Ypsilon.
Tax advisors, auditors & lawyers

About Ypsilon.

Ypsilon is a young, owner-managed consulting company with three integrated business units – Tax, Audit & Advisory – and more than 150 highly qualified employees at the locations in Cologne, Munich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg.

Our clients are passionate financial service providers, investors, initiators and entrepreneurs, whom we support with our interdisciplinary teams in dealing with their individual challenges.

We combine local expertise and individuality with the cross-location experience of more than 40 professionals, placing great emphasis on long-term, personal relationships with our employees and clients.

Ypsilon offers new career opportunities in an environment that values the promotion of creativity and personal development. Further information on the details and opportunities can be found on our careers page.

Wir sind für Sie da.

We are convinced that less is often more and consciously focus our services on the areas of Financial Services, Fund Solutions and Corporate. Specialization ensures a sound understanding of the market and tailor-made economic solutions.

Areas of expertise.

Wir sind davon überzeugt, dass weniger oft mehr ist und legen den Fokus unserer Dienstleistungen bewusst auf die Bereiche Financial Services, Fund Solutions und Corporate. Denn Spezialisierung gewährleistet fundiertes Marktverständnis und maßgeschneiderte wirtschaftliche Lösungen.

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Qualifications

  • German Certified Tax Advisor
  • Master in Business Administration (Dipl.-Kfm.)
  • CSL Diploma in Luxembourg Taxation

Languages

  • German
  • English

As an expert for Real Estate Investments, Ulrich advises International Investors, Initiator of Real Estate Funds and Family Offices on all tax aspects of their Real Estate Investment in Germany. His focus is on a holistic advisory approach that covers every aspect from initial investment to ongoing management and exit strategy. Furthermore, Ulrich advises clients in the area of Asset Management and Private Equity.

Education & Career

Before joining Ypsilon, Ulrich worked as tax adviser for a Big4-firm as well as for medium-sized advisory-firms, maintaining a strong focus on International Investors and Real Estate Investments. Ulrich holds a Master-Degree in business administration from the University of Mannheim and has gained international experience working in Luxembourg.

Publications

Investmentgesetze (Baur/Tappen/Mehrkhah)

Qualifications

  • Tax consultant
  • Dipl-Ing. agr.

Languages

  • German
  • English

Johannes has more than 25 years of experience in advising asset managers, investment funds, institutional investors and family offices in the field of alternative investments. He focuses on administration, taxation, regulatory compliance and outsourcing projects with a clear focus on real estate and private equity funds.

Education & Career

After starting his own business in 1996, Johannes co-founded the consulting firm optegra, which he developed as a partner and managing director in the field of alternative investments into a recognized and specialized consulting firm with around 150 employees. After the merger with the international Vistra Group in 2017, he headed the German Alternative Investment Services division there until December 2020.

Following a sabbatical, he is now accompanying the Ypsilon Group on its growth path as Managing Director and Partner.

Qualifications

  • Auditor
  • Tax Consultant
  • Graduate industrial engineer

Languages

  • German
  • English

As an experienced auditor and tax consultant, Stephan advises medium-sized entrepreneurs and their companies on challenging business and tax issues. From auditing and M&A projects to succession planning, Stephan is a generalist for the entire range of business management issues, usually with an international focus.

Education & Career

Stephan has been entrepreneurially active for many years as a partner and managing director of medium-sized, internationally oriented consulting organizations in auditing and tax consulting. As co-founder of Ypsilon, Stephan transferred his entrepreneurial activities to Ypsilon in 2021 and is responsible for a demanding international client portfolio.

Qualifications

  • Certified public accountant
  • Graduate economist (M.B.A.)
  • Banker

Languages

  • German
  • English

As an auditor, Peter advises and audits banks, investment assets, leasing companies, and service companies on commercial and regulatory issues. He is also responsible for personnel at Ypsilon.

Education & Career

Before joining Ypsilon, Peter founded Millennium Partners WPG, focusing on international structures. It became part of the Ypsilon Group in January 2024. He worked as an auditor for EY and in KMPG’s Financial Service division, as well as for the medium-sized, international law firm Vistra (formerly optegra) as a partner and director.

Publications

Investment Laws (Baur/Tappen/Mehrkhah)

Qualifications

  • Tax consultant
  • Lawyer

Languages

  • German
  • English

With his legal background and many years of experience in international corporate tax experience at Big Four firms, Martin is an all-rounder for consulting in tax law, and also works in other areas of law and transfer pricing.

Education & Career

Before joining Ypsilon, Martin founded FIDARIS in Düsseldorf together with Georg Keller and Stephan Lindermann, with the goal of successfully building on his 15 years of experience as a partner at Frankus (tax and legal). FIDARIS became part of the Ypsilon Group in January 2024. Through his international clientele, Martin has also acquired in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of transfer pricing. After completing his two state exams in law and his doctorate, Martin spent eight years working as an authorized signatory in the area of international corporate tax at KPMG in Düsseldorf after qualifying as a tax consultant.

Qualifications

  • Auditor
  • Tax consultant
  • Business economist B.Sc.

Languages

  • German
  • English

As an all-rounder for auditing and consulting, Mirko audits both German units of international corporations and German SMEs. He is also an expert on processes and information technology, especially for clients in the financial services industry.

Training & Career

In 2020, Mirko helped start the Ypsilon journey as one of its founding partners. After finishing university, he trained as a tax consultant and auditor, initially at optegra, the medium-sized law firm optegra. When optegra merged with Vistra, Vistra developed into a leading international law firm.

Qualifications

  • Lawyer

Languages

  • German
  • English

At Ypsilon, Maximilian and his team largely focus on the areas of private equity and corporate. Maximilian also advises funds, particularly in the fields of outsourcing and administration.

Education & Career

Before joining Ypsilon, Maximilian founded MILLENNIUM PARTNERS, which focused on closed-end fund structures and became part of the Ypsilon Group in January 2024. He previously worked as a lawyer at medium-sized international law firms, including Vistra.

Qualifications

  • Tax consultant

Languages

  • German
  • English

As a specialist for closed-end fund structures, Björn advises both fund managers and initiators of private equity funds in all areas of commercial and tax law. Björn also supports our clients in the outsourcing of back and middle office functions and reporting.

Education & Career

Björn has been working in the field of closed-end fund structures for more than 20 years, during which he has also gained knowledge of other asset classes such as real estate, aircraft, and infrastructure, in addition to private equity. As a founding partner, Björn has been part of the Ypsilon Group since January 2021. He previously worked as a tax consultant and director in a medium-sized, internationally oriented law firm in Cologne.

Qualifications

  • German certified tax advisor (Steuerberater)
  • Master of Science (University of Applied Sciences Munich)

Languages

  • German
  • English

As a specialist in closed-end fund structures, Tobias advises initiators of private equity and real estate funds on all aspects of tax law.

Education & Career

Tobias advises initiators of Private Equity and Real Estate Funds on all matters related to tax. Prior to joining Ypsilon, he founded the Millennium Partners together with Maximilian Kerndl in Munich with focus on Private Funds, which merged with Ypsilon in January 2024. Previously, he worked as a tax advisor for several medium-sized, international tax and audit firms such as optegra, Vistra and Acconsis as a Director and Managing Director. He studied business administration at University of Applied Sciences in Munich.

Alternative Investments

Sustainability ESG

Our interdisciplinary team from the areas of tax consulting, auditing and business consulting supports you in understanding and implementing the legal ESG requirements with regard to ESG, CSRD and NFRD. Our approach is thorough: We conduct an in-depth analysis of your business processes and structures to develop a strategy that enables you to optimally meet the legal requirements.

  • The audit or preparation of sustainability reports and compliance with the disclosure regulation in accordance with current EU guidelines and the requirements of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG frameworks)
  • “Ready for 2025” sustainability check: We ensure that your company meets the sustainability requirements for 2025 and beyond.
  • GAP analysis of GRI, DNK, CSRD, NFRD: We identify potential gaps in your current reporting and offer recommendations to close them.
  • SFDR compliance: We support you in complying with SFDR through comprehensive advice and audit.
  • ESG integration: We help you integrate ESG factors into your business strategy and practices.
  • Audit and support in the development of KPIs and reports as well as controlling structures and processes: We analyze your existing structures and support you in their improvement.
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Payroll Tax Consulting

The importance of payroll tax for companies stems, among other things, from the fact that in collecting payroll tax as one of the most important sources of tax of all (more than EUR 200 billion per year), the Treasury uses companies themselves as agents.Ostensibly, payroll tax appears to be a mere tax on the employee, which the company “only” withholds and transfers to the tax office. However, this is not the case if we take a closer look, as the company is significantly affected. Indeed, not only do companies have to carry out an immense administrative burden, which is not free of charge, when withholding and paying payroll tax, but they are also liable when mistakes are made. The result of all this is that payroll tax is increasingly becoming a kind of corporate tax. Targeted strategic and operational payroll tax advice helps companies to minimize tax and administrative burdens.

Moreover, payroll tax has repeatedly proved to be contentious, but this is not surprising on closer inspection. Tax arrears often place a considerable burden on companies, are always untimely and are therefore difficult to calculate. Many companies have no choice but to fight with the tax authorities or in court for their right to do so. In addition, tax authorities are increasingly making criminal tax allegations, making contentious disputes inevitable.

  • Procedural know-how is used to
  • conduct negotiations for companies with financial authorities
  • request appeal information
  • conduct opposition proceedings
  • conduct appeals before the tax court
  • represent companies before the Federal Fiscal Court

In day-to-day business, payroll tax advice is available by telephone and email. Through short communication channels, companies receive quick and up-to-date answers to operational payroll tax questions and concrete proposals for action as well as brief feedback on their own work results.

Strategic payroll tax issues are worked out in detail in writing and are intensively discussed in a personal interview. Practical assessments of complex individual topics are the main focus and are reflected in expert opinions.

Strategic and operational payroll tax advice creates added value for companies by

  • supporting departments on strategic payroll tax issues and day-to-day business issues
  • helping to assess fiscal risks
  • reducing administrative overhead
  • sparring when checking work results
  • helping achieve quick responses to legal changes
  • preventing tax risks (compliance) and heavy additional demands at payroll tax audits
  • improving the organizational and process structure
  • providing support in disputes with the tax administration, financial courts and the Federal Fiscal Court
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Alternative Investments

Audit

Smart audit – our solutions for your success
  • Annual audits (HGB)
  • Audits of the consolidated financial statements (HGB, IFRS)
  • BaFin audits (KAGB, KWG, WpIG, ZAG, VermAnlG)
  • Audits according to the Securities Trading Act (WpHG), the Financial Assets brokerage Ordinance (FinVermV) and the Broker and Developer Ordinance (MaBV)
  • Annual audit of investment assets (AIF/UCITS)
  • Audit of internal control systems according to IDW PS 951, ISAE 3402 and SSAE 16
  • Evaluation reports/reviews/plausibility reports for investments according to IPEV, IDW-S1
  • Due diligence
  • Audit of asset-backed securities transactions
  • Audit of KIDs and brochures according to IDW S4
  • Audit of sales documentation for conformity with Section 63 para. 6 WpHG
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Alternative Investments

Administration & Outsourcing

Effective interfaces create added value
  • Investor management/support
  • Preparation/sending of tax result notices
  • Capital calls and distributions
  • Compliance with regulatory requirements such as reporting under the Bundesbank Act or fulfilment of ESMA reporting obligations
  • Subscription process support (KYC/AML)
  • Appointment of a money laundering officer – from establishment to the annual report
  • Appointment of a compliance officer – from the risk/needs analysis to the annual report
  • FATCA/CRS classification and registration of legal entities
  • Fiduciary activity
  • Payment processing
  • Creation of organization manuals/policies/guidelines
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Alternative Investments

Accounting

The engine room for every investment
  • Ongoing financial accounting in accordance with German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch, or HGB) with up to 3 accounting groups (HGB/KARBV/tax law)
  • Preparation of VAT advance declarations
  • Submission of quarterly reports (balance sheets, income statement, capital accounts and cash flow statement) for reporting purposes
  • Preparation of financial statements in accordance with HGB, and KAGB/KARBV and notes
  • Preparation and transmission of the e-balance sheet to the tax authorities and implementation of the annual disclosure of the financial statements required by law
  • Communication with external auditors and coordination of the audit process
  • Monitoring of accounting and balance sheet regulations
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Alternative Investments

Taxes

Reducing risk through tax compliance
  • Preparation of tax returns
  • Preparation of tax statement on excess of receipts over expenses incl. reconciliation of balance sheet for tax purposes/statement on excess of receipts over expenses for asset management funds
  • Distribution of the tax results among the participants and management of the capital accounts
  • Preparation of supplementary and special balance sheets incl. supplementary and special income statement
  • Support in the context of external/tax audits
  • Advice and representation in extra-judicial appeal procedures and in tax court and auditing proceedings
  • Ongoing tax advice and preparation of written reports
  • Tax due diligence
  • Reimbursement/reduction of withholding tax
  • FATCA/CRS messages
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Alternative Investments

onception& transactions

Integral part of any investment strategy
  • Tax structuring
  • Second Opinion
  • Formation of companies
  • Preparatory advice for license applications at BaFin
  • Tax transaction consulting
  • Preparation for exit at portfolio companies
  • Assumption of management functions
  • Domiciling and trust relationships
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Financial Services

Sustainability ESG

Our interdisciplinary team from the areas of tax consulting, auditing and business consulting supports you in understanding and implementing the legal ESG requirements with regard to ESG, CSRD and NFRD. Our approach is thorough: We conduct an in-depth analysis of your business processes and structures to develop a strategy that enables you to optimally meet the legal requirements.
  • The audit or preparation of sustainability reports and compliance with the disclosure regulation in accordance with current EU guidelines and the requirements of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG frameworks)
  • “Ready for 2025” sustainability check: We ensure that your company meets the sustainability requirements for 2025 and beyond.
  • GAP analysis of GRI, DNK, CSRD, NFRD: We identify potential gaps in your current reporting and offer recommendations to close them.
  • SFDR compliance: We support you in complying with SFDR through comprehensive advice and audit.
  • ESG integration: We help you integrate ESG factors into your business strategy and practices.
  • Audit and support in the development of KPIs and reports as well as controlling structures and processes: We analyze your existing structures and support you in their further development.
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Financial Services

Administration&Outsourcing

We assume the functions as compliance officer according to Article 22 MiFID II-DVO/MaRisk/KAMaRisk for regulated companies and give you the necessary security regarding the implementation of the regulatory requirements.
  • Assuming and fulfilling the ongoing compliance function, in particular the position of a technically qualified compliance officer and/or deputy
  • Outsourcing of reporting, internal audit, money laundering function and data protection
  • Target-actual analysis of internal guidelines, documentation and the laws to be observed by the company, as well as compliance management processes that have already been implemented, if applicable. Summary of these analysis results in a report to senior management
  • Monitoring of compliance with the relevant laws (parameters of the company’s legal inventory)
  • Developing and implementing an effective compliance management system (CMS)
  • Developing a training concept and/or implementing training courses for those responsible under compliance and supervisory aspects
  • Advice and regular reporting to management
  • Communication with staff and supervisory authorities
  • Risk-oriented control of selected processes at appropriate intervals for their compliance conformity
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Financial Services

Regulation

  • Regulatory advice on KWG/WpHG/KAGB/ZAG compliance
  • Design/implementation of supervisory and organizational requirements as well as process design and optimization
  • Accompanying approval and registration procedures according to Section 32 KWG, Section 16 WPIG, Section 10 ZAG and Section 20 KAGB
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Financial Services

Audit

  • Audits in accordance with the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz,or KWG)
  • Audits in accordance with the German Securities Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz, or WpHG)
  • Audits in accordance with the German Investment Code (Kapitalanlagegesetzbuch, or KAGB)
  • Audits in accordance with the German Payment Services Oversight Act (Zahlungsdiensteaufsichtsgesetz, or ZAG)/li>
  • Audits of institutes in accordance with KWG, WpHG, KAGB, ZAG
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

International Expansion

Inbound

Companies based outside Germany that are expanding into Germany are guided by us through the administrative and legal requirements in all expansion phases. From hiring only one employee, to setting up a branch or subsidiary, to merging, selling or liquidating, we provide advice and assistance at all stages.

  • Company tax registration
  • Establishing financial and payroll bookkeeping systems
  • Preparation of current monthly, quarterly and financial statements in accordance with German and/or international accounting standards
  • Reporting to the parent company
  • Ongoing tax assistance
  • Design and documentation of transfer pricing for tax purposes
  • Tax optimization of the foreign parent company
  • Applications for exemption from withholding tax
Outbound

We accompany companies across borders and act as an interface with foreign consultants, service partners or other contact persons. Based on our many years of experience with companies coming to Germany from abroad, we know that “simple” things are complicated across borders. We bring this experience to the table when we support domestic companies in their expansion beyond Germany’s borders.

Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Management consulting

We offer solutions around the topics of restructuring, digitization, executive and team coaching and other transformation projects. By working together with us, you can be sure that your company not only meets current requirements, but is also prepared for what the future brings.

We believe that the issue of sustainability is fundamentally more than just compliance with legal requirements. The ESG criteria are good basic principles for responsible, smart and forward-looking corporate management and ensuring a healthy and sustainable life. The art is to integrate these principles in a meaningful, sensible and goal-oriented way.

The challenge of transformation lies in creating acceptance and commitment among all stakeholders and in agreeing on economic and sustainable goals of the company.

Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Legal Advice

We are at your disposal for all legal questions. However, our focus is on business-related areas of law, in particular business law. Of course, tax law aspects are always taken into account. We accompany you from the establishment of a company, the choice of the right legal form, through the design or adaptation of company contracts, the drafting of employment contracts, right through to the planning and legal implementation of restructuring.

In specific areas such as patent law, industrial property rights, antitrust law, etc., we work with specialized cooperation partners in Germany and abroad.

Private-law mediation can help resolve long and costly conflicts. As experienced associates, we support the parties with targeted communication and structured procedures on the way to amicable conflict resolution in compliance with professional and methodological standards. Particularly in the case of family matters such as inheritance disputes or separation of marriages, individual solutions can thus often be found that are accepted by all involved.

Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Wages and salaries

  • Payroll setup
  • Monthly payroll accounting
  • Production of payroll tax returns and proof of contribution
  • Setup of a monthly wage payment list
  • Registration and de-registration of employees with social security institutions
  • Issue of proof of earnings certificates
  • Professional association certificates
  • Processing of applications for continued payment of salaries and in the case of illness
  • Expat income tax returns
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Audit

As modern auditors, we offer you more than just an audit of your accounting system. Comprehensive, high-quality and forward-looking services in auditing must always also meet the demand for added value for the client: from brainstorming in difficult decision-making situations through investment analyses to audit services for voluntary or statutory financial statements.

Take advantage of our diversity and our independent feedback to achieve maximum security for your business decisions.

  • Audit of consolidated and separate financial statements
  • Financial & tax due diligence
  • Compilation of event-related company assessments according to generally accepted standards
  • Preparation of business valuation according to IDW standards
Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Accounting

Accounting is the numerical backbone of a company. The information required for the management of the company is obtained here and the financial statements required under commercial and tax law are compiled on the basis of this information and data.

  • Establishment and compilation of current financial accounting (DATEV)
  • Preparation of VAT advance declarations
  • Budgeting
  • Business controlling analyses
  • Preparation of monthly or quarterly financial statements
  • Preparation of financial statements or interim financial statements

As an outsourcing partner, we take over partial areas or the entire accounting system, including payment transactions, dunning and management reports for our customers. In doing so, we integrate ourselves in the best possible way into the processes of your company up to integration into your accounting systems such as SAP, Navision, EXACT Online, SAGE, Addison, etc.

Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.

Corporate & Private Wealth

Taxes

Our experience and specializations enable tailor-made tax advice. Consulting and preparation of tax returns are carried out under continuous coordination regarding risk assessment, obligations and monitoring of deadlines.

Of course, our tasks also include the monitoring of audits, tax law enforcement as well as the coordination of foreign tax advisors and the necessary FATCA/CRS compliance. Complex questions about inheritances or wills, succession regulations and gifts as well as general international tax law are also among our core competencies.

The interaction of German and foreign tax laws determines the setting of transfer prices for tax purposes; here, our tax advisors support you in the preparation of the transfer price documentation.

Do you have any questions on the subject?
Please contact us.