Germany's False Self-Employment Reform: Experts Dissect the Leaked Draft
A law that officially doesn't exist has Germany's freelance scene on edge. Three experts pick apart the leaked draft, clause by clause.
Legal
Marc Clemens
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Knowledge Base
Guides on taxes, insurance, contracts, rates and finding clients, written for freelancers in Germany and Europe.
177 articles · Newest first
Legal 48 articles
One Client, Too Much Revenue: What the Five-Sixths Rule Actually Means in 2026
The five-sixths rule left the status test in 2003. It survives somewhere else, and there it costs €735 a month.Client acquisition
Blago Yanakiev
E-Invoicing in Germany 2027: The Deadline Most Freelancers Get Wrong
Three dates, not one: you already have to receive e-invoices, and the 2027 deadline only hits businesses above €800,000.TaxesMarc Clemens
Self-Employment in Germany: What the Labor Ministry Actually Plans
A leaked draft law spooked freelancers. Labor ministry state secretary Lilian Tschan explains what's actually planned, and when it lands.LegalMarc Clemens
Working With Freelance Agencies in Germany: The Margin Nobody Publishes and the Contract You Should Read
16% of DACH freelancers find projects through intermediaries, and no one publishes what the middle takes. How to find your own margin.Client acquisitionBlago Yanakiev
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
Invoicing EU and Non-EU Clients From Germany: Reverse Charge Without the Guesswork
Same job, three invoices: 19% VAT for Berlin, one mandatory sentence for Paris, no VAT and a proof file for New York. Get the line right.TaxesMarc Clemens
Your Signature Does Not Transfer Copyright: The Usage Rights Clause Every Freelance Contract Needs
You cannot sell your copyright in Germany, only usage rights. A silent contract grants the bare minimum. Six decisions fix it.LegalMarc Clemens
How Freelancers in Germany Avoid False Self-Employment
Practical steps freelancers and clients can take to avoid false self-employment before a contract even starts.LegalMarc Clemens
Who Owns AI-Generated Content? Copyright Rules for Creative Freelancers
What AI means for copyright in creative work: what freelancers may use, what they own, and where the legal risks sit.AIMarc Clemens
False Self-Employment in Germany: What Freelancers Need to Know
What false self-employment actually is in Germany, how status checks work, and what is at stake for both sides.LegalMarc Clemens
The Legal Side of Being a Digital Nomad: Taxes, A1 and False Self-Employment
"Nobody will find me" is the sentence Nadia Harris hears most. Her answer: taxes, A1 certificates and false self-employment travel with you.Remote WorkMarc Clemens
