01
Legal setup & incorporation
Decision tree for sole founders and partnerships, choosing the right legal form, GmbH/UG incorporation, notary process, commercial register and Gewerbeanmeldung — with realistic timelines.
New · 400+ pagesDoing Business
Doing Business
in Germany
The Insider's Guide for Foreign Founders.
Legal setup, tax compliance, accounting and daily operations — explained in plain English. Skip the months of confusion. Get the practical playbook used by founders entering one of Europe's most demanding markets.
- 400+
- pages
- 5
- core areas
- EN
- language
Inside the book
Five pillars. One reliable playbook.
02
Tax compliance & VAT
Trade tax, corporate tax, VAT registration, importing goods and services into the EU, transfer pricing and dealing with the Finanzamt as a non-resident.
03
Accounting & depreciation
German GAAP basics, mandatory bookkeeping, SKR 03 / SKR 04 chart of accounts, depreciation of goods, e-invoicing and annual financial statements.
04
Employing people
Hiring, employment contracts, payroll, social security, the HR questionnaire every new employee fills out, and the cultural quirks that trip up newcomers.
05
Filing timelines & operations
Monthly and annual deadlines for taxes and social security, banking, contracts, data protection — the operating rhythm of a German entity.
Downloads
Downloads for readers.
Companion files referenced throughout the book — templates, checklists and worked examples. Enter your email once to unlock the whole set.
Free resource
Not a reader yet? Grab this standalone cheat sheet — email only, no password.
About
Written for founders who don't have time to guess.
Germany rewards careful preparation and punishes improvisation. This book distils years of advisory work into a single, navigable reference — short on theory, long on the specifics that actually decide whether your German entity runs smoothly.
Every chapter is written in plain English, cross-referenced to official sources and updated for the current regulatory landscape.
Get your copy →- ISBN
- Hardcover: 978-9918-0-1624-2Softcover: 978-9918-0-1782-9E-Book: 978-9918-0-1783-6
Also available as softcover
Prefer the paperback? The softcover edition is the same playbook in a compact format (about 320 pages) with less colored pictures.
Buy softcover →