Have you had problems working in Germany

[stayaway]

I want to build a community of people who have had issues dealing with the Finanzamt in Germany - in particular in Bavaria - to get some public attention to the things they do to terrorise indivduals - bullying them into paying huge sums of money that in any other country would not be due. These practices are bordering on illegal - and are often in breach of basic human rights. Like and share my facebook page with anybody who has had problems in this area - and if you feel comfortable post your story. Together we can at least make people aware of the issues - and maybe somebody who can make a change will take some notice.

The truth about "Freistaat" Bayern | Facebook

[captainham]

According to your FB page, you entered into a scheme which sounds like it wasn't quite legit, so now you are angry with the German tax authorities for collecting what they believe they are owed, is that right?

I'm just wondering why your anger is not directed towards the company you mention on FB who set up the scheme, as opposed to the Finanzamt?

[nomadd]

I'm just wondering why your anger is not directed towards the company you mention on FB who set up the scheme, as opposed to the Finanzamt?

Because Facebook is cool.

On the other hand, running a business properly as a Director and paying for a proper German Accountant and German Taxation Specialist up-front before getting into this kind of mess isn't.

[SueEllen]

On the other hand, running a business properly as a Director and paying for a proper German Accountant and German Taxation Specialist up-front before getting into this kind of mess isn't.

If he knew anything about German tax law he would have become a freelancer.

I tend to find some European countries taxmen are very helpful in that if you follow their clear rules to the letter, they leave you alone.

[stayaway]

PSB was a scheme sold by a man with the ininitials MM who was qualified as a chartered accountant in the UK.
This was a problem - and he gets a lot of the blame - what is wrong is the way that contractors who used the scheme in good faith get treated differently by the Germans according to
a) if they still live in Europe (if not they pay tax but dont get chased up for a fine or criminal record)
b) If they ever worked in Bavaria (who seem to have a completely different interpretation of the law)
c) If they lived outside of bavaria (where in general they can settle up, get left alone and get on with their lives)
I stopped all this crap in 2006 - the years they are now hounding me for are years when I registered as a real freelancer - declared all of my income and did everything as my German accountant told me to.
I am sick of being hounded for VAT, extra tax and interest and even taxes on money I never earned based upon ficticious guesses from the finance authorities here.
I dont like the way contractors are pushed into pleading guilty in court for things they really didn't do with the threat of prison - This stuff doesn't happen in the UK.
I remember the PM standing on TV saying tax avoidance was really bad- but it wasn't illegal so he couldn't do anything about it other than change the law.
In Germany they chop and change the law as it suits them and judges seem to be able to decide what they want.
A bit angry today (and 20K poorer or a 2 year court battle ahead) - this time the house I travelled to almost every week where my partner lived and I planned to move back to is considered not to be a second home.

[darmstadt]

Never had problems with the Finanzamt, possibly because I never used a UK company. The one time I worked in Bayern was for a UK agency who tried to get me to use one of these UK based tax companies (possibly even the same one) but I refused for 2 reasons, (a) because I knew that they were frowned on, if not illegal, in Germany and (b) it just sounded extremely dodgy. The only problem I had working there was that because I would be working more than 3 days a week there plus having a second home there I would have to register as living in Bayern and my tax would be paid there, the same as it would be in any other state in Germany. I declined by saying that I would actually only be working 3 days a week and all was okay.