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Under certain circumstances it is beneficial for foreign people to become voluntary members in one or more of the schemes. This is mainly the case for shareholders of foreign companies or partners of foreign partnerships who are not employed in Germany and therefore not obligatory members of Germany’s social security system.

The German social security system is incredibly complex and varies fundamentally from systems of other countries. The parts of the system are very fragmented, and the legal structure is complicated. In addition, there are a lot of different players and organizations involved which makes it even harder to keep track with constant changes in legislation and court decisions. Even many Germans find it impossible to understand the system and its details, and for foreigners who relocate to Germany the system can easily become a devious monster. Therefore, we will publish a serious of articles with the aim to bring some light into this darkness.

The IBDF Instituto Brasileiro de Direito Tributário, the HSB Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences - and the International Tax Institute, University of Hamburg, in Cooperation with IFA Section North, Hamburg, are happy to invite you to a Conference with the subject "Comparison of the Tax Systems of Brazil and Germany“.

The development of German tax legislation is characterised by constant, and sometimes fast-moving, changes. This is also the case with the taxation rules for trans-border transactions. International taxation is not only of importance for Germans with economic interests abroad. Foreigners with economic interests in Germany, or for those foreigners who live and work in Germany, are also affected by changes in the German tax law. This article is to inform you about recent changes in legislation, rulings of the fiscal courts and decrees of the tax authorities.

From 1 January 2021 foreign employers are obliged to appoint an Authorised Representative when they employ staff who will be liable to German social security contributions. This obligation is applicable for employers who do not have a registered office in Germany.

There are several important reporting obligations in Germany. Most of them have to be observed by both German citizens and expatriates who relocate to Germany. The obligations apply especially to persons who are shareholders of companies, or members of partnerships who have set up a business activity in Germany. Persons in this respect are considered as both individuals as well as corporations.

Living and working in another country requires careful tax planning as there are always many tax issues to be considered. In addition, social security and other legal issues such as immigration law must be observed. This applies for all US citizens who relocate to Germany and it is important to note that there are special issues to be observed. Different tax and social security systems in Germany and the USA may cause problems in addition to those contained in special provisions in the Double Taxation Convention between Germany and the USA (DTC USA).