Finding a Steuerberater in Frankfurt for Freelance Work: What the Official Directory Shows and What to Ask
The Steuerberaterkammer Hessen sits at Europa-Allee 52 in Frankfurt, but it does not recommend anyone: it points you to the official Steuerberater directory, which you can search by town or postcode but not by specialty or language. Fees are fixed by a federal ordinance, so a first consultation for a private client is capped at 190 euros and time-based work runs 16.50 to 41 euros per started quarter hour, before VAT. A Lohnsteuerhilfeverein cannot take you on once you have freelance or business income. Register with the Finanzamt within one month of starting, which you can do yourself in Mein ELSTER.
Do You Need One, and What Comes First
You do not need an adviser to take your first step, and the first step is yours either way. Whoever starts freelance or trade activity in Germany has to report it to the Finanzamt. According to the Verwaltungsportal Hessen, the Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung must be sent without being asked, within one month, through the tax administration’s online procedure, for example the free portal Mein ELSTER. Part-time or side activity counts too. Your tax number comes by post after the office has reviewed the answers, and you need it for invoices.
In Frankfurt the office is the Finanzamt Frankfurt am Main at Gutleutstraße 118-124, near the main station. Visits are by appointment only, the phone line is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 18:00, and you can book a call-back online. The Verwaltungsportal points to the search of the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern to find the office responsible for you. Registering for Mein ELSTER with a full certificate can take up to two weeks, so start that before your first day.
The Finanzamt uses the questionnaire to decide which taxes you pay, when, and roughly how much. That is where a Steuerberater earns the money early on: choosing between freelancer and trade, the small-business VAT rule, advance payments. § 19 UStG lets you stay out of VAT if turnover in the previous year was at most 25,000 euros and stays at most 100,000 euros in the current year. The rule has side effects on your invoices and returns, so check it against your plans before you tick the box.
Who Is Not Allowed to Help
A Lohnsteuerhilfeverein is the cheap option for employees, and it stops working for you once you are self-employed. § 4 StBerG excludes members who have income from a trade or self-employed work, or who make turnover that is subject to VAT, and it limits these associations to income tax. When you pick a firm, check the licence in the official directory rather than relying on the website.
Finding Candidates in Frankfurt
The Steuerberaterkammer Hessen is based at Europa-Allee 52, 60327 Frankfurt. Its contact page tells clients that it does not name Steuerberater and that they should use the official directory. So:
- Use the Amtliches Steuerberaterverzeichnis of the Bundessteuerberaterkammer. It is free, and according to the Kammer’s page you can now list firms by place or postcode. It confirms who is licensed. It does not let you search by specialty, qualification or language.
- The old search service that ran through DATEV ended on 31 December 2025, according to the Kammer. Older articles and links that point to it may not work.
- Commercial portals with reviews exist, but according to the Kammer they are not run or checked by it and rest on the firms’ own entries.
- Use personal contacts, a business network or other founders for candidates, then check the licence in the directory.
Ask two or three firms for an introductory call and compare how clearly they explain scope and fees.
What a Steuerberater Costs
Fees come from the federal fee ordinance StBVV and are revised from time to time. The current text was amended in 2025.
| What | How it is charged | Amount in the text |
|---|---|---|
| First consultation (consumer, first use of that adviser) | Capped | Not more than 190 euros (§ 21) |
| Time-based work | Per started quarter hour | 16.50 to 41 euros (§ 13) |
| Income tax return without calculating the income | 1/10 to 6/10 of a table fee | Value is positive income, at least 8,000 euros (§ 24) |
| Profit calculation (EÜR) for freelancers and traders | 5/10 to 30/10 of a table fee | Value is the higher of income or expenses, at least 17,500 euros (§ 25) |
Per hour, the time-based rate is 66 to 164 euros. The tables themselves set a “full fee” for each value: for a value up to 20,000 euros the profit calculation table gives 178 euros, and the table for returns gives 805 euros up to 22,000. A freelancer with about 20,000 euros of business income and almost no expenses, so that the value is about 20,000 euros for both, could therefore see roughly 89 to 534 euros for the EÜR and 81 to 483 euros for an income tax return without calculation. With higher expenses the EÜR value rises, because it follows the higher of income and expenses, not the profit. These are illustrations from the 2025 tables, before VAT, and they do not include VAT returns, trade tax, bookkeeping, payroll or advice. Real offers vary, and a different fee can be agreed if it is in text form and labelled as a fee agreement (§ 4).
What the ordinance gives you:
- A written calculation: under § 9 the adviser can only claim a fee on the basis of an itemised calculation in text form.
- An advance payment can be requested (§ 8), and the fee falls due when the matter is finished (§ 7).
- Ask for the estimate and the scope in writing before you sign.
What to Ask in the First Call
- Do you work in English, and are documents and emails in English fine?
- How many freelancers or sole proprietors do you advise, in my kind of work?
- What is included in your fee: EÜR, VAT advance returns, income tax return, annual accounts, advice by phone?
- Who does the work, the Steuerberater or staff, and who is my contact?
- Do you charge by time, by the table, or a flat monthly fee, and is that in a written agreement?
- How do I send receipts, and which deadlines do you track for me?
- What happens if I miss a deadline or the Finanzamt asks questions?
- How do I end the mandate, and what do I get back?
What to Prepare Before You Book
A short brief saves paid time, and time-based work is charged by the started quarter hour. Write down the start date of your activity, what you sell and to whom (companies, private customers, customers abroad), your expected turnover and costs for the first year, and whether you have other income such as a salary. Bring your tax ID and, if you already have one, your tax number. Say clearly whether you want advice once, or someone to take over the recurring work, because the fee logic is different for each.
When Things Go Wrong
If an invoice looks wrong, ask for the breakdown first. If you cannot agree, the Steuerberaterkammer Hessen takes complaints from clients and runs mediation on request, and it answers questions about fees. For a legal dispute about a claim, a lawyer is the right step. If the Finanzamt has already sent something with a deadline, act on the deadline first and discuss the invoice afterwards.
Compliance Note
This guide describes the general framework and the Hessen and Frankfurt offices as shown on their official pages in October 2026. It is not tax or legal advice, and it names no firms. Fee tables, small-business VAT rules and procedures change, and your case may differ. Confirm the details with the Finanzamt or a licensed Steuerberater before you act.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Do I have to hire a Steuerberater to work as a freelancer in Frankfurt?
The sources reviewed for this guide do not make it compulsory for a sole proprietor or freelancer. What is compulsory is telling the Finanzamt within one month of starting, using the Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung online, and later filing returns electronically. Mein ELSTER, the tax administration's portal, is free. Many founders still book a first consultation to settle questions such as freelancer or trade and the small-business VAT rule.
Can I use a Lohnsteuerhilfeverein for my freelance income?
No. § 4 of the Steuerberatungsgesetz excludes members who have income from a trade, from agriculture or from self-employed work, or who make turnover subject to VAT. It also limits those associations to income tax and its surcharges, with a few family-related extras. An association can help with your employee tax return but not with a business, so a mixed year with a side business needs a Steuerberater.
How do I check that someone is really a Steuerberater?
Use the official Steuerberaterverzeichnis kept by the Bundessteuerberaterkammer. The Steuerberaterkammer Hessen says it is free for anyone and shows whether a person or firm is appointed and may give unrestricted tax advice. The search service previously run through DATEV ended on 31 December 2025, according to the Kammer, so you may meet old links elsewhere. Websites with reviews are not run by the Kammer.
Can I search the directory for someone who speaks English or knows freelancers?
Not in the official directory, which according to the Kammer is not meant for searching by specialty or qualification and offers only a place or postcode filter. Ask each firm directly in your first email whether it works in English, how many freelancers or sole proprietors it advises, and who would do the work. A Fachberater für Internationales Steuerrecht is an official title, but it matters mainly for cross-border questions.
What does a first consultation cost?
For a consumer who first uses that Steuerberater, a first consultation is capped at 190 euros under § 21 StBVV, plus VAT. The fee is credited against fees for later related work. Whether you are a consumer for a business question can be a matter of judgment, so ask the firm before you book, and ask for the price in writing.
What will my annual tax work cost?
It depends on your profit or turnover, because most fees are a fraction of a table amount. As an illustration with the 2025 tables, for a freelancer with about 20,000 euros of business income and almost no expenses (so the value is about 20,000 euros for both items): an income tax return without working out the income can cost 1/10 to 6/10 of a 805-euro full fee, roughly 81 to 483 euros, and the profit calculation (EÜR) 5/10 to 30/10 of a 178-euro full fee, roughly 89 to 534 euros. VAT, other returns, bookkeeping and expenses come on top. Fees can be agreed differently in writing, so ask for an estimate.
What if the invoice looks wrong or we fall out?
Ask for an itemised invoice: § 9 StBVV requires a calculation in text form showing the individual fees, the legal provisions and, for value-based fees, the value. The Steuerberaterkammer Hessen takes complaints from clients and runs a mediation procedure on request. A lawyer can advise on whether a claim is justified.
When can I skip VAT as a small business?
§ 19 UStG exempts you from VAT if turnover in the previous calendar year did not exceed 25,000 euros and does not exceed 100,000 euros in the current one. Choosing this affects invoices and returns, and waiving it binds you for at least five calendar years, so ask the Steuerberater to explain it for your situation.