What a Steuerberater actually costs a small GmbH or UG — and when you don't need one

How StBVV fees are built

The StBVV assigns each service a fee band expressed in tenths of a table value. Monthly bookkeeping runs under § 33 StBVV (2/10 to 12/10 of Table C, based on annual turnover), the annual financial statements under § 35 StBVV (10/10 to 40/10 of Table B, based on the higher of balance-sheet total and operating output), and the tax returns under § 24 StBVV against Table A.

The bands are wide, and within them the advisor chooses by complexity. The practical consequence: fees grow with your revenue and balance sheet even if your accounting is simple.

What that means in euros for a small company

For a small UG or GmbH — say low six-figure revenue, straightforward operations — typical engagements land in the range of a low three-figure amount per month for bookkeeping, a low four-figure amount for the annual financial statements, and several hundred to over a thousand euros for the corporate and trade tax returns. Added up, small companies routinely pay a low-to-mid four-figure sum per year for a fully outsourced setup.

None of that is overcharging — it is the fee schedule doing what it does. The question is whether your company's situation needs the professional judgment the schedule prices in.

When a Steuerberater is worth every euro

• Group structures, Organschaft, cross-border arrangements or restructurings.
• Disputes with the tax office, audits (Betriebsprüfung) and appeals.
• Tax planning decisions — salary vs. dividend, holding structures, reorganizations.
• Any situation where you want individual advice: software prepares and files, it does not advise.

The self-service math

A standard small company — one entity, domestic business, clean books — can prepare bookkeeping, annual financial statements and tax filings itself. The first annual financial statements are free and later statements start at 250 euros. The tax module is free; EUR 50 applies only to a server-approved direct KSt or GewSt submission.

Many customers combine both worlds: run the standard year in software, and buy targeted advice by the hour when a real question comes up.

Reading a Steuerberater invoice

• Each line names the service, the statutory basis (a StBVV section), the object value (Gegenstandswert) and the tenths applied — you can recheck every position against the fee tables.
• The object value is your turnover or balance-sheet figure, not the hours worked; that is why fees climb as the company grows.
• Advisory work outside the schedule bills by the hour or by written agreement — ask which regime applies before the work starts.
• A written fee agreement (Vergütungsvereinbarung) can replace the schedule in both directions; without one, the schedule governs.

Frequently asked questions

Are German tax advisor fees negotiable?

Within limits. The StBVV sets bands, and lower or higher fees can be agreed in writing. But the anchor remains a schedule that scales with your figures, not with effort.

What does a small GmbH typically pay per year?

Fully outsourced — bookkeeping, annual statements, tax returns — small companies routinely land at a low-to-mid four-figure amount per year. The exact figure depends on turnover and balance-sheet total, because the fee tables scale with them.

Is it legal to run a GmbH without a Steuerberater?

Yes. A company may keep its own books, prepare its own annual financial statements and file its own tax returns. An advisor is mandatory in no standard case — it is a choice about complexity and comfort.

What does jahresabschluss.io cost in comparison?

Registration and the first annual financial statements are free. Later annual statements start at 250 euros. Tax preparation is free; a server-approved direct KSt or GewSt submission costs EUR 50. Bookkeeping is priced per company and month at EUR 125, 150 or 300 by size; large companies receive a quote.