As a self-employed professional, you need to invest in order to start and grow your business (e.g. a car, a computer, a new building, machines and equipment).
These investments are intended to last several years. You will therefore deduct their cost in instalments over the years of use of these goods and not entirely the year of purchase.
Above a certain value, acquisition costs for purchased goods must be depreciated over their useful life. Different rules apply according to the asset value:
Below 250€ (without VAT)
→ No amortisation, purchased goods are treated as normal expenses
Between 250€ and 800€ (without VAT)
→ purchased goods are written off immediately
Above 800€ (without VAT)
→ purchased goods are reported as assets, depreciated over time. Amortisation applies.
❗It is always best to follow the depreciation period specified by the German Federal Ministry of Finance. You can find the official depreciation table (AfA table) here.
The government recommends the following periods, depending on the asset category:
Building: 50 years
Other construction: 15-33 years
Development/Landscaping: 15-33 years
Office furniture: 13 years
Technology: 3-5 years
Car (new): 6 years
Car (secondhand): The depreciation of used vehicles depends on the expected remaining useful life of the vehicle:
Motorbikes, bicycles: 7 years
The app will automatically suggest a timeframe to amortise your purchases, based on the category.
Upload your receipt in the "Expenses" section and make sure to follow these two steps:
Select the number of years in the "Amortisation" field.
→ This period is automatically suggested based on the type of expense. However, you can always adjust it by simply changing the number of years in the "Amortisation" field.
Enter the name of your asset in the field "Item Name".
This way, you’ll always keep a clear overview of your expenses and depreciation and ensure your bookkeeping is correct. 😊
From Mobile | From Web |
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You can also include assets that you purchased before using Accountable in your bookkeeping with us.
👉 Here’s how:
Upload the original receipt - this ensures everything is properly documented.
Enter the original purchase date (e.g. from 2024 📆) and select the original amortisation period.
The app will then automatically calculate the deductible amounts for the current year and include them in your tax declaration.
💡 After that, the item will also automatically appear in the amortisation table in Accountable, so you always have a clear overview and ensure your bookkeeping is correct.
You can access your amortisation table as follows:
Web-Version: go to More > Amortisation table
👉 Direct link for Accountable web
Mobile-App: go to settings > Amortisation
Click on the item in the amortisation table that you want to sell.
👉 You then have two options:
If you have already created an invoice for this sale, select the corresponding invoice from the list.
If you have not yet created an invoice, select "Create an invoice" and fill in the required fields. The link between the asset and the invoice will then be created automatically.
In the web version: click on the item > then click "Mark asset as sold".
In the mobile app: click on the item > click on "change item details" > then select "Mark asset as sold":
Click on the item in the amortisation table that you want to mark as broken or stolen.
👉 Then enter the date on which the event occurred. From that point on, the app will automatically take everything else into account.
In the web version: click on the item > then select "Mark as lost or broken".
In the mobile app: click on the item > click on "change item details" > then select "Mark asset as lost / broken":
Don’t hesitate to contact us whenever you have a question
at tax-coach@accountable.eu - we’re here to help and guide you further. 😊
Author - Valesca Wilms
As content marketing lead at Accountable Belgium, Valesca writes about freelancing, self-employment, and taxes based on her own experience as a freelancer.
Who is Valesca ?Thank you for your feedback!
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