tax-returns-reporting

Startseite Vereinigte Staaten–Deutschland Steuererklärungen und Berichterstattung

Vereinigte Staaten–Deutschland

Steuererklärungen und Berichterstattung

U.S.–Germany compliance is more than filing two income tax returns. U.S. persons may also face FBAR, FATCA and foreign-entity reporting, while German residents must correctly report worldwide income and foreign investments under German rules.

Übersicht

Income tax returns and information reporting must be coordinated

The U.S. and German returns should not be prepared independently when the same income, assets or entities appear in both systems.

Residence, citizenship, income sourcing, treaty treatment and foreign tax credits determine the income-tax side. Separate U.S. information returns can arise for foreign accounts, financial assets, funds, corporations and partnerships.

Das gleiche Thema aus deutscher Sicht betrachten

The German TaxRep page focuses on German income-tax filing, foreign income, U.S. investment income and the German-side coordination of treaty relief and foreign taxes.

Offene deutsche Perspektive

Häufige Situationen

Start with the taxpayer's status and assets

In Deutschland lebender US-Bürger

Form 1040 continues while a German income tax return may also be required. The same income often has to be coordinated through treaty rules and foreign tax credits.

Formular 1040Deutschland
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Moving between the U.S. and Germany during the year

Arrival and departure dates, residence periods, income sourcing and foreign tax credits must be aligned across both returns.

Moving yearDoppelte Einreichung
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German bank and brokerage accounts

U.S. persons may have FBAR and Form 8938 obligations in addition to reporting the underlying income on Form 1040.

FBARFormular 8938
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German ETFs or mutual funds held by a U.S. person

Foreign investment funds can require PFIC analysis and Form 8621, separate from FBAR and Form 8938 reporting.

PFICFormular 8621
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U.S. person owns a German GmbH

Foreign-corporation reporting can arise in addition to the German company's own tax returns and the shareholder's personal filings.

GmbHFormular 5471
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U.S. person owns a German partnership interest

Foreign-partnership reporting, including possible Form 8865, must be coordinated with German partnership tax information.

PartnerschaftFormular 8865
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Reporting Forms

Common U.S. filings in Germany-related cases

Formular 1040

U.S. citizens and other U.S. taxpayers may continue to report worldwide income even while resident in Germany.

FinCEN Form 114 — FBAR

Foreign financial accounts can create a separate electronic reporting obligation when the applicable aggregate-value threshold is exceeded.

Formular 8938

Specified foreign financial assets may have to be disclosed with the U.S. income tax return when the applicable thresholds are met.

Formular 1116

Foreign tax credits can help coordinate German income tax with U.S. federal tax, but category and limitation rules matter.

Formular 8621

U.S. shareholders of passive foreign investment companies can face specialized income calculations and information reporting.

Forms 5471 and 8865

Ownership of German corporations or partnerships can create separate U.S. international information returns depending on the facts.

Technische Anleitungen

Detailed U.S.–Germany compliance guides

U.S. and German tax returns for Americans in Germany

How the two annual income-tax filings fit together.

Anleitung lesen

FBAR for Americans living in Germany

German bank, brokerage and other foreign financial accounts.

Anleitung lesen

Form 8938 for German financial assets

Specified foreign financial assets and overlap with other forms.

Anleitung lesen

Form 1116 for German taxes

Crediting German income tax against U.S. federal income tax.

Anleitung lesen

Form 8621 for German ETFs and funds

PFIC reporting for U.S. taxpayers with German or European funds.

Anleitung lesen

Form 5471 for German GmbH ownership

U.S. information reporting for certain interests in German corporations.

Anleitung lesen

Form 8865 for German partnerships

Foreign-partnership reporting for certain U.S. owners and transactions.

Anleitung lesen

Tax returns in the U.S.–Germany moving year

Residence periods, income allocation and credit coordination.

Anleitung lesen

U.S.–Germany Tax Compliance

Need coordinated U.S. and German tax filings?

We coordinate income-tax returns, foreign tax credits, FBAR, FATCA, investment reporting and foreign-entity filings across both systems.

Discuss your filing obligations