When you open an account, we’re required by banking regulations to verify your income. These documents help us confirm your financial situation and keep your account secure.
This article explains which income documents issued in Germany you can provide, depending on whether the account holder is:
- A legal entity (company or organization)
- An individual (natural person)
Company income
Company income is money earned by a legal entity. This can include a limited company, association, or other registered organization.
These are the types of accepted documents you can provide as proof of company income.
| Document | Description | Issue date |
|---|---|---|
| Jahresabschluss | Annual financial statement (including balance sheet and profit & loss) | The most recent fiscal year |
| Betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung (BWA) | Profit and loss statement | Within the last 3 months |
| Steuerbescheide | Corporate tax assessment | Within the last 12 months |
| Verträge or Auftragsbestätigungen | Contracts or confirmed orders showing incoming payments. Must be sent with proof of payment or accounting records to verify your income. | Current (dates may vary by project) |
Individual income
Individual income is the money you earn from your personal activities. This can include salaried employment, self-employment, pensions, and investments.
These are the types of accepted documents you can provide as proof of individual income.
| Document | Description | Issue date |
|---|---|---|
| Gehaltsabrechnungen | Payslips | Within the last 3 months |
| Arbeitsvertrag | Employment contract - only for new jobs. Must be combined with first payslip. | Within the last month |
| Einkommensteuerbescheid | Income tax assessment notice | Within the last 12 months |
| Betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung (BWA) | Profit and loss statement (for self-employed individuals) | Within the last 3 months |
| Rentenbescheid | Pension statement | Current or within the last 3 months |
| Kindergeldnachweis | Child benefit statement. Must be sent with another proof of income to show enough evidence of your earnings. | Current or within the last 3 months |
| Mieteinnahmen (Nachweis) | Proof of rental income | Current or within the last 3 months |
Tips for preparing your documents
You can help speed up the review process by making sure your documents meet these criteria:
- Provide official documents.
- Meet the issue date requirements.
- Make sure the documents clearly show your name, address (if applicable), dates, and the amounts or sources of income.
- Include signatures or stamps if they are part of the official document.
- Make sure documents are well-lit and fully visible, with no shadows, reflections, or cropped edges.
- Include all pages if a document has multiple pages.
- Provide documents in PDF format (JPEG or PNG are also accepted).
Tip
Upload your documents together in a single file when possible. This helps us review them faster.
If you have any questions, submit a request to Swan Support.