Frequently asked questions

A bookkeeping firm may set up charts of accounts, do the ongoing bookkeeping, run payroll, and prepare wage tax returns. Advance VAT returns, financial statements, tax returns, and tax advice are handled by the tax advisor. Our guide Bookkeeping firm or tax advisor explains where the line is.

Your tax advisor. If you work with our partner tax advisor, their firm prepares the advance VAT return directly from the books we keep for you. More in Working with your tax advisor.

Yes, one with GKM for bookkeeping and payroll, and one with your tax advisor for taxes. Each party bills you separately for their services. You sign the contract with GKM and, where applicable, the power of attorney for the partner tax advisor online in the client portal.

You’ll have a contact person at GKM for receipts, questions about bookkeeping, and scheduling appointments. Tax advice and responsibility lie with the tax advisor.

Yes. We post directly in their DATEV records or provide them with the accounting records in DATEV format.

We handle your bookkeeping with a dedicated GKM bookkeeper working agreed monthly hours. They remain employed by us and work remotely, or on site if needed. More about the external bookkeeper.

Yes, that’s exactly what our catch-up bookkeeping is for. After a backlog check, you get a fixed price for each month we catch up on.

Yes, even without bookkeeping at GKM. In the initial consultation, we clarify your needs and put you in touch with a tax advisor we work with. The page Find a tax advisor describes the process.

We’ll assess your needs: legal form, industry, scope, status of your documents, deadlines, language, and working style. We talk for 20 to 30 minutes by phone or video. This isn’t tax advice; the tax advisor will answer any tax-related questions.

No. The initial consultation and the introduction are free. The tax advisor bills you directly for their services.

Yes, digitally throughout Germany. We provide on-site services in Hamburg and the surrounding area.

Among others, we keep the books for construction and trades, retail and e-commerce, car dealerships, building cleaning, medical practices, daycare centers, and biogas plants. You’ll find all industries under Industries.

We price it individually on request. It depends on the number of receipts, the accounts, and how we work together. Our guide How much does bookkeeping cost explains the details.

No. You pay per employee per month, depending on the payroll type. Your quote sets out the price.

The contract runs for an indefinite period. You terminate it in text form, for example by email, with the notice period stated in your contract. We then hand over your bookkeeping in an orderly manner to you or your new advisor.

We prefer DATEV, as it’s the easiest for most tax advisors, but we can use Lexware Office upon request. In DATEV, we post entries via our partner tax advisor’s account or directly in your own tax advisor’s DATEV records. More in DATEV and alternatives.

We offer consultations in German, English, and Armenian. The website and the client portal are available in several languages. You receive contracts in German and English, invoices in German or English.

Rekana Rechnung is our software for quotes, invoices, and e-invoices in the client portal. You also use it to match receipts to your bank transactions. The page Rekana Rechnung shows all features.

If GKM does your ongoing bookkeeping, it is included. Everyone else pays €7.99 a month plus VAT. The first three months are free.

No. You upload bank statements as CAMT, MT940, CSV, or Excel files. This works with any bank that lets you download statements as files in online banking.

In the client portal or by email to us, at any time, effective at the end of the current billing month. If you cancel within the first three months, the subscription ends immediately at no cost.

You photograph them with your phone, upload them to the client portal, or forward them to your receipt inbox. Ideally, send them by the 5th of the following month.

No. We work digitally with companies throughout Germany. In Hamburg, we’d be happy to come to you.

If we post in DATEV, your bookkeeping is stored in DATEV’s data center in Germany. The client portal’s data is stored with a German provider in a data center in the EU. We have data processing agreements in place with our service providers for hosting and email.

The connection is encrypted, and a virus scanner checks every uploaded file. You can also secure your access with a code from an authenticator app; for Rekana Rechnung, this is mandatory. After five failed attempts, access is locked for 15 minutes, and every sign-in is logged.