U.S. Tax Filing for Americans in Berlin

Fixed-fee support for U.S. citizens and Green Card holders in Berlin — German salary, Riester/Rürup pensions, Abgeltungsteuer, FBAR and FATCA reporting.

By Danilson Ramos · Founder, Atamatax

Published June 2026 · Updated July 2026

Part of the Germany desk — every US tax topic for Germany in one place.

Check the common Germany products

Which of these do you hold?

Pick every one that applies. Each gets its own read — what the US sees inside the wrapper, and which form it points at.

Free, no account, nothing you answer leaves this page. Open the full portfolio scanner

Local accounts and wrappers

Accumulating (thesaurierend) UCITS ETFDistributing (ausschüttend) UCITS ETFRiester or betriebliche Altersvorsorge holding fundsNone of these

A screen from the product type. Whether a specific fund is a PFIC turns on its own annual facts; whether a wrapper is a trust or a pension for US purposes turns on its documents.

Berlin's American community clusters around its startup and tech scene, the arts, academia and freelancing (the city's many Freiberufler). Germany and the U.S. have a tax treaty and a totalization agreement, but German pension products, flat-rate investment tax and self-employment all add U.S. reporting layers.

Typical situations we see in Berlin

Startup and tech employees with RSUs, options and bonuses to reconcile across German and U.S. rules.
Riester and Rürup pensions and other German retirement products whose U.S. and treaty treatment can differ from the German one.
German investment income taxed under Abgeltungsteuer (flat-rate withholding) and how it maps to the U.S. Foreign Tax Credit.
Freelancers (Freiberufler / Selbständige) with self-employment that may trigger U.S. self-employment tax considerations and the totalization agreement.
German funds and ETFs held locally that may be PFICs (Form 8621).

German salary, pensions, investment income and freelance work can each create U.S. reporting obligations — even when German tax has already been paid and little or no U.S. tax is ultimately due.

Freelancers and self-employment

If you freelance in Berlin, the U.S. self-employment tax rules and the U.S.–Germany totalization agreement can affect what you owe and where social contributions land. It is generally worth reviewing before filing. Atamatax provides preparation support; this is not individualized advice.

Authorities cited

IRC §1291 — IRC §1291 — Interest on tax deferral (excess-distribution regime)
IRC §1297 — IRC §1297 — Definition of a passive foreign investment company
IRS Form 8621 — About Form 8621 — Information Return by a Shareholder of a PFIC or QEF
IRC §1401 — IRC §1401 — Rate of self-employment tax
31 CFR §1010.350 — 31 CFR §1010.350 — FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) filing requirement and $10,000 threshold
FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) — Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)

Primary sources (Cornell Legal Information Institute for the US Code and CFR; IRS.gov for forms, procedures, and treaty documents). This page is general information, not individualized tax or legal advice.

Atamatax provides tax preparation support and educational resources. This website does not constitute legal or tax advice.

Frequently asked questions

How are my Riester or Rürup pension contributions treated for U.S. taxes?#

U.S. and treaty treatment of your Riester or Rürup contributions, growth and reporting can differ from the favourable treatment they receive in Germany. It is worth reviewing how yours is handled before filing rather than assuming parity. This is informational, not individualized advice.

I freelance in Berlin — do I owe U.S. self-employment tax?#

U.S. self-employment tax can apply to self-employed Americans abroad, though the U.S.–Germany totalization agreement may change where social contributions are due. The answer depends on your facts and is worth confirming.

Do Americans in Berlin still need to file U.S. taxes?#

In most cases yes — the U.S. taxes citizens and Green Card holders on worldwide income regardless of where they live. Foreign tax credits and exclusions often reduce or eliminate the U.S. tax owed, but reporting (including the FBAR) can still be required.

Does Atamatax work with people based in Berlin?#

Yes. Atamatax provides fixed-fee U.S. tax filing support for U.S. citizens and Green Card holders living abroad, including Berlin. The final quote depends on your documents and tax situation.