Guides
Everything about letters — and how they arrive.
Deadlines, formats, postage and wording — plus HR, tax and company formation: over 30 in-depth guides for anyone sending letters in Germany.
Basics
Send a letter online: no printer or postbox needed
Write a letter in your browser and have it printed, enveloped and posted: the process, costs, delivery times and legal validity in Germany.
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Law & Deadlines
Writing a legally sound cancellation letter
Mandatory details, cancellation deadlines, proof of receipt and a sample wording: how to write and send a cancellation letter correctly in Germany.
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Standards & Layout
DIN 5008: how to structure a business letter correctly
Margins, address field, subject line, date line and fold marks: DIN 5008 Form A and B measurements — plus a checklist for a flawless business letter.
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Postage
Postage and letter types in Germany
Which letter type suits which content? Formats, weight limits, delivery times and extra services such as registered mail and return receipt.
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Consumer Law
Withdrawal by letter: meeting the 14-day deadline
Calculate the withdrawal period, draft a sample letter, prove receipt and arrange returns — withdrawing online purchases and contracts by letter.
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Proof of Delivery
Using registered mail: posting, handover, receipt
Which type of registered mail proves what, when an ordinary letter is enough, and how to prove receipt in court? A practical comparison.
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Moving House
Moving house: notify important parties by letter
Who you need to notify in writing after a house move, in what order and by what deadlines — including a sample wording for a change-of-address letter.
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Addressing
How to address an envelope: layout and add-ons
Where the sender and recipient details go, how to correctly place add-ons such as 'c/o' and PO box, and what applies for items sent abroad.
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Debt Collection
Writing a payment reminder: structure and deadlines
When default occurs, what belongs in a friendly reminder versus a formal payment reminder, and how to reach your goal with a clear deadline.
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Career
Job applications by post: when printed letters work
The structure of an application folder, the order of documents, a cover letter following DIN 5008, and tips for sending job applications by post.
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HR, tax, company formation — and the right letter for it.
Tax
Tax-free benefits in kind: what employers need to know
Sachbezugsfreigrenze, small gifts, vouchers and fuel cards: which benefits in kind remain tax-free and how to document them properly.
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Travel expenses
Reimbursing employee travel expenses correctly
Meal allowances, overnight costs, meal deductions and the three-month rule: how to settle travel expenses cleanly and in an audit-proof way.
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Register
Commercial register entry: process and costs
Who must register with the Handelsregister, how the notary process works, and what the entry costs. Division A and B, deadlines and follow-up duties.
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HR
Processing bonuses and gratuities correctly
One-off payments in payroll: the March rule, reservation of voluntariness, repayment clauses and correct treatment under social security law.
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Cost of forming a GmbH: a realistic calculation
Notary, commercial register, trade registration, share capital and ongoing costs: what forming a GmbH in Germany actually costs.
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Cost of forming a UG: what actually applies
The UG (haftungsbeschränkt) can start from €1 share capital. Which notary, register and follow-up costs still arise and when GmbH is better.
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Forming a UG: step by step
From the company name, through the notary appointment, to the tax number: the complete process of forming a UG, with a checklist and typical pitfalls.
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Forming a GmbH: process, documents and deadlines
Articles of association, share capital, notary, commercial register and tax registration: forming a GmbH from the idea through to the first invoice.
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Continued Pay Act: What Employers Need to Know
Six weeks of continued pay during illness, the qualifying period, recurring illness, the U1 levy scheme and holiday pay — explained concisely.
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Wage Replacement Benefits: An Overview for Employers
Sickness benefit, child sickness benefit, maternity pay, short-time work allowance, injury benefit and transitional allowance: who pays and from when.
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Travel Expense Allowances for the Self-Employed
Mileage allowance, meal allowance, overnight stays and incidental costs — how the self-employed can correctly claim business trips.
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Mutual Termination Agreements instead of Dismissal
Advantages and risks of a mutual termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag): blocking period, severance, content and formal requirements.
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Performance Target Agreements in Employee Management
SMART targets, bonus linkage, legal pitfalls and a step-by-step plan for target-setting meetings — practical guidance for SMEs.
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Business Mobile Phones for the Self-Employed
Acquisition costs, contract costs, private use and input tax deduction: how the self-employed correctly deduct their smartphone and mobile contract.
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Fuel Receipts for the Self-Employed
What details a fuel receipt needs, when input tax deduction is possible, and how a logbook, the one-percent rule and the mileage allowance interact.
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Business Entertainment Receipts for the Self-Employed
The 70-percent deduction, mandatory details, self-generated receipts, tips and till receipt requirements — how entertainment expenses are recognised.
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Legal
Whistleblower Protection Act in Germany
Reporting channels, deadlines, employee thresholds and fines: what the HinSchG requires of companies and what an internal reporting office looks like.
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Trial work days: benefits for employers and employees
Familiarisation arrangements, trial work days, obligation to pay, accident insurance and distinction from probation — set up legally.
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What is bogus self-employment (Scheinselbständigkeit)?
Criteria, status determination procedure, risk of back payments, and how principals can structure contracts and practice cleanly.
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Social security notification: obligation and deadline
Which sectors must submit immediate notifications, which data is transmitted, which deadlines apply and what happens in the event of breaches.
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Company number (Betriebsnummer): how it works
When you need a company number, how the application process works, what information is required and what to do in the event of changes.
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Abroad
Sending letters to Germany online while abroad
How to post a letter in Germany from anywhere: delivery time, postage, authority correspondence, notice periods and proof of receipt.
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Invoicing
5 tips for correcting invoices
Invoice correction, cancellation, mandatory information under § 14 UStG, retroactive input tax deduction and how to communicate with the customer.
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Sending a Letter Abroad: Cost and Delivery Time
Postage, delivery times, customs and address formats: how to send letters from Germany to over 190 countries — ordered online.
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How to Prove a Letter Was Delivered in Germany
Registered mail, messengers and bailiff service: which forms of proof hold up in court and how to evidence that a letter arrived.
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Writing to a German Authority: Structure and Sample
Reference numbers, subject lines, deadlines and tone: how to write applications, appeals and enquiries to German authorities.
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Requesting a German Job Reference (Arbeitszeugnis)
Entitlement, deadlines, coded reference language and correction requests: how to request a qualified Arbeitszeugnis in writing.
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Registering a Business in Germany: Steps and Costs
Who must register, what it costs, which documents you need and which authority letters follow the Gewerbeanmeldung.
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Printing
Print a Letter Without a Printer: All Options Compared
No printer at home? How to get your letter printed anyway: copy shop, library, office — or have it printed and mailed online.
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Laser vs. Inkjet Printer: Which Is Better for Letters?
Laser or inkjet? Costs, print quality and durability compared — and why owning a printer often isn't worth it for a few letters.
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Printing
Which Paper for Letters? Paper Weight and Quality Explained
80 g/m² or 100 g/m²? Which letter paper suits which occasion, how printers react, and what matters for postage.
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Printer Fails Before a Deadline? Get the Letter Out Anyway
Empty ink, paper jam, driver errors — right before a cancellation deadline. Emergency plan to send your time-critical letter on time.
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Printing PDFs Correctly: Make the Letter Match the Screen
Shifted margins, tiny fonts, a blank second page? The most common PDF printing mistakes for letters and how to avoid them.
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