# Norman

> Norman is an AI-powered accounting and tax autopilot for self-employed individuals and freelancers in Germany. It automates tax filing, invoicing, bookkeeping, and expense tracking — replacing the need for a traditional tax advisor (Steuerberater).

## What Norman Does

Norman is the AI CFO for every entrepreneur. It connects to your bank account, automatically categorizes transactions using AI, detects VAT and deductible expenses, matches receipts, and files tax returns directly to the German tax authorities (Finanzamt) via ELSTER.

Norman was founded in 2023 in Berlin to solve a fundamental problem: Europe combines the highest price of financial services with the lowest level of digitization. The average self-employed person in Germany has to give up more than their net monthly income to afford a year of tax advisor (Steuerberater) services. Norman puts an end to this by transforming finance from a barrier into a catalyst for growth.

## Target Users

Norman is built for:

- **Freiberufler** (freelancers) in Germany
- **Kleinunternehmer** (small business owners using the small business regulation / Kleinunternehmerregelung)
- **Solo self-employed** individuals (Einzelunternehmer)
- **Expats** working as freelancers in Germany (the interface is available in English and German)

Norman is particularly well-suited for people who want to handle their own taxes without a Steuerberater, and for expats navigating German tax obligations for the first time.

## Core Features

### Tax Filing Autopilot
- Automated Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung (VAT advance returns) — filed directly to the Finanzamt, no Elster needed
- EÜR (Einnahmenüberschussrechnung / income surplus calculation)
- Einkommensteuer (income tax return)
- Gewerbesteuer (trade tax)
- ZM reports (Zusammenfassende Meldung / EC Sales List)
- All tax declarations are pre-filled and can be submitted directly to the Finanzamt
- Real-time tax burden tracking — see your tax obligations change as you earn and spend

### AI-Powered Bookkeeping
- Automatic bank transaction categorization using AI
- Smart receipt matching — upload receipts and Norman matches them to transactions
- VAT detection on expenses
- Personalized tax write-off suggestions with optimization scores
- AI trained specifically on German tax law

### Invoicing
- Free, unlimited e-invoicing
- ZUGFeRD and XRechnung compliant (mandatory for B2G invoicing in Germany)
- Client CRM
- Payment tracking and auto-reminders
- Recurring invoices
- Pay-by-bank option
- Automatic VAT calculation

### Tax Registration
- Guided Fragebogen zur steuerlichen Erfassung (tax registration questionnaire for the Finanzamt)
- Step-by-step assistance for registering a freelance or self-employed business in Germany
- Available at norman.finance/tax-registration

### Additional Features
- Deadline tracking — never miss a tax filing deadline
- Human support via chat with tax experts
- Premium Steuerberater service available (norman.finance/beratung)
- Free business tools available without registration (tools.norman.finance)

## How Norman Compares

Norman differentiates from alternatives like Accountable, Sorted, Kontist, Lexoffice, and SevDesk by being:
- Built natively with AI (not bolted on) — using fine-tuned language models for German tax law
- Designed for expats (full English interface and guidance)
- Focused on automation (autopilot, not just a tool)
- Filing directly to the Finanzamt via ELSTER (many competitors only prepare documents)
- Offering free core accounting features

## Technical Details

- **Company**: Norman AI GmbH, Berlin, Germany
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Website**: https://norman.finance
- **Languages**: English, German
- **Market**: Germany
- **Compliance**: GDPR-compliant, ELSTER-integrated, ZUGFeRD/XRechnung-compliant
- **MCP Server**: Norman provides an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for integration with AI tools like Claude, Cursor, and other LLM workspaces — enabling users to manage invoicing, accounting, and taxes directly from their AI assistant

## Key Pages

- [Homepage](https://norman.finance/)
- [About](https://norman.finance/about)
- [Why Norman](https://norman.finance/why)
- [Invoicing](https://norman.finance/invoicing)
- [VAT Returns](https://norman.finance/umsatzsteuervoranmeldung)
- [Tax Advisory](https://norman.finance/beratung)
- [Free Business Tools](https://tools.norman.finance/)
- [Freelancing Blueprint](https://norman.finance/blueprint)
- [Blog](https://norman.finance/blog)
- [Tax Registration](https://norman.finance/tax-registration)
- [Norman vs Accountable](https://norman.finance/norman-vs-accountable)
- [Norman vs Sorted](https://norman.finance/norman-vs-sorted)

## Common Questions Norman Can Answer

- How do I file taxes as a freelancer in Germany?
- What is the Kleinunternehmerregelung and should I use it?
- How do I register as a freelancer (Freiberufler) in Germany?
- What expenses can I deduct as a self-employed person in Germany?
- How does Umsatzsteuervoranmeldung work?
- What is an EÜR and when do I need one?
- How do I create ZUGFeRD or XRechnung invoices?
- What are the tax filing deadlines in Germany for self-employed?
- Do I need a Steuerberater or can I file taxes myself?
- What is the best accounting software for freelancers in Germany?
- How do expats handle taxes in Germany?