{"id":5893,"date":"2025-04-17T12:40:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T10:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/popofficebremen.de\/career-tools\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T10:25:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T08:25:06","slug":"career-tools","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/popofficebremen.de\/en\/career-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Starter Kit"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Starter Kit<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Here you’ll find all the important information that can help you start your music career. Feel free to browse through the following categories or contact us directly at info@popofficebremen.de<\/a>. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Starting a Business, Taxes, and Invoicing<\/a><\/p>

Financing and Funding<\/a><\/p>

Rehearsal Spaces and Studios<\/a><\/p>

Artists’ Social Insurance Fund and Insurance<\/a><\/p>

GEMA and GVL<\/a><\/p>

Mental Health<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Starting a Business, Taxes, and Invoicing<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen do I register my activity as a musician?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

If the activity is not pursued as a hobby but to generate profit (even part-time), it must be reported to the tax office.<\/p>\n

By completing the tax registration questionnaire<\/a>, you register your self-employed activity and the tax office will then assign you a tax number. Some basic information can be found in the free brochure “Everything but an entrepreneur? \u2013 Tips for founders and self-employed people in the cultural and creative industries”<\/a> from the Federal Government’s Initiative for the Cultural and Creative Industries. The comprehensive starter kit for becoming self-employed<\/a> from the Pro Musik association can also be helpful. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFreelance or commercial?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

Self-employed individuals are classified as either freelancers or business owners. Most cultural and creative professions are typically considered freelance professions, such as musicians. Being freelance means that you don’t pay trade tax on your income. If your income as a freelancer exceeds the so-called basic tax-free allowance of \u20ac12,096 per year, income tax is due on the amount above this threshold from your freelance activity. <\/p>\n

You register a business if, for example, you also sell sound recordings, start a label, or organize your own concerts. If your activity is classified as a business, you must register it. Trade tax only applies if your business income exceeds \u20ac24,500, and is largely credited against income tax (\u00a735 Para. 1 Sentence 1 EStG). More information can be found here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

A band consisting of several self-employed individuals can establish its own legal form. The most common legal form is the civil law partnership (GbR). More information and a template for a GbR contract can be found here<\/a>. The trade tax is then owed by the partnership and still credited against the income tax of each partner. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow much tax do I have to pay?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

That depends on many factors. Income tax is levied on all profits from self-employed activities, regardless of the type of activity. Important: For mixed activities (e.g., self-employment and employment), all income is added together to determine the tax rate for the self-employed activity. Self-employed individuals must file an annual income tax return. How much income tax must be paid can be roughly calculated using the wage and income tax calculator<\/a> from the Federal Ministry of Finance. <\/p>\n

A presentation by tax consultant Mariya Staykova, which she gave at one of our POPup MEETups on the topic, can be found here<\/a>. Tax tips for artists are also summarized in this brochure<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat about sales tax?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

This depends on whether you as a self-employed person (or as a GbR) are subject to sales tax or not. If the estimated total revenue from all self-employed activities is under \u20ac25,000 (until 2024: \u20ac22,000), you can classify yourself as a “small business owner” and issue invoices without sales tax. More information on the small business regulation can be found here<\/a>. If you are subject to sales tax, you must show sales tax on your invoices depending on the type of service or goods. The standard tax rate is 19%, the reduced rate is 7%. For musicians, the reduced tax rate usually applies to performance fees and copyright payments. If you are subject to sales tax, you have the advantage of being able to reclaim sales tax paid on business expenses from the tax office. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow do I write an invoice?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t

We have created an invoice template for freelance musicians who do not have to show sales tax and work under the total revenue of \u20ac25,000 per year. You can find it here<\/a>. For musicians who are subject to sales tax, the corresponding invoice template can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t