Tax advice on value added tax (VAT) in Germany

English speaking tax advisors & specialist attorneys for German tax law

Do you need help with a VAT refund in Germany? If your business has incurred VAT in Germany, in many cases a refund of the full amount is possible. VAT in Germany is a complex area of German tax law that often depends on the details. It is also often a focus of audits by the German tax authorities. However, it should only be a transitory item for companies and not a cost factor.Errors with VAT often mean one thing above all: very high amounts of money. Sometimes they are also relevant under German criminal law. We offer you legally compliant advice from English speaking specialised tax advisors and tax attorneys with many years of experience in German VAT law.

Advice on VAT issues in Germany of all kinds

We advise you, regardless of whether you need help with the German VAT treatment of chain transactions, work deliveries, assembly deliveries at home and abroad or other domestic or cross-border deliveries and services. Local sourcing or direct deliveries to your construction site abroad - there are VAT pitfalls everywhere in Germany. We answer individual questions by e-mail, video call or telephone, or in a traditional on-site meeting in our offices in Germany.  Of course, we also prepare more extensive opinions and expert reports. We can also coordinate VAT advice abroad and co-operate with foreign professional colleagues.

For services, both the place of performance, i.e. the country in which the VAT liability arises, and the tax rate or tax exemption in Germany depend on the exact type of service. The treatment in Germany can also differ depending on whether the service is provided to an entrepreneur or non-entrepreneur. In some cases, there are further special requirements for you as the entrepreneur providing the service or for the recipient of the service. We will be happy to clarify for you how your services are to be treated for German VAT purposes.

Hotline for German VAT

Do you regularly have specific questions relating to German VAT law in your company, but no contact person for this, either internally or externally with your usual tax advisor? No problem, we are happy to be your ‘hotline for German VAT’ and answer any questions that arise quickly, comprehensibly and reliably, usually within 24 hours or, if available, in ‘real time’.

Contract reviews for client projects in Germany

It is advisable to take VAT into account before concluding customer contracts in Germany, especially when large contract sums are involved. On the one hand, this serves to avoid unnecessary registrations for cross-border deliveries in chain transactions, both for customers and suppliers and for your company. These costs not only money, but often also time, which is not always available for projects. Here, for example, the allocation of transport responsibility via the choice of INCOTERMS can be decisive for VAT treatment in Germany.

On the other hand, it is often advisable to agree a so-called net price agreement so that, in case of doubt, the customer must pay Germany VAT in addition to the contractual purchase price.

You are therefore welcome to involve us in contract negotiations at an early stage, before the main contractual performance obligations have been determined, so that everything runs smoothly straight away.

Advice for consultants dealing with VAT in Germany

You can't do everything. We are also happy to support professional colleagues in difficult VAT cases in Germany. Client protection is a matter of course for us. As we do not offer ongoing tax advice, we are happy to solve your special cases while you concentrate on your core business. On request, we can work directly with the client based on a separate mandate agreement or in the background just for you.

German Value added tax in e-commerce

German VAT is the big issue in eCommerce. Whether in online retail or in the provision of online services: Correct VAT processing is an essential prerequisite for successful online business in Germany. If you set the wrong course here, you run the risk of getting into considerable difficulties. We will be happy to advise you on this. 

Special VAT audit in Germany

We are happy to accompany your special VAT audit and represent you before the tax office in Germany. In addition to the normal tax audit, the German tax office can also carry out a special VAT audit. This is often carried out on an ad hoc basis because the tax office has discovered an error on your part or that of your customer or supplier. Errors can often run through the supply and service chain. In Germany, one person's VAT is another person's input tax. 

Objection proceedings and legal action in Germany

We are happy to ensure that you get your rights and represent you in objection and legal proceedings with the tax authorities and before the tax courts in Germany.

VAT correction and voluntary disclosure in Germany

If false or missing information is provided in the advance VAT return or the VAT return, the accusation of tax evasion can quickly arise in Germany. Non-compliance with German VAT deadlines can also lead to tax evasion. It is never too late to get things sorted and get back to compliance, and we are here to assist you in any way possible.