Year-End Checklist 2026 for Freelancers in Germany: 12 Things to Settle Before 31 December
Five of these twelve items cannot be fixed in January: a €30,826 pension ceiling, a 2023 deduction that expires, and a €25,000 test.
Taxes
Marc Clemens
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Knowledge Base
Guides on taxes, insurance, contracts, rates and finding clients, written for freelancers in Germany and Europe.
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Finances 42 articles
Betriebsausgaben Checklist 2026: 13 Deductions Freelancers in Germany Forget, and the Mistake Behind Each
€6 a day for working at home, €0.38 per kilometre, 70% of the client dinner: the 2026 deductions, each with the error that costs it.TaxesMarc Clemens
Freelance Rates in Europe 2026: What the Data Actually Says You Should Charge
What should you charge in 2026? We pulled the numbers from three major freelance rate studies covering Germany, the UK and the Netherlands, so you can price…Finances
Blago Yanakiev
Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung for Freelancers: Monthly, Quarterly or Not at All in 2026
Your VAT filing rhythm is set by last year's VAT bill: €9,000 splits monthly from quarterly, and an extra month costs 1/11 upfront.TaxesMarc Clemens
Kleinunternehmer or Regelbesteuerung in 2027? A Decision Tree for Three Kinds of Freelancers
€25,000 last year, €100,000 this year, and a five-year lock-in if you switch the wrong way. Which VAT scheme fits your clients?TaxesMarc Clemens
Pregnant and Self-Employed in Germany: What Mutterschutz Skips, What Elterngeld Pays
Mutterschutz does not apply to freelancers. 14 weeks with no income unless you arranged one thing years earlier. The stack, law by law.Insurance
Yurii Lazaruk
7 Tax Mistakes Freelancers in Germany Make (and How to Avoid Them)
From VAT traps to missed deadlines: the tax mistakes German freelancers keep making, and how to avoid them.TaxesMarc Clemens
How to Survive Your First Year as a Freelancer: Lessons From Someone Who Just Did
Money buffers, first clients, and mindset: a survival guide for the hardest twelve months of freelancing.Starting freelancingBlago Yanakiev
Handle Late Payments Without Ruining the Relationship
A step-by-step guide + email templates + EU legal safety netFinancesBlago Yanakiev
What to Include in Your Freelance Contract (With Free Template)
Avoid scope creep, late payments, and misunderstandings — with clear clauses that protect youFinancesBlago Yanakiev
How Much Should You Charge as a freelancer in 2025?
Freelance Hourly Rates Across Europe in 2025FinancesBlago Yanakiev
How to Handle Financial Uncertainty as a Freelancer
Freelancing is unpredictable—learn how to manage financial uncertainty, plan for taxes, and secure clients in a changing market....FinancesYurii Lazaruk
