The tax consulting firm for international tax law
Expat Advisory is the first point of contact for expats in Germany and German citizens with a complex cross-border tax situation.
Engage an expert in international tax law and achieve tax savings in the 5 to 6-figure range.
Explore our financial advisory services and have a trusted partner by your side for successful investments or wealth-building.
Benefit from our ad-hoc consulting services to access our expertise on various tax-related matters and position yourself optimally from a tax perspective.
Experience from advising over 2.300+ expats
„We have been working with Sebastian for years. He’s been a terrific and trusted partner liaising with colleagues internationally to guide our tax returns outside of Germany, taking care of any tax questions and returns in Germany as well as always being there for us when we had a question during the year.“
Dr. Sabine Luik
Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President | GlaxoSmithKline
Expats and taxes
The 6 biggest challenges
Postponement of tax returns
You don't really know what to do, which is why you keep procrastinating on the matter and even ignore the letters from the tax office.
Lack of know-how
Often, you keep receipts that are unnecessary or dispose of receipts that are very relevant because you are not sure which ones you actually need.
Language barrier
The tax law and communications from the tax office are always in German, which can be a challenge for those with limited language skills.
Deadlines & submissions
You've heard from your others that you need to submit your tax return quickly and are now getting anxious because of the approaching deadline.
No full transparency
9 out of 10 expats do not know whether and how foreign sources of income must be reported, which can lead to significant problems.
Complexity due to multiple laws
For expats, typically, three different tax laws apply simultaneously, making it very difficult to navigate and understand.
Overview of your advantages
How you can benefit
Extensive expertise
Quick & clear
Tax strategy
Deductible expenses
This is how we collaborate with you
Gathering all information
Before we can begin with your tax return, we need all the information, receipts, and documents from you.
- We analyze your individual tax situation in detail. We explain to you precisely what is relevant in your case and what is not.
- Communication can take place in an easy manner according to your preferences, whether it's via telephone, messenger, or online meetings.
- We are available at any time to assist and help you with any questions.
Preparation of the tax return
Once we have all the information from you, we will prepare your German tax return for you.
- If you also have tax filing obligations in other countries and use further tax consultant we will, of course, coordinate with them.
- The final draft including detailed explanations will be sent to you for review and approval.
- After your approval we will take care of submitting your tax return, including all documents, and manage the entire communication with the tax authorities.
Review of the tax assessment notice
Once the tax authorities have processed the tax return they will send the tax assessment notice directly to our office.
- Once we have received your tax assessment notice, we will first review and check if it is in line with the tax return.
- If everything is correct, we will forward the assessment notice to you. If the tax authorities made a mistake, we will file an appeal.
- If any questions arise, we can clarify them at any time.
Additional expertise
Our extended service portfolio
Tax planning
You are facing a specific tax-related issue or question – Our ad-hoc tax consulting service offers you the opportunity to receive advice on individual matters and customized solutions for your questions.
Financial consulting
We are also available to our clients for financial advisory services. We are happy to advise you on planned investments, wealth management or insurances.
Always in the best hands when it comes to taxes
- Expertise
- Consultation
- Communication
- Transparency
- Tax planning
- Support
Conventional tax advisors
- They rarely or never have expats as clients and are not familiar with the specific requirements and challenges.
- Only your tax return is taken care of, but you are not provided with any strategic advice.
- Tax advisors are difficult to reach and sometimes do not respond at all to questions.
- You submit your documents and receive no further information on the exact status of the filing process.
- The tax advisor only fulfills their legal obligation.
- You are just one client among a thousand and are transferred to a different contact person every time.
- Over 20 years of experience specializing in international tax law with a focus on important, often overlooked details.
- You will be proactively advised with a strategic focus on tax saving possibilities.
- We are very experienced in communicating with our clients in English, and all your questions will be answered promptly.
- You can check the current status of your tax return at any time.
- We ensure that you may save 5 to 6-figure amounts in taxes.
- Sebastian Engler personally takes care of you, with customer satisfaction and long-term client relationships being particularly important to him.
Always in the best hands when it comes to taxes
Conventional tax advisors
- They rarely or never have expats as clients and are not familiar with the specific requirements and challenges.
- Only your tax return is taken care of, but you are not provided with any strategic advice.
- Tax advisors are difficult to reach and sometimes do not respond at all to questions.
- You submit your documents and receive no further information on the exact status of the filing process.
- The tax advisor only fulfills their legal obligation.
- You are just one client among a thousand and are transferred to a different contact person every time.
- Over 20 years of experience specializing in international tax law with a focus on important, often overlooked details.
- You will be proactively advised with a strategic focus on tax saving possibilities.
- We are very experienced in communicating with our clients in English, and all your questions will be answered promptly.
- You can check the current status of your tax return at any time.
- We ensure that you may save 5 to 6-figure amounts in taxes.
- Sebastian Engler personally takes care of you, with customer satisfaction and long-term client relationships being particularly important to him.
Our clients
5-figure tax savings
Initial situation:
Thomas Udesen missed the close personal support from his previous tax advisor. Tax consulting was provided very slowly, but above all, not satisfactorily. At the same time, he missed proactive communication about tax optimization opportunities.
Results:
- In an individual and comprehensive consultation, we optimized Thomas Udesen's tax situation
- We ensured a corresponding taxation in international matters and avoided double taxation
- In addition to short communication channels and direct feedback on investment questions, he especially benefited from a 5-figure tax savings
Annual tax savings in the 6-figure range
Initial situation:
Jay Pollard had no knowledge of German tax law and was unaware of the opportunities for tax savings. He was not only looking for a specialist who was experienced in international tax law and could communicate with him entirely in English but also sought an expert for specialized advice related to tax planning topics.
Results:
- In addition to the annual tax return, we also conducted comprehensive advisory services on various topics in international tax law
- By applying international special regulations, we were able to achieve a 6-figure tax savings for Jay Pollard
- For regularly occurring ad-hoc inquiries, we ensure a prompt response and comprehensive consultation
Maximum possible tax savings achieved
Dr. Clive Wood
Corporate Senior Vice President, Global Head
of Discovery Research | Boehringer Ingelheim
Category/sector: Pharma
Initial situation:
As a U.S. citizen, Dr. Clive Wood is subject to many special regulations that need to be considered to avoid double taxation. Therefore, he needed an expert in both German and international tax law.
Results:
- With our tax strategy, we ensured an optimal balance of tax reporting obligations in different countries
- By leveraging all available tax opportunities, we achieved significant liquidity advantages
- At the same time, with our optimization, we achieved the maximum possible tax savings in the 6-figure range
What some our clients say about us
Your way to us
Appointment request
Introduction meeting
Collaboration
About Sebastian Engler
Sebastian Engler’s affinity for numbers and English was evident even during his school years. Therefore, it was not difficult for him to follow his father’s recommendation and complete a dual study program at the international audit firm Deloitte. Starting in 2004, he gained a thorough understanding of tax advisory for expats from the ground up and accumulated extensive experience in this niche.
After passing the certified tax advisor exam, and later becoming a global engagement and team manager, Sebastian Engler decided to establish his own tax consulting firm in 2012.
Currently, he and his team actively advise over 300 clients who highly appreciate the practical solutions and individualized consulting approach.
Exclusive Insights on YouTube
On our YouTube channel, we regularly upload exciting content that provides valuable insights into tax consultation, especially for expats.
You’ll find case studies and interviews with clients that demonstrate how we assisted them with their tax-related questions. Additionally, we offer practical tips and insights from our everyday work as tax consultants.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
„Are you currently accepting new clients?“
Our firm is currently experiencing significant growth, so we can manage new clients at this time. Feel free to request a free initial consultation through our website.
„How does ad-hoc tax consulting work?”
We do not charge you a monthly fee for our tax consulting services; instead, we only act as your tax advisor when you need us. If you have a question, we provide advice and find the appropriate solution for you. Billing is usually based on the actual hours we spent on your matter.
„How much does it cost to hire you as a tax advisor?“
Our tax advisory costs are tailored to your individual situation and needs. We offer customized pricing models for the annual tax return and bill additional advisory services on an hourly basis, depending on the complexity of your case.
What many people do not know is that in Germany, 70–80% of the costs for the tax advisor are deductible on the tax return.
„When do I have to submit the tax return in Germany?“
The tax return filing deadlines change every year but typically fall between July and October. However, if you file your German tax return through a tax advisor, the deadlines are extended by approximately a whole year.
„How can I optimize my tax situation in Germany?“
There are many ways for expats to optimize their tax situation. As you can see from our clients, with the right guidance, you can achieve tax savings in the 5 to 6-figure range. We would be happy to discuss your individual situation in a personal initial consultation and assess the tax-saving opportunities that apply to you.