Das Finanzamt
The Finanzamt is the German tax office.
Normally, you only contact with the Finanzamt will be your annual tax return - the Einkommenssteuererklärung.
However, if you are self-employed then you will come into close contact with it as you are involved in Umsatzsteuer (VAT) for your business and taxes such as Lohnsteuer for your employees.
The Finanzamt also collects Church Tax on behalf of the churches and if you buy a flat or a house in Germany then they will also send you a bill for Grunderwerbssteuer (land purchase tax).
To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:
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July 28th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
[...] called a Notar as well as various German offices that deal wish issues such as land rights. The Finanzamt also sends you a bill for so-called [...]
July 28th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
[...] called a Notar as well as various German offices that deal wish issues such as land rights. The Finanzamt also sends you a bill for so-called [...]
September 8th, 2008 at 10:05 am
[...] it didn’t stop there. The Finanzamt sent us a few bills to pay as well - for Grunderwerbsteuer. The best thing I can think of to [...]