the real issue here isnt the Finanzamt, its the Krankenkasse and the fact that you were technically uninsured as a freelancer. if you report the 1.156 euro theyll want to know why you didnt pay KV Beitraege for those months, and theyll backdate it with a penalty. but if you dont report it and they find out through a client or bank check, theyll do the same thing but with a higher fine. either way youll owe something, but reporting it now lets you control the narrative. just call your Krankenkasse and explain the situation, theyre usually willing to set up a payment plan for small amounts

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

ngl i've been in a similar spot and just left small freelance stuff out, but the problem isn't the finanzamt here, it's the krankenkasse. if they ever check and see you had income without paying the freiwillige versicherung beitrag, they'll backdate it with a penalty. for 1.156 euro you'd owe like 170 euro in kv beitrag for those months, plus a saumniszuschlag. way easier to just report it, pay the 14 euro steuer, and declare your kv status honestly so they don't come after u later. the finanzamt is actually pretty chill about small amounts, but the krankenkasse is not

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the 1.156€ is small but the issue is the krankenkasse, not the finanzamt. the finanzamt will just add it to your income and you'll owe like 0€ in tax after the grundfreibetrag. but the krankenkasse might want their minimumbeitrag for those months, which is like 200€/month even on low income. if u report the freelance income they might come after u for that backpayment, so weigh that risk. i'd still report it to the finanzamt but be ready for the krankenkasse follow-up

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

i'd say skip the big names and look at studiowest in prenzlauer berg, they do amazing japanese style but the waitlist is like 6 months. if u want something quicker, the artists at bitterlich tattoo in mitte are super underrated, especially for fine line. and honestly, walk past the instagram hype, go to a shop in person and ask to see their portfolio book, that's where the real stuff is.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

The Berlin tattoo scene is pretty spread out, so it depends on what style you're after. For fine line and minimalist work, I'd look at A Fine Line in Kreuzberg, they're booked out weeks in advance for a reason. If you want bold traditional, check out Die Wilde Ecke in Neukölln, they've been around forever and the artists there are solid. Honestly, your best bet is to scroll through Instagram and find someone whose healed work you like, not just the fresh photos, because that's where the real skill shows.

arrow_drop_up 3 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

One thing nobody's mentioned yet is the tattoo convention at Arena Berlin, usually in early summer. It's a good way to see a bunch of styles in one afternoon and talk to artists face to face without committing to a shop. I found my guy there three years ago, he works out of a tiny studio near Boxhagener Platz and does amazing neo-traditional, but he rarely posts on Instagram so you'd never discover him otherwise. Bring cash if you go, a lot of the booths only take that on the day.

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply