Bookkeeping & annual accounts
Ongoing financial bookkeeping, VAT pre-filings, management reports and annual accounts for smaller businesses, sole proprietors and companies.
The aim is orderly, transparent and timely tax processing of ongoing business transactions.
Scope of work
The specific scope depends on the legal form, profit determination method, VAT obligations, document volume and desired level of reporting detail. Before the mandate begins, it is agreed which services will be provided.
Ongoing bookkeeping
Posting ongoing business transactions on the basis of the documents, bank statements and supplementary information provided.
VAT pre-filings
Preparation and electronic filing of VAT pre-filings on the basis of the ongoing bookkeeping, provided this has been expressly commissioned.
Management reports and trial balances
Provision of management reports for an ongoing assessment of the economic development of the business.
Balance sheet and profit and loss account
Preparation of annual accounts where balance sheet accounting is required or agreed, in particular for corporations and businesses subject to bookkeeping obligations.
Who is this service suitable for?
Traders and self-employed persons with ongoing income, expenses, VAT matters and a regular need for reporting.
Freelance activities with structured document processing, VAT questions and ongoing profit determination.
GbR, OHG or other partnerships with ongoing bookkeeping and separate and uniform assessment returns.
GmbH and UG with ongoing bookkeeping, annual accounts, corporate income tax and trade tax.
New businesses where an orderly bookkeeping structure should be set up from the outset.
Businesses with a manageable volume of documents and a need for clear, ongoing tax support.
Cooperation and document provision
Accurate bookkeeping requires that all relevant documents are provided completely and in good time. Not every transaction can be understood from a document alone.
Invoices and payment evidence
Incoming and outgoing invoices, bank statements, payment evidence, cash records and other business documents must be provided completely.
Supplementary information
Additional information may be required for individual transactions, for example regarding private use, the business reason for an expense, intra-Community transactions or mixed expenses.
Invoice details and input VAT
Proper invoices are required for input VAT deduction. Incorrect or incomplete invoices can create tax risks.
Timely submission
VAT pre-filings and management reports can only be prepared on time if the documents are provided completely and in good time.
Process of working together
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Initial review — Clarification of legal form, profit determination method, VAT obligations, document volume, existing processes and open deadlines.
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Definition of the scope of work — Agreement on whether only bookkeeping, or additionally VAT pre-filings, management reports, annual accounts or tax returns are to be handled.
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Transfer of documents and data — Establishment of a practical process for documents, bank statements and queries.
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Ongoing processing — Posting transactions, reconciling open points and preparing the agreed filings or reports.
Bookkeeping obligation and annual accounts
Whether an Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung is sufficient or annual accounts with a balance sheet and profit and loss account must be prepared depends in particular on the legal form, type of activity and statutory thresholds.
No general classification based only on document volume
Corporations such as GmbH and UG are subject to bookkeeping and balance sheet obligations under German commercial law. For sole proprietors and partnerships, bookkeeping obligations under commercial or tax law may become relevant, in particular under the German Commercial Code (HGB) or section 141 of the German Fiscal Code (AO). The specific classification must be reviewed in advance.