🧑💼 Advice and contact points for self-employed people
In brief
There are several specialised contact points for legal, economic and financial questions about self-employment. Chambers (IHK/HWK) offer free initial advice to many traders as part of compulsory membership. For deeper questions on contract law, tax status or social insurance, tax advisers, lawyers and Deutsche Rentenversicherung are responsible. In case of payment difficulties, recognised debt counselling centres help; for political representation of interests, associations such as the VGSD.
Step by step
- Clarify general start-up questionsUse the free initial advice at the IHK, the Handwerkskammer (chamber of crafts) or a regional start-up centre.
- Use subsidised adviceCheck KfW advisory funding through accredited advisers, arranged via the IHK, Handwerkskammer or regional business development agency.
- Clarify individual tax and legal questionsConsult a tax adviser or a lawyer, for example specialising in employment, contract or insolvency law.
- Have your status clarifiedIf you are unsure about false self-employment, apply for the status determination procedure at the clearing office of Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (§ 7a SGB IV).
- Clarify health insurance questionsGet advice directly from your health insurance fund on contribution assessment and voluntary insurance.
- Seek debt counselling in case of over-indebtednessContact a debt counselling centre recognised under § 305 InsO with expertise for self-employed people – classic free centres often advise only private individuals.
- Seek networkingConsider membership of an association such as the VGSD for webinars, legal advice and political representation of interests.
Deadlines
- The IHK/HWK initial advice does not replace tax advice – it is general and non-binding, not legal or tax advice for the individual case.
- Freelancers wrongly assume they must belong to the IHK – as a rule they do not, except with a commercial register entry (§ 2 para. 2 IHKG).
- Debt counselling is often sought only in an acute crisis rather than early – many centres have long waiting times, and not every advice centre accepts self-employed people.
- KfW funding is sometimes applied for only after an adviser has been commissioned – eligibility often requires prior application or registration.
- The status determination procedure is avoided for fear of the result – but used early it can protect against much larger risks of back payments.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals
IHK and Handwerkskammer
Traders are compulsory members of the IHK (§ 2 IHKG) or, once entered in the Handwerksrolle, of the Handwerkskammer. Freelancers without a commercial register entry are not subject to compulsory IHK membership (§ 2 para. 2 IHKG). Contribution reductions for founders vary according to the chamber's statutes and are not regulated uniformly nationwide – if in doubt, ask the responsible regional chamber.
KfW advisory funding
There is a federal programme for funding business consulting for small and medium-sized enterprises, with grants towards adviser costs. The exact funding rates, maximum amounts and the duration of the programme were not verified directly on kfw.de in the underlying research and should be checked for currency on kfw.de or bafa.de before a concrete advisory recommendation.
Verband der Gründer und Selbstständigen Deutschland (VGSD)
The VGSD is an association for micro-entrepreneurs and solo self-employed people with free membership, offering webinars, legal advice and political representation on topics such as false self-employment, social insurance and funding programmes. This is the association's own description, not an official source.
Debt counselling for self-employed people
Recognition as a “suitable body” under § 305 InsO is granted by the responsible state authority. For self-employed people with business debts there are specialised, partly fee-charging advice centres, as classic welfare associations mostly serve only private individuals.
Status determination at Deutsche Rentenversicherung
The optional enquiry procedure under § 7a SGB IV runs at the clearing office of Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund in Berlin. Since 1 April 2022 only the employment status as a whole is determined, no longer compulsory insurance in the individual branches of social insurance.
A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.