030 555 721 370
anfrage@guhr-steuerberatung.de
Auerstr. 14, 10249 Berlin
Industry · Agencies
Tax advisors for agencies that want to grow.
We are the tax firm for founders and managing directors of advertising, creative, performance and digital agencies. Instead of just filing receipts, we deliver clear numbers, lower taxes and a sparring partner who really understands your business – nationwide, digital and personal.
Nationwide · 100 % digital- Specialised in agencies
- Personal point of contact
Sound familiar?
Problems agency owners know all too well.
We speak to founders of advertising, creative and performance agencies every day. These are the things we hear, over and over again:
You don't have an honest view of your numbers.
The monthly P&L arrives two months late, your bank balance lies, and you're making decisions on gut feeling instead of data.
Media budgets distort your cash flow.
Six-figure platform spendings flow through your account. You never really know which money belongs to the agency – and which is just passing through.
You're paying too much tax.
Nobody shows you where the legal levers are – not on salary vs. dividend, not on legal entity, not on investments or holding structures.
Fear of the next tax bill.
Every year the same story: balance sheet done, then the shock – high advance payments, back payments, fresh liquidity gaps.
Your advisor doesn't get your model.
Retainers, pitch fees, subcontractors, performance bonuses – you keep explaining your own business to your accountant.
Bookkeeping is always behind.
Receipts, freelancer invoices, travel costs, tool subscriptions in EUR and USD – the admin eats hours you should be spending on clients.
What changes for you
More clarity. Less tax. More time for your agency.
We are not a traditional tax practice. We deliver what you actually need as a managing director – outcomes, not just filed records.
Crystal-clear numbers, every month.
Live P&L, cash-flow view and a margin cleaned of pass-through media budgets. You always know what you can spend, retain or distribute.
Measurably lower tax burden.
We continuously review legal entity, MD salary, investment allowances, holding structure and incentives – proactively, not in April.
No more surprises from the tax office.
We plan your tax in advance and communicate prepayments months ahead. You always know what's coming.
Hours that flow back into growth.
Receipts via app, banking automated, freelancer invoices booked instantly. No more weekend Excel sessions.
A real sparring partner.
Pitch pricing, retainer vs. project fees, employee participation, holding setup – we think with you, before the tax office asks.
Structures that scale with you.
Processes that scale from a team of 5 to 50 – without reinventing your bookkeeping every 18 months.
Personally, from Karsten Guhr
Agencies rarely fail because of a lack of clients. They fail because the numbers are blurry, because pass-through media budgets distort cash flow, and because nobody planned the tax burden ahead of time. That is exactly where we come in: we give you the financial clarity to finally decide strategically – instead of just reacting.
We know your business
We speak agency.
Retainers, performance fees, pass-through media budgets, freelancer pools, international clients – we know how agencies work. So you don't waste time explaining your business model.
- 01
Retainer vs. project fees
Clean separation of invoicing, VAT and cut-off – so margin doesn't quietly disappear inside your annual accounts.
- 02
Pass-through media budgets
Platform spendings (Meta, Google, TikTok, LinkedIn) correctly mapped as pass-through items – your real margin stays visible.
- 03
Freelancers & subcontractors
False self-employment, KSK contributions, reverse-charge for EU freelancers – we set the processes up watertight.
- 04
Equity & bonus models
VSOPs, profit-sharing, creative-team bonus structures – tax-optimal and legally sound.
- 05
International clients
Reverse-charge, OSS scheme, US invoicing, third-country topics – a robust standard setup for cross-border revenue.
- 06
Licenses, IP & holding
Licensing revenue, usage rights and IP holding structures – we shape your rights for tax efficiency.
- 07
Managing director compensation
The right mix of salary, bonus and dividend – matched to your margin, not to a textbook formula.
- 08
Pitch, travel & entertainment
New-business costs handled correctly – including international trips, premieres and client events.
Industry benchmarks
We know your industry's margins. And we push yours higher.
We work with more than 50 agencies across Germany and see real P&Ls every month – not pitch decks. We know what is healthy in your niche, where you should be sitting, and which tax levers move your after-tax margin upward.
Typical EBIT range
- 15 – 25 %Performance & media agenciesMedia-volume driven · clean pass-through accounting is non-negotiable
- 12 – 20 %Creative & brand agenciesFee- and utilisation-driven · IP valuation is a real lever
- 18 – 28 %Digital, tech & dev agenciesScalable via product share · R&D grant often applies
- 8 – 16 %Full-service agenciesStructurally lower · profit-pool steering decides
How we lift your after-tax margin – legally, no balance-sheet acrobatics:
- Holding structureParticipation income inside a German holding is effectively taxed at around 1.5 % – instead of 26 %+ on the personal level.
- Managing-director compThe right mix of salary, bonus, pension commitment and dividend – tuned to your margin and personal tax allowance.
- Investment allowance (IAB)Pre-deduct up to 50 % of planned investments against today's profit – ideal for hardware, tech and studio equipment.
- R&D grantUp to €1m per year for tech and product agencies with own development. Many founders don't realise they qualify.
- Employee equity over cashVSOPs and §19a models reduce ongoing payroll cost and bind key people – without burdening cash flow.
- IP & licence holdingSpin your own frameworks, templates or tools into a clean IP holding – with a clearly priced licence stream.
Why GUHR
Tax advisory that finally thinks ahead.
We don't want to be the next advisor who simply emails „receipts by the 10th, please“. We want to be the partner who makes your agency safer, more profitable and more predictable.
Specialised in agencies
More than 50 agency engagements in recent years – we know the typical mistakes, traps and levers.
Nationwide · digital
Fully digital setup. Whether you're in Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin or Leipzig – we move as fast as your team.
Proactive, not reactive
We come to you before the tax office does. Tax strategy for this year – not for last year.
Personal, not anonymous
One named point of contact who knows you, your clients and your numbers. Answers in hours, not weeks.
More than tax advisory
A network of renowned agencies. Included.
With GUHR you join a client circle you'd otherwise only meet at conferences. Founders who talk openly about fees, margins, team models and growth – because they trust the same advisor.
A slice of our agency client base
We only name specific clients with their written consent. In the intro call we share relevant cases from your niche.
What that means for you, concretely:
- 01
Founder round-tables
Quarterly meetings in a small circle – topics like pricing, holding build-up, exit, key-talent retention. Invitation only, under NDA.
- 02
Peer benchmarks
We anonymously benchmark your KPIs against agencies of comparable size and niche – so you really know where you stand.
- 03
Warm introductions
Looking for a specialist on a sub-trade, a co-pitch partner or an M&A opportunity? We connect you directly – no commission bell.
Head office Berlin · clients from Sylt to Garmisch
Nationwide · 100 % digital
One firm. Available anywhere in Germany.
Whether Berlin, Munich or somewhere in between: we run every mandate fully digital – DATEV-connected, signed PDFs, video meetings. No commuting, no postal delays, no 90s-style bookkeeping.
- 01
DATEV Unternehmen online
Receipts, banking, payroll, reports – you work in the standard interface every German tax advisor speaks. No vendor lock-in.
- 02
Video meetings instead of on-site visits
Quarterly review, tax strategy, holding check – via video with screen sharing. You save half a day every time.
- 03
Signed PDFs & digital powers of attorney
Tax filings, annual accounts, contracts – signed via qualified e-signature. Accepted by the tax office, done in minutes.
How we work with agencies
From intro call to worry-free bookkeeping.
On average 14 days from the decision to switch to a fully running digital setup.
Intro call & status check
30 minutes. We review your setup, tax burden and biggest levers – free of charge.
01
Onboarding in 14 days
We handle the switch from your previous advisor, set up DATEV and connect banking, Lexoffice, sevdesk or your existing toolset.
02
Ongoing engagement
Monthly P&L, live numbers in the dashboard, one named point of contact – and proactive nudges whenever we see room to optimise.
03
Annual review & strategy
Balance sheet, tax optimisation and a clear plan for the next financial year – not just a recap, but a growth blueprint.
04
030 555 721 370FAQ
Answers for agency owners.
The questions we get most often before a switch.
Intro call for agencies
What your agency leaves on the table tax-wise – we'll show you in 30 minutes.
You share your setup, we name the concrete levers (holding structure, VAT on cross-border clients, MD salary, bonuses) and send a written proposal within 48 hours. Nationwide and free.