When paying royalties, there is usually a 15% withholding tax. But you can reduce the withholding tax by claiming related operating expenses. The withholding tax base will be reduced by operating expenses. Read here a contribution to the operating expense deduction.

License fees abroad

1. tax deduction according to § 50a EStG for limited taxpayers

In the case of persons who live abroad and receive income from Germany, there is a limited tax liability if it concerns income according to § 49 EStG. In this context, money flows from home to abroad. The tax liability, on the other hand, remains – albeit only partly – in the country due to the limited tax liability. It is therefore in the interest of the Treasury to intercept the control substrate before it is lost abroad. For this reason, a tax deduction according to § 50a EStG is levied on some specific domestic income under § 49 EStG.

These domestic incomes, which are subject to the withholding tax deduction according to § 50a EStG, are in particular: