{"id":1566,"date":"2021-03-30T16:57:22","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T14:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/?p=1566"},"modified":"2026-01-08T12:20:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T11:20:40","slug":"vat-return-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/vat-return-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Advance VAT return explained &#8211; and made easier!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you\u2019ve already started freelancing in Germany, you\u2019ll probably have come across one of the most bothersome tax obligations: the Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung (advance VAT return).&nbsp;Self-employed persons who are subject to VAT have to list their income from the previous months and pay the corresponding VAT to the tax office. It can be a confusing process and one that can attract costly fines if you miss a deadline or payment.&nbsp;Never fear! In this article, we take away the confusion and show you how easy it is to submit your advance VAT estimations on time every time with Accountable.<br><\/strong><b><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-an-advance-vat-return\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><strong>What is an advance VAT return?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Germany, for every product sold and every service provided,&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;(Value Added Tax) must be paid to the state. Just in case you need some more <a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/the-glossary-of-all-the-words-you-need-to-know-as-a-freelancer-in-germany\/\">German tax terms<\/a> in your life, this tax is also often referred to as <a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/the-difference-between-vorsteuer-umsatzsteuer-and-mehrwertsteuer\/\">&#8216;<\/a><\/span><a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/the-difference-between-vorsteuer-umsatzsteuer-and-mehrwertsteuer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mehrwertsteuer&#8217; or &#8216;Umsatzsteuer&#8217;<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The regular rate of VAT is 19% or 7%, <a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/which-vat-rate-should-i-charge-my-german-clients\/\">depending on the type of service or product<\/a>, which is added to the price of a purchase. This means that whenever you purchase goods or services, you pay VAT to the vendor. It also means that as a freelancer or self-employed person, you must charge VAT on the products and services you sell, and in turn, pay VAT to the Finanzamt (tax office). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to determine how much is owed, you have to submit various information to the tax authorities. Instead of submitting one VAT declaration for an entire tax year, you are obliged to submit regular advance VAT returns, in which an estimation is made each month or quarter of how much VAT you have charged, how much VAT you can deduct due to business expenses, and how much VAT you owe in your next VAT prepayment. The <\/span><a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/freelancing-in-germany-put-these-dates-in-your-calendar\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">submission deadlines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for your advance VAT returns are set by the Finanzamt and you will be advised of how regularly you must submit them. It&#8217;s either monthly, quarterly or yearly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Even if you do not generate or charge any VAT in a given period, you must still submit an advance VAT return to indicate that the VAT you received was zero.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To balance any differences between the advance VAT returns and the pre-payments you make throughout a tax year, you must also submit a final VAT declaration (\u201cUmsatzsteuerbescheid\u201d) for each tax year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"claiming-expenses-against-your-vat-payments\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\">Claiming expenses against your VAT payments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The positive thing about the VAT return is that you can claim the VAT you have paid for via business-related expenses against the payments you make on the VAT you earned. This is especially beneficial if you often have larger expenses for machines or other equipment as part of your freelance business.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><b>\ud83d\udca1Tip from Accountable: I<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">f your total revenue in the previous calendar year was\u00a0<strong>\u20ac25,000 or less<\/strong>\u00a0and you do not exceed\u00a0<strong>\u20ac100,000 in the current year<\/strong>, you can make use of the <\/span><a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/when-is-a-freelancer-a-kleinunternehmer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kleinunternehmerregelung (small business regulation)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and be exempt from paying and submitting VAT.<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-do-i-submit-an-advance-vat-return\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><strong>How do I submit an&nbsp;advance VAT return?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest way to do it? By using Accountable. Available for free, the Accountable app is specifically designed to meet the needs of freelancers living in Germany \u2014 and it\u2019s available in English!&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you organise your income and expenses with the Accountable app, you can automatically create your advance VAT return with just a few clicks, sending the data directly to your tax office.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll walk you through the process, but if you run into any trouble you can troubleshoot from within the app itself.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-1-download-the-accountable-app\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Download the Accountable app<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accountable is available for both iOS and Android, search for it on the App Store, or enter your phone &nbsp;number to <a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/\">get a download link<\/a> sent directly to your phone. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-2-create-your-account\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Create your account<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you have successfully installed the app, you can create your profile. Simply fill in your information such as your tax number, your VAT identification number and your job title and click to save.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-3-scan-your-receipts\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Scan your receipts&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thanks to our receipt recognition feature, you can quickly upload all your expenses and invoices via photo making it easy to keep track of your cash flow. Your expenses are automatically categorized for tax purposes and can be exported to other software.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Enter new revenue<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2439-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1790 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2439-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2439-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2439.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><b>Create new expense&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2441-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1792 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2441-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2441-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2441.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\">&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"step-4-create-your-advance-vat-return\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Create your advance VAT return<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the &#8216;Taxe&#8217;s tab you can find all relevant submission deadlines for your tax returns at a glance. You can also see when your next <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT return is due.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2442-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1794 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2442-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2442-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2442.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The amount of VAT<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;you have to pay in advance is calculated from the income and relevant business expenses you&#8217;ve entered in the Accountable app.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2443-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1796 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2443-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2443-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2443.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By clicking on the corresponding <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT return, you will find an overview of the relevant details, which Accountable submits directly to your Finanzamt via ELSTER. Click on &#8220;Send to tax office&#8221; to have your data checked once again.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2444-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1798 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2444-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2444-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2444.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as you&#8217;ve checked and verified the information, you can send your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT return directly to your Finanzamt. A copy of the transfer is automatically sent to your email address.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2445-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1800 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2445-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2445-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/IMG_2445.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last step for you is to transfer the&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT amount owed to your local Finanzamt. Accountable automatically calculates the amount for you, and also shows you the account details of your Finanzamt. How easy is that? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as you have transferred the money, you can mark the&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VAT return for the relevant month as paid and fully concentrate on your work again!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"473\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-473x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1509 rounded-lg max-w-full h-auto my-6\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-473x1024.png 473w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-139x300.png 139w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-768x1663.png 768w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-709x1536.png 709w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick-946x2048.png 946w, https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/UsTVA-Uberblick.png 1125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\" class=\"wp-block-heading font-degular scroll-mt-32\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"font-inter text-base leading-relaxed mb-4 first-of-type:mt-0 text-black wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know it\u2019s not always easy to understand everything in one go, which is why we\u2019re trying to make things as easy as possible for you. The Accountable app can help you organise your invoices and expenses, and keep you on top of all your tax reporting obligations. For more information on any other topics relevant to your life as a foreigner freelancing in Germany, check out our <\/span><a class=\"font-inter text-purple underline underline-offset-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.accountable.de\/en\/blog\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">articles and practical guides<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve already started freelancing in Germany, you\u2019ll probably have come across one of the most bothersome tax obligations: the Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung (advance VAT return).&nbsp;Self-employed persons who are subject to VAT have to list their income from the previous months and pay the corresponding VAT to the tax office. It can be a confusing process and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":4061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,181],"tags":[203,321,323],"class_list":["post-1566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-important-things-to-know","category-vat","tag-accountable-en","tag-tax-returns","tag-vat"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Advance VAT return explained - and made easier! | Accountable<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you are subject to VAT you need to submit your Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung. 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