Working in Germany

[TiroFijo]

When I opened the door they just piled in without permission, the Leader gave me the paperwork later. According to them they raided 170 at the same time all over Germany. They only theatened me with the Police when I didn't want to do what they said. They even had one guy following me around all the time and even waited outside when I had a shower. The Agent must've made a deal with them in advance in exchange for immunity because they aready had a calculation of what was owed...
My German bank account was frozen immediately and they took all my valuables. I could see from my bank statement they tried to take the whole amount out, which wasn't there, even though I was allowed to claim expenses to reduce it later.

In my arena, this episode is well known.

I gotta say, this sounds odd!
They turned up at your door, threatened to kick it in, and when you let them in they told you that they had already frozen your bank and tried to take £ out of it.
Wouldn't they have to at first charge you with something then if you were found guilty then they could apply t the proper authorities to freeze your bank and take the £ owed?
Also if you had stashed your loot in an offshore bank then it is out of their jurisdiction and they could not touch it.

Sorry mate it sounds fishy unless you are not telling all. You still haven't said why they investigated you in the first place, why cause did they have to go to your agent in the first place.

[Edelweiss]

I gotta say, this sounds odd!
They turned up at your door, threatened to kick it in, and when you let them in they told you that they had already frozen your bank and tried to take £ out of it.
Wouldn't they have to at first charge you with something then if you were found guilty then they could apply t the proper authorities to freeze your bank and take the £ owed?
Also if you had stasked your loot in an offshore bank then it is out of their jurisdiction and they could not touch it.

Sorry mate it sounds fishy unless you are not telling all. You still haven't said why they investigated you in the first place, why cause did they have to go to your agent in the first place.

I'm no legal expert but can't they do the same in the UK, freeze your assets in lou of Prosecution, like they can bang you up before a Trail...

They did everyone (Or most) the people they could that were with the Agent. I heard they were audited the year earlier and were asked why all this money was being paid to a MC. They had already been done before and one of the founders is an exile in Austria. Because the new Split deal was the new way at the time, I assumed everyone was cool with it.

[BlasterBates]

I'm just amazed at to the extent this went on. What about the masterminds behind this scheme?

[Northerner]

I should stop feeding the Troll

I don't work in IT, I'm a Brit and I'm real!

Firstly if you don't work in IT what the hell are you doing posting on a site for IT contractors making false accusations?

Secondly if you are a 'Brit', which school taught you English as it should be shut down for incompetence? Sometimes I have no idea what you are talking about and am waiting for Babelfish to introduce a translation option for 'Edelweiss' --> 'English'

[BlightyBoy]

I'm no legal expert but can't they do the same in the UK, freeze your assets in lou of Prosecution, like they can bang you up before a Trail...

Not without a court order, and this not without sufficient evidence.

in lou

in lieu

Trail

trial

They did everyone (Or most) the people they could that were with the Agent.

I thought you said that the other employees (germans) weren't touched and that you felt victimised as an auslander (gold teeth and yellow stars etc.)

I heard they were audited the year earlier and were asked why all this money was being paid to a MC.

Would this have been from your good buddy the head of the local tax office then??

They had already been done before and one of the founders is an exile in Austria.

Except for Nazi war criminals, isn't this the last place you would hide from the germans??

Because the new Split deal was the new way at the time, I assumed everyone was cool with it.

So now it's everybody's fault except your own is it? Are you a grown-up?

assumed

= ass + u + me

Haven't you heard that one?

Something about your whole sad tale doesn't add up mate. Either it's all a bunch of bull tulip or you're not telling the whole story.

At this stage, all I can say is that if you are looking for sympathy, you will find it in the dictionary betwee s*it and syphillis.

[darmstadt]

Well I've been contracting here for many years and I'm an Ausländer and have never been victimised by the Finanzamt. I have had my Freiberufler status questioned and have been audited but then so have many of my fellow German contractors. Possibly because we do everything legally.

[BlasterBates]

Agree with Darmstadt totally. If you set up like a German contractor, ie. legally then it is no problem. The problem are the MC's or contractors running through their UK Ltd. The Finanzamt don't discrimate. UK contractors are being chased by the HMRC in the UK for using offshore schemes not dissimilar to the ones operating in Germany. I wonder how much you actually save using these schemes, compared to operating legally, you could expect to pay between 30-35% I estimate at the current tax rates.

[BlightyBoy]

expect to pay between 30-35% I estimate at the current tax rates.

I think we raised this point on the other thread and Darmstadt correctly pointed out that it is something like 29.5% basic rate income tax plus 5.5% so-called Solidaritätszuschlag giving a total of 35%.

However, as a registered freelancer in Germany there are many opportunites (given a helpful and friendly accountant) to reduce your tax bills by having children, being married and other "business-related" costs, e.g. mobile telephone, internet connection, computer equipment and to some extent travelling costs (although my Steuerberaterin tells me that this has changed or will change).

Plus there is no risk of being investigated, so long as you are legal, so no penalties, fines interest payments etc. and you can either invoice client or agent directly further reducing costs by not having to pay the MC admin. fees.

[Edelweiss]

Something about your whole sad tale doesn't add up mate. Either it's all a bunch of bull tulip or you're not telling the whole story.

I'll sent you some paper work as proof if you want?

I don't see what's not credible?
They do it all the time including to their own...

I was on a Split deal and got raided, all the evidence was in Germany - simple!

[Edelweiss]

Firstly if you don't work in IT what the hell are you doing posting on a site for IT contractors making false accusations?

Secondly if you are a 'Brit', which school taught you English as it should be shut down for incompetence? Sometimes I have no idea what you are talking about and am waiting for Babelfish to introduce a translation option for 'Edelweiss' --> 'English'

It's all true and you're a total ****.