More advice. Less tax.

More advice. Less tax. Auditors Tax Consultants Lawyers

More advice. Less tax.

KBHT has been named Top Tax Consultant in the Large Firm category for the fifth time in a row by German business magazine FOCUS-MONEY. The test was conducted on a wide scale by the European Institute of Tax Law (Munich) for FOCUS-MONEY. Each year, around 10,000 tax consulting firms in are invited to participate. KBHT Kalus + Hilger took the test for the KBHT companies, emerging each time as one of only 50 large firms accredited as Top in and the only one in the Rhine district of Neuss. KBHT is proud of the high regard it enjoys even in the specialist community for the quality of its professional consulting services and creative approaches. 7 100 16 35 5 locations employees Partner auditors, tax consultants and lawyers TOP in FOCUS-MONEY 300 partner offices worldwide Welcome to KBHT Consulting services for SMEs With around 35 auditors, tax consultants and lawyers and a total of some 100 employees, KBHT ranks among the top 50 auditing and tax consulting firms in. Our partner-managed companies at seven locations in North Rhine-Westphalia provide services primarily for small and medium sized clients in various industries throughout the Federal territory from selfemployed professionals to listed corporations. Services for international clients abroad are rendered in cooperation with consulting firms of the world-wide IAPA association to which KBHT belongs. KBHT was founded in 1991. Its head offices are in Neuss. It is located in the Düsseldorf conurbation in the heart of the commercial centre of the Rhine/ Ruhr metropolitan area. KBHT promises its clients More advice. Less tax. Our long-standing, personal relationships with clients confirm to us that we effectively keep our promise. 03

The basis of cooperation built on trust: long-standing personal contact. Professional, creative, personal Expertise and experience in many industries and fields Holistic Consulting and services at KBHT are specifically tailored to meet the requirements of self-employed professionals and SMEs and their owners, shareholders and management. At KBHT, we look at tax, legal and economic aspects from a holistic point of view and as a result, provide comprehensive, competent and creative solutions even in complex national and international situations, tailored to the specific case. KBHT therefore provides its clients with a reliable basis for confident decision making a key factor in the economic success of any operation. Consequently, even companies that are not as yet regular clients increasingly use KBHT s networked know-how, asking us for a second opinion. Over the years, KBHT has also gained an excellent reputation with banks, chambers and the fiscal authorities. At KBHT, our consulting expertise is based on a pool of specialist knowledge which our auditors, tax consultants and lawyers and their team of experts continuously keep up-to-date through challenging skill enhancement. This is added by many years of practical experience gained in consulting a wide Proactive and creative range of clients, along with proven expert knowledge in many individual industries and fields, which we have consolidated in client-oriented further education measures. Every client at KBHT has access to this large pool of expertise and experience. Along with professional expertise and qualification, we also promise our clients proactive initiative, a keen service attitude, an innovative spirit and creativity. Cutting-edge EDPbased management processes ensure swiftness and cost efficiency in the background. At KBHT, we don t just wait for our clients to contact us with tax-related or legal queries. We get active ourselves and advise our clients of the latest changes in laws and legislation, highlighting to them the resulting risks and opportunities and proposing appropriate courses of action. A further aspect which enjoys at least the same priority at KBHT as professionality and service orientation: the long-standing personal contact of a KBHT partner with his client as the basis for cooperation built on trust. 04 05

Every client of KBHT has access to the entire pool of expertise, but always with a single point of contact: his personal advisor. Our services Holistic solutions to complex problems Tax consulting Auditing Legal advice Companies and individuals need qualified, expert advice in tax matters because the tax law is complex and subject to regular changes. A job for specialists. At KBHT, we support our client in all tax-related matters. In full agreement with our promise of More advice. Less tax., we focus on creatively constructive, future-oriented tax consulting. Tax planning contributes to the financial success of our clients. Where necessary, we also develop unconventional solutions; the administrative tax regulations are not the only standard for KBHT here. Naturally, we also represent our clients interests in company audits, in appeal procedures and before tax courts. At international level, we assist our clients with comprehensive know-how of international tax laws, supported by the IAPA association. As auditors, KBHT determines in statutory and voluntary audits whether the annual accounts and the accounting comply with the articles of association and the legal regulations. We provide the same services for corporations, specifically the statutory or voluntary auditing of consolidated financial statements (even in conformity with the international IFRS and US GAAP standards). Lenders and banks base their decisions regarding the acquisition of shares or the issue of credit and loans on precise figures, on the reliability of data and the reputation of the auditor who has audited the reporting bases. In case of doubt as to the adequacy of business management or in crisis situations of the company, we quickly, discreetly and conclusively lay open in special audits the business and legal situation of the company, where necessary even ad hoc. The tax law corresponds with numerous other fields of the law. Conversely, legal advice focused on the company is more valuable if it includes details related to tax law and business management. Consequently, KBHT has extended its consulting approach by including fields of the law that are relevant to the company. This enables us to work out professional solutions with legal certainty and economic vision. Examples: company law (establishment, restructuring, company acquisition, reorganisation); commercial law (contracts, arbitration); insolvency law (including restructuring advice); law regarding fiscal offences; labour law (contract design and litigation); inheritance law (succession planning and settlement of an estate in and out of court); family law (marriage contract, divorce proceedings, maintenance and surplus during marital property regime); rental law (commercial and private).»the relationship with a client is like a classic car the older it gets, the more valuable it becomes, provided it is maintained with passion.«06

»Continuity and innovation are not incompatibles in the Rhineland. Least of all at KBHT.«KBHT s services do not end with the development of a problem solution. For us, a project does not finish until it has been implemented. Accounting Management consulting Corporate Finance KBHT largely relieves small and medium-sized companies, selfemployed professionals and start-up entrepreneurs by taking on their accounting. We handle payroll and financial accounting, establish the figures for the monthly earnings statement and, on request, also deal with all payments. KBHT provides its accounting services both as a full service and as a cafeteria solution, where clients can opt for parts of the service, e.g. payroll accounting only. All of KBHT s accounting services have one thing in common: the high level of professionality of our medium-sized auditing and tax consulting firm produces economies of scale at highly interesting terms at which comparable resources could not be provided in a client company. Outsourcing the accounting keeps the head clear for key competencies and lowers the fixed costs. KBHT s auditors and tax consultants know our clients business situation in detail, often over a period of many years. Quite frequently, they are also familiarised with the development targets of these companies. This creates the basis between KBHT and our clients for cooperation built on trust, with services at times exceeding the duties of tax and legal consulting. A few examples: If a client company is looking for capital in the market, we provide advice on rating optimisation; if we see weak points in the financial management, we develop suggestions; we support companies in the introduction of a long-term financial plan or an EDP based reporting system; if a company is interested in external controlling, KBHT is at the ready. Our services do not end with the development of a problem solution. For us, a project does not finish until it has been implemented. KBHT also supports its clients in the planned acquisition or sale of a company or shares in it. In an acquisition, we firstly conduct the required plausibility and due diligence tests. Based on our findings, we can also prepare an assessment of the company. We finally present the client with central data to lessen the risk involved in acquisitions. In case of a sale, we compile the sales documents including reliable figures and, on request, can also organise the data room to which only selected, contractually obligated prospects are given access. We as well assist our clients in word and deed in capital procurement measures. On request, we negotiate with banks, establish contact to equity lenders (e.g. venture capital firms) and support companies in the preparation of an IPO. 09

At KBHT, the foreign activities of clients are handled by special teams of experts in cooperation with the 300 offices of the IAPA association. InteRnational ServiceS Professional services for foreign activities and international clients Outbound and inbound 300 offices In its International Services division, KBHT provides consulting services in both directions of the border: one the one hand, German clients stretching their activities abroad (outbound business) and, on the other, international clients looking to set up, or already operating, a branch office or subsidiary in (inbound business). KBHT is a member of the IAPA (The International Association of Professional Accountants), an association of legally independent small and medium-sized auditing and tax consulting firms. Through the IAPA, KBHT is now present with over 300 offices in every country of the European Union and in all key non-european markets, including the USA and the Middle East. KBHT partners are represented in important IAPA forums. KBHT s International Tax Law department provides German clients involved in foreign activities with profound, country-specific and individual answers to every imaginable question on tax and company law also in cooperation with the foreign consulting firms of the IAPA association. Practical consulting ranges from issues including double taxation agreements, employee secondment and social security law to tax-optimised transfer pricing between associated companies all the way to tax motivated cross-border group reorganisation and the setup of own foreign offices. KBHT has also set up a special team to look after international clients. Communication with clients may be in German, or else in English or French. Our service portfolio is specially tailored to meet the requirements of international clients from the setup of a German branch all the way to handling the complete administration of the subsidiary or branch including controlling and reporting to the parent company.»in our globalised world the boundaries are often blurred. Unfortunately not so in regard to tax law.«10

Our partners in Neuss Our partners at other locations The partners SMEs like yourself The KBHT brand combines independent firms and partnerships that are all part of the KBHT group. The registered head office of the KBHT group KBHT Kalus + Hilger is in Neuss. Michael Kalus (MEcon) Volkher Schlegel (MBusiness Admin) Tax consultant Wilhelm Velser (MBusiness Admin) KBHT Cremer & Partner, Bergheim Tax consultant, agricultural accountancy Every one of the individual KBHT companies is managed by partners. At KBHT, each client is allocated a partner who is personally responsible for consulting this client. But every client has access to KBHT s entire pool of expertise and experience. All KBHT partners are also integrated into the appropriate company from an entrepreneurial aspect. This automatically obligates them to the same sustainability we are committed to in our client relations. As a visible sign of this personal commitment aimed at continuity, KBHT s consulting companies always feature the name of a partner in their trade name. Below the line, we at KBHT think and act the same as our clients as small to mid-range entrepreneurs. Herbert Hilger (MBusiness Admin) Ullrich Bork (MEcon) Michael Dust (MBusiness Admin) Christian Hahn, LL.M. Tax consultant, lawyer specialising in tax law Thomas Schnettler (MBusiness Admin) Tax consultant Michael Thelen (MBusiness Admin) Kay Kilian (MBusiness Admin) KBHT Kilian & Partner, Bonn Tax consultant Ulrich Kur (MBusiness Admin) KBHT Kur & Partner, Köln Tax consultant Stefan Salker (MBusiness Admin) KBHT Salker & Partner, Erkrath Tax consultant Roland Dreizehner (MBusiness Admin) KBHT Dreizehner & Partner, Leverkusen Stefan Dröge KBHT Dröge & Partner, Neuss Lawyer Thorsten Schellenberg (Master of Fiscal Affairs) Tax consultant, specialist in international tax law Ernst Thomas (MEcon) 12 13

»Back to the basics. This clears the way for creative solutions.«our locations Welcome to KBHT. Seven offices in North Rhine-Westphalia. Neuss (head office) KBHT Kalus + Hilger Auditors, tax consultants, lawyers Promenadenstraße 1 41460 Neuss Tel: +49 (0) 2131 / 92 43-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 54 92 E-Mail: Neuss@kbht.de KBHT Steuer- und Wirtschaftsberatung GmbH Auditing firm Promenadenstraße 1 41460 Neuss Tel: +49 (0) 2131 / 92 43-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 54 92 E-Mail: Neuss@kbht.de KBHT Dröge & Partner Lawyers Promenadenstraße 1 41460 Neuss Tel: +49 (0) 2131 / 92 43-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 54 54 E-Mail: Neuss@kbht.de Bergheim Bonn Erkrath KBHT Cremer & Partner Tax consultants, agricultural accountancy office Paulusstraße 4 50129 Bergheim Tel: +49 (0) 2271 / 9 84 94-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 55 40 E-Mail: Bergheim@kbht.de KBHT Kilian & Partner Tax consultants Georgstraße 42 53111 Bonn Tel: +49 (0) 228 / 92 39 38 0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 55 10 E-Mail: Bonn@kbht.de KBHT Salker & Partner Tax consultants Bergstraße 9 40699 Erkrath Tel: +49 (0) 2104 / 17 55-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 55 20 E-Mail: Erkrath@kbht.de Credits Published by KBHT Kalus + Hilger Michael Kalus, Herbert Hilger Promenadenstraße 1 41460 Neuss www.kbht.de Design Grevenbroich Cologne Leverkusen Duisberg Teams with Daisy Latussek KBHT Kalus + Hilger Auditors, tax consultants, lawyers Karl-Oberbach-Straße 42 41515 Grevenbroich Tel: +49 (0) 2181 / 2 26 55-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 54 92 E-Mail: Grevenbroich@kbht.de KBHT Kur & Partner Tax consultants Richmodstraße 6 50667 Köln Tel: +49 (0) 221 / 94 86 22-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 55 30 E-Mail: Koeln@kbht.de KBHT Dreizehner & Partner Auditors, tax consultants Bismarckstraße 257 51373 Leverkusen Tel: +49 (0) 214 / 8 76 27-0 E-Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 14 75 55 00 E-Mail: Leverkusen@kbht.de Photographs Myriam Topel Print Karten Druck & Medien As at May 2013 14