Setting Up A GmbH Company In Germany - What You Ought To Know?
The GmbH Company is the most
popular business structure used by both locals and foreign investors in
Germany. It is a form of limited liability Company which is registered under
German companies act. The process of setting up a GmbH in Germany is quite straightforward and takes only a few days for
registration. The investors who are engaged in this company type are not
allowed to undertake any commercial activity till the time the company is not
registered with a Commercial Register.
The companies registers under
GmbH are required to include the abbreviation of the chosen company type i.e.
GmbH in the name of the company.
So, we append below a few things
about setting up a company in Germany
which one must know before starting GmbH company formation Germany:
Minimum
Share Capital
Investors who intend to start a
GmbH company are required to invest a minimum of 25,000 Euro as the initial
capital, which can be contributed in cash or kind. One peculiar feature of this
form of company is that the capital invested is divided into shares, but, the
shares can neither be traded publicly on a stock exchange nor can be
transferred. A minimum of 25% of the cash contributions and 100 % of the non-cash
contributions made towards the startup capital must be deposited before
registration of the company.
Minimum
Number Of Shareholders
1 shareholder can start a GmbH
company in Germany. The shareholders are liable for the debts and obligations
incurred by the company in accordance with the percentage contribution to the
share capital. There is no upper limit for the number of shareholders. The
shareholders are not required to be the residents of Germany in order to become
a shareholder of the GmbH firms. The shareholders can be individuals, partnerships
or even corporates.
The
Management Structure Of A GmbH
The management structure in case
of GmbH Company comprises of the Managing Directors, who represents the company
in business matters. These Management Directors are appointed by the
shareholders of the company. A shareholder may or may not be the Management
Director.
Financial
Records Of GmbH Company
All GmbH companies are required
to maintain their financial records. As per the bylaws, the company is required
to make note of all commercial transactions. These companies are required to
submit all the annual financial statements, balance sheet and income statements
on a regular basis. The annual account statement is drafted in accordance with
the German Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Taxation
The Federal Central Tax office is
the entity which deals with all the taxation matters in Germany. A number of
corporate taxes are applicable to GmbH companies:
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Corporate
Income Tax
The corporate income tax has an
effective rate which is applicable to the revenue of the GmbH companies. The
municipal trade tax and withholding tax are the other corporate taxes which are
applicable to GmbH companies.
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Tax
On Business Income
The regular income from the trade
of the company as well as the capital gains is taxed.
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Deductions
The companies are allowed to
deduct certain expenses which are typical to regular business activities. For
instance, in the case of gifts or donations, a limited deduction may be done.
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Value
Added Tax
The standard VAT rate of Germany
is applicable to the GmbH companies.
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