Finding a Steuerberater

[alison]

Hello folks,

Might someone recommend a Steuerberater who is familiar with American tax law, or failing that, recommend a way to find one? I see that

https://web2.cylex.de/s?q=steuerberater ... Url=Berlin

lists offices in my neighborhood, but I'd rather pick someone about whom I have more information.

Thanks,
Alison

[alison]

Ah, this looks helpful!

https://de.usembassy.gov/wp-content/upl ... s-2023.pdf

But I'd still rather go with a personal recommendation.

Thanks,
Alison

[wasimo]

For US expats specifically, the US Embassy list you found is actually one of the better starting points. Most general Steuerberaters won't know FBAR reporting, foreign earned income exclusions, or how to handle a 401k while living in Germany, so US familiarity genuinely matters here.

The r/USExpatTaxes subreddit has a wiki with recommended firms that handle German residents. AARO (Association of Americans Resident Overseas) also keeps a list by city, worth checking.

On the general German tax side, I have been building a small tool called Diwan for the day to day frustrations most expat freelancers have here: decoding Finanzamt letters in English, expense tracking, deadline reminders. It also has a Steuerberater matching feature if that is useful alongside whoever you end up working with. Still early but free to try: ***

Edited by EditorL: This site is not an advertisement site.

[dra_con]

The challenge here is less about finding a “Steuerberater” and more about finding the right cross-border capability.

Most German Steuerberater:
• Do not handle US filings (FBAR, Form 8938, etc.)
• Focus on German compliance only
• Are not set up for ongoing US–Germany coordination

On the other side, many US providers:
• Handle expat filings
• But don’t fully account for German tax treatment or local structuring

That gap is where most issues come from — especially with:
• Foreign tax credit alignment
• Pension / retirement accounts (401k vs. German treatment)
• Investment reporting (e.g., PFIC exposure)

In practice, you’re usually looking for someone who either:
• Specializes in US expat taxation with German exposure, or
• Works in coordination with a German Steuerberater

The embassy list you found is a reasonable starting point, but quality varies quite a bit.

What tends to matter more is whether they handle both sides of the reporting consistently, not just whether they appear on a list.