ACCONSIS honoured as “TOP tax consultancy and auditing firm 2024”

The F.A.Z.-INSITUT and the renowned market research company statista rank ACCONSIS among the best tax consultancies and auditors in 2024.

This award is based on a survey conducted in summer 2023, to which around 15,000 experts from tax consultancy and auditing firms as well as business and corporate clients were invited.

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Tax-free kindergarten allowance for employees

Employers have the option of paying their employees tax-free allowances in addition to their salary for the care of their non-school-age children in kindergartens or similar facilities.

Read the following article to find out which facilities are eligible and which regulations and requirements apply.

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Tax evasion & voluntary disclosure – what you should know!

Many people associate the topic of tax evasion with celebrities who “end up” in prison for a certain period of time with a lot of hype in the tabloids. We remember, for example, soccer managers, ex-professional tennis players or star chefs who were tried for tax evasion, sentenced to prison and had to spend some time in jail.

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Familie Haus Sanieren Energieeffizient

Funding opportunities 2023: The innovations for energy-efficient construction and renovation for property owners at a glance

In 2023, homeowners and prospective property owners in Germany will have a wide range of opportunities to take advantage of financial incentives for energy-efficient construction and renovation. Families in particular will benefit from new KfW programs offering low-interest loans and extended credit terms. These support measures are part of a comprehensive strategy to promote sustainable real estate projects and environmental protection.

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Termination without notice due to chat comments: Current labor law ruling creates clarity!

Focus on the BAG ruling from August 24, 2023

In a recent employment law case, an employee was terminated without notice after insulting, racist, sexist and violence-glorifying remarks surfaced in a chat group with colleagues. The members of the group were long-time friends and colleagues, but the employer learned of the remarks and terminated the employee.

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Sustainability and ESG Strategy: Important success factors for the business handover

Due to demographic change, the topic of company succession is becoming increasingly explosive, especially in medium-sized businesses. It requires careful preparation and poses numerous challenges for both the transferor and the transferee. Moreover, a takeover process can extend over several years if legal and tax aspects are to be used optimally.

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Criminal tax proceedings against crypto trader: tax office has first data available

The tax office has gained access to crypto trades – a wake-up call for all crypto traders.

  • Is there now a threat of a wave of criminal tax proceedings against crypto traders?
  • How do I react when the tax authorities inquire?
  • What should I do if I am included on the record available to the tax office and the tax office writes to me?
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Workation revolution: working abroad as an unbeatable benefit!

How to inspire top talents with flexible working models and keep legal and tax aspects in focus.

In today’s working world, flexibility is becoming increasingly important, both for employers and employees. One innovative option that has emerged in recent years is workation.

Workation combines work and leisure by allowing employees to work in an attractive location abroad.

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Bitcoin as a commodity: Will alternative coins be classified as securities in the US?

A new wind is blowing through the crypto world, as discussions are underway in the U.S. about whether Alternative Coins (Altcoins) should be classified as securities. This potential change raises questions:

  • What does this mean for fun cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu? What about established giants like Bitcoin and Ethereum?
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MoPeG: New law for GbRs and other partnerships from 1 January 2024

The legal regulations governing partnerships have become outdated. Many new court rulings have rendered the current regulations obsolete. This has made legal transactions with partnerships unnecessarily complicated in some cases and has made the GbR in particular non-transparent, combined with a certain loss of trust in the legal form itself.

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Flat-rate payroll tax according to §37b EStG for benefits in kind  

The lump-sum wage taxation according to §37b EStG offers employers the possibility to tax certain benefits in kind to employees with a uniform tax rate of 30%.

There is a choice between taxing the benefits in kind at the employee’s individual tax rate or lump-sum taxation, in which the employer bears the amount of payroll tax alone.

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Whistleblower Protection Act & Protection against Dismissal: How the law protects whistleblowers

The Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) is currently on everyone’s lips – after all, the legislator has managed to transpose the EU Whistleblower Directive into federal law: the Whistleblower Protection Act will come into force on July 2, 2023.

The main focus of discussion is the obligation, from a compliance point of view,

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Employment of full pensioners: what employers should know!

Employing full pensioners is a good way for employers to fill staffing gaps in times of a shortage of skilled workers and general staff shortages. In particular, the use of full pensioners is relatively uncomplicated for employers: in many respects it is no different from the use of non-pensioners, and in some cases there are even advantages.

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Important changes in foundation law as of July 2023

From July 1, 2023, the Act on the Unification of Foundation Law will come into force, bringing together, supplementing and clarifying many previously unclear, contradictory or incomplete points in foundation law. In addition to new, uniform federal regulations, the reform also includes the introduction of a central foundation register. The changes are intended to provide greater legal certainty in matters of liability,

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Scheidungsimmobilie Haltefrist für Immobilienverkauf

Real estate sale & divorce: sale of co-ownership share within holding period may be taxable

Often, a property must be sold in its entirety as part of a divorce, or one ex-spouse sells his or her co-ownership share to the other ex-spouse. The problem: if a property is sold as private assets within the so-called holding period, taxes may have to be paid on it because it may be a private sale transaction.

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Tax-privileged fringe benefits: How companies can score points in the battle for satisfied employees  

Everyone is talking about a shortage of skilled workers – but what can companies do to retain good employees in the long term? In addition to a good working atmosphere, performance-related pay is of course a very important factor. However, more than half of every euro of a salary increase often goes to taxes and social security contributions.

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Vertrauensarbeitszeit Zeiterfassung

Working time recording & trust-based working time: will it still work in the future?

At the end of 2022, the German Federal Labor Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht – BAG) issued a landmark ruling stating that recording working hours is no longer a “can” but a “must”. Employers must – even now! – record the working hours of their employees. For new-work models based on trust-based working time,

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Tax benefits for the operation of photovoltaic systems

The use of renewable energies is becoming increasingly important. To promote the expansion of photovoltaic systems, the legislature has now introduced extensive changes for operators of photovoltaic systems as part of the Annual Tax Act 2022.

Numerous bureaucratic hurdles will be removed. The new regulations will make the operation of photovoltaic systems more attractive and simpler from a tax perspective.

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Bitcoin & Co: BFH rules crypto profits are taxable! What do crypto investors need to know now?

With the decision of the Federal Fiscal Court (Bundesfinanzhof, BFH) of February 28, 2023, the highest German fiscal court has now for the first time taken a position on income tax issues relating to crypto assets – Bitcoins and Co.  

In it, the previously issued fiscal court decisions are followed and also essential excerpts of the BMF letter of May 10,

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Child benefit evaded? Criminal charges for tax evasion can be the consequence!

Under certain conditions, parents in Germany are entitled to child benefit. As of January 1, 2023, the entitlement to child benefit is a uniform 250 euros per month and child and is paid out to parents by the family benefits office. So far, so good.

But if the family benefits office pays out child benefits even though parents are not (or no longer) entitled to them,

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Real estate valuation newly regulated – higher inheritance tax and gift tax for real estate since 01.01.2023

Real estate valuation in the event of a gift or inheritance has always been a bone of contention. Now, the legislator has reformed the Valuation Act – and with significant effects on the calculation of inheritance tax and gift tax in connection with real estate. This is because the value of real estate has been determined on the basis of the market value for the calculation of gift and inheritance tax since the changes to the law on 01.01.2009.

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Grundsteuer Reform 2022

Property tax 2022 – need for action for property owners!

Further update 31/01/2023: In Bavaria, the deadline for submitting property tax returns is extended to the end of April.

In the Free State of Bavaria, property and land owners now have a further three months to submit their property tax returns. This was decided at short notice in the cabinet on 31.1.2023.

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Federal Labor Court (BAG) ruling: Vacation is only time-barred after notice from the employer

Whether and when vacation becomes time-barred is a question that can of course also be of burning interest to employers: After all, whether their own employees are still entitled to vacation or not can become relevant above all if an employee leaves the company and in this context asserts claims for vacation compensation.

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Inflation compensation premium: what employers need to know now!  

The inflation compensation premium is currently the talk of the town. After all, it gives employees hope that they will receive a payment of up to 3,000 euros from their employer to compensate for the current rapid inflation – tax-free and free of social security contributions.

What is correct is that employers have the option of paying employees an inflation compensation bonus.

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Property tax reform: What does your notice of assessment say about the property tax assessment amount?

In connection with the property tax reform, many property owners receive the property tax assessment notices from the tax office.

In Bavaria, in addition to the “notice of the property tax assessment amount”, a “notice of the property tax equivalent amounts” is also issued.

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All around the mini-job! Current labour law

From 01 October 2022, the statutory minimum wage will increase to EUR 12 per hour. At the same time, the remuneration for mini-jobs will be increased from EUR 450 to EUR 520 per month.

In connection with the mini-job, there are a number of things to consider from an employment law perspective.

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Energetic renovation measures: How can real estate owners benefit from a tax perspective?

Since 2020, energetic renovation measures on the owner-occupied home have been eligible for tax incentives for ten years. Corresponding expenses can be deducted directly from the tax liability.

  • Which measures are subsidized?
  • What should be considered?
  • What alternative funding options are there?

Our experts around the property give you tips and answers to 10 questions from the practice of tax incentives for energy refurbishment of your home,

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Bureaucratic monster for employers? Employment contracts must comply with stricter requirements as of 1 August

Evidence Act: Employment contracts must be put to the test with regard to mandatory transparent working conditions

From 1 August 2022, the amended regulations of the Verification Act will apply. The background to this is the EU Directive 2019/1152 (Working Conditions Directive), which comes into force on 31 July 2019.

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Inheriting debts: what you can do to prevent this from happening!

An inheritance – despite all the personal tragedy – is often a financial blessing for the heirs. Never before has so much wealth been inherited in Germany as at present. However, there is also the other case: the testator or the testatrix – e.g. one’s own parents or spouse –

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Tastatur mit "Overtime"-Taste

Current BAG ruling on overtime: Burden of proof not on the employer!

Overtime and its compensation are often the cause of disputes between employees and employers. This is especially true when overtime is still “on the books” after a dismissal and ex-employees want to be paid for this overtime.

But who has to prove whether overtime was actually worked? So far,

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Secretly recording a conversation at the workplace: Can employees be dismissed (without notice)?

Discussions between employers or supervisors and employees are often delicate. If conflicts are smouldering or have already erupted in the working relationship, they can become very verbal.

It is not uncommon for employees to reach for their smartphones and secretly record conversations with their employers or superiors that are supposed to be confidential.

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Income tax return 2021: How do I take my crypto investments into account?

With an estimated 5,000,000 people in Germany investing in the crypto world, many will soon be asking the question, “How do I account for my crypto investments in my 2021 income tax return?” Some individuals will have to make sometimes substantial tax payments as a result of their crypto investments and will thus also be required to file an income tax return in due time.

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Energetic renovation of the home and its financing

n principle, craftsmen’s services on properties used for one’s own residential purposes are only taken into account for tax purposes to a very limited extent.

However, if one observes important prerequisites, plans the measures accordingly and provides the necessary evidence, renovation costs can certainly be deducted from tax.

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ACCONSIS Zukunftswerkstatt

The ACCONSIS Future Workshop turns 3 – Happy Birthday!

The Future Workshop is our digital workbench for new solutions!

On the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the ACCONSIS Future Workshop (ZKW), we asked Stefan Herzer, member of the Executive Board and responsible for organization and digitalisation at ACCONSIS, for an interview.

We were particularly interested in how the idea of the Future Workshop came about,

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Vorverkaufsrecht für Gemeinden

What is the right of first refusal for municipalities?

The municipality can only exercise the right of first refusal for a property in certain cases if it lies within the scope of a preservation order.

In a ruling dated 09.11.2021 – 4 C 1.20, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that a municipality’s right of first refusal for a plot of land located within the scope of an urban development ordinance does not exist if the plot of land is built on and used in accordance with the purposes of the urban development measures and the buildings erected on it do not have any defects.

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Änderung Geldwäschegesetz zum 01. August: Neue Regelung zum Transparenzregister

Amendment to Money Laundering Act as of August 01: Innovations for the Transparency Register

As of August 01, 2021, the notification fiction for all legal entities and registered partnerships is no longer applicable! The Money Laundering Act (GwG) was reformed when the new Transparency Register and Financial Information Act (TraFinG Gw) came into force.
The previously applicable notification function has been abolished.

With immediate effect,

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Tax data from Dubai: tax authorities are currently evaluating sensitive data

The last prominent data acquisition was some time ago. Many may still remember the acquisition of bank information from Switzerland. The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia was particularly prominent in this regard. The data purchase was and is highly controversial and even involved the Federal Constitutional Court. The acquired information has flushed billions into the state coffers.

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ACCONSIS now also advises on all aspects of real estate financing

Whether buying or building a new home: the real estate market is booming – despite or even because of Corona. The demand for financing modernization measures or the rescheduling of existing real estate is also steadily increasing. This makes it all the more important to implement the corresponding financing in a future-proof manner and optimally tailored to personal needs thanks to competent advice.

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