If you work as a freelancer, you will receive your gross wages at the end of the month – and you have to do all the paperwork yourself. You should definitely note the following points.
What you have to take care of as a freelancer
- Health insurance: As a freelancer, you must take out health insurance yourself. You have the choice between statutory and private health insurance, whereby the private ones are not obliged to accept you. As an artist or publicist, you can contact the artist and social insurance fund, which may take over your health insurance.
- Pension insurance: You are probably one of the non-registered freelancers, many of whom are subject to compulsory pension insurance.
- Tax number: As a freelancer you need a tax number, which you can get from the tax office. If you work as a teacher, translator or similar, that’s enough. If necessary, ask the tax office whether you also have to pay sales tax or whether you might need a trade license.
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Taxes: As a freelancer, you pay your taxes at the end of the year when you have submitted your tax return. So always keep a cushion of savings in your account. The basic allowance is 7,664 euros for unmarried people and 15,328 euros for married people. However, you can increase this amount with income-related expenses, work equipment, etc.
- If you work only or mainly for an employer, you should make sure that your work as a freelancer cannot be classified as bogus self-employment.
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