortlessly buy online or book. But before we plunge into the world of credit cards, let’s see if we can do without them.

What is Girokonto in Germany
Sale of used items (Privatverkauf). Private warranty
What is allowed to do if you are sick without to be fired
German tax refund – What I can claim to return. I-N
Renovation cost in Germany. Who pays

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Tax declaration Germany. Anlage EÜR

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Filling out Anlage EÜR was not so easy. I once thought that Anlage EÜR is a simple piece of paper with two columns: “Income” and “Expense”. It turned out that this is such a concentrated declaration, where much of what is in a regular declaration is repeated, only in relation to entrepreneurs. Anlage EÜR even has its own applications.

But despite its formidable size, filling out the Anlage EÜR is always presented as the biggest advantage for small entrepreneurs – compared to the dreaded and scary accounting.

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What is selbstständig, Unternehmer, Honorar, Firma in Germany

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What is selbstständig and how does it differ from Unternehmen? Selbstständig in Germany is an individual entrepreneur with a small business, as opposed to Unternehmen with a bunch of employees? Freiberufler is a freelancer or not only? And if I work for a Honorar – am I a Freiberufler? Let’s take a look at the statuses.

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Sale of used items (Privatverkauf). Private warranty

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Once I met in an ad for the sale of used items a postscript about private warranty in large letters and with exclamation marks: “In accordance with EU law, every private seller must write that returns and replacements are not made and nothing is guaranteed.” Since I have not met with such a duty, I decided to investigate this issue.

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