Some help please, English man in Germany.

[neilyb]

Hi all, my first post and I will make it in English because my German is a little poor written.

I recently started selling nature stock images on the top 4 (SS, iS, DT and FT) and my income from all together is maybe around 100-130€ a month.

I do not wish to have ärger with the Finanzamt but do not want to unecessarily declare earnings or register as a business, I work full time in Munich and the stock photos are really from my hobby. German beaurocracy scares me somewhat. If I have to register is it Gewerbeschein, is it as a freelancer? If a freelancer what to be, Fotograf, Grafiker... etc?

I would really like to save the trip to Starnberg Finanzamt but would reallylike some information to be able to go forward.

Sorry for the English, but I want to understand the best i can

Many thanks, looks like a cool forum!

[magann]

Hi neilyb,

welcome to the forum

Ist lesen in deutscher Sprache ok für dich?
Wenn du zum Finanzamt Starnberg musst, dann wohnst du wohl ganz in meiner Nähe!?

Zu deinem Problem gibt es hier einen Beitrag:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=733&hilit=finanzamt

Gruß
Markus

[neilyb]

Hi, thanks for that. I live in Gilching, so yeh, not so far!

I will (try to) have a read, thanks!

[FujiSL]

Schönen Gruß neilyb.

Ja die deutsche Bürokratie kann einem schon manchmal Angst machen.

[M.Jenkins]

Hi Neilyb,

I am not an expert in finance & german taxes, but my understandig is that stockphotography & earning some euros (10, 20, 100) per month is your private hobby.

Imagine that you sell your private things (used books, toys, clothes or your self-made paintings etc) on a fleamarket (Flohmarkt) every Saturday & earn some money per month, the Finanzamt doesn't and won't care.

The keywords are insignificance (Geringfügigkeit) und hobby (Liebhaberei) in contrast to "business" or "side-businsess" (Nebengewerbe) (along with you regular job).

The major criteria, I think, is if you make your living (or a significant part of it ) by photography or not. If not, it is hobby ... or better: One can argue in that way towards Finanzamt.

But again: My standpoint, my knowledge & and no legal or expert advise.

regards, Thorsten

[Koljaiczek]

Hi Neilyb,

I am not an expert in finance & german taxes, but my understandig is that stockphotography & earning some euros (10, 20, 100) per month is your private hobby.

Imagine that you sell your private things (used books, toys, clothes or your self-made paintings etc) on a fleamarket (Flohmarkt) every Saturday & earn some money per month, the Finanzamt doesn't and won't care.

The keywords are insignificance (Geringfügigkeit) und hobby (Liebhaberei) in contrast to "business" or "side-businsess" (Nebengewerbe) (along with you regular job).

The major criteria, I think, is if you make your living (or a significant part of it ) by photography or not. If not, it is hobby ... or better: One can argue in that way towards Finanzamt.

But again: My standpoint, my knowledge & and no legal or expert advise.

regards, Thorsten

This is not quite correct. I think the main criteria is the regularity of your income. Even if it's not much money, you have to register at the Finanzamt under current law. But I'm not an expert. Maybe just ask at the Finanzamt, they can help you best.

[neilyb]

This gels with what I understood after some reading, there was a bit written on Panthermedia site. But still I am not sure. Will have to ask when time allows. Thanks.