We are building this for investors across Europe, starting with Germany. Withholding forms, K-1s that local advisors can't read, and a group filing you cannot do alone. We make it plain, and we coordinate the work.
A missing or incorrect W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E can mean 30 percent US withholding on distributions. The form has to match your actual structure, and it expires. Your advisor confirms which form applies to you.
Where a US fund has more than one German investor, German law provides for a unified filing for the group. No single investor and no single advisor can complete it alone. It has to be organised across everyone involved.
Whether you invest privately or through a holding company changes which documents are needed and how the fund's reporting is used. The starting question of every engagement is which of the two applies to you.
The downstream work differs in each case, and the coordination is set up accordingly. Your own advisor assesses what is right for you.
Investing as a German individual directly into a US fund or SPV. How the fund's income is reported in your personal filings is determined by your advisor, working from structured input prepared by Plainly LP.
Fewer moving parts in the annual document cycle.
Investing through a German holding company. How the investment is carried and updated each year is determined by your advisor, working from the fund's reporting.
More documents each year, prepared on the same annual rhythm.
Plainly is not a one-off fix. There are four moments in the life of your investment where things can go wrong quietly. We are there for each of them.
One-time assessment per fund structure and Operating Agreement, shared across all German investors in the same fund. Where the classification sits in a grey zone that could mean higher taxation, a formal opinion from a licensed tax advisor is part of this step.
Per-investor setup at the start of the investment. Turning the structural review into practical steps: what applies to you, what needs to happen, and when.
Ongoing coordination so the annual work runs smoothly. For the investor, the tax advisor, and the fund administrator.
Collection of exit documentation from the GP and fund administrator. A structured handover package when the moment arrives.
Across our work with German investors in US funds, a small set of questions comes up again and again. This short reference captures the essentials, useful when you are about to commit, when you are already invested, or when you are preparing your annual filings.
Four stages. Twelve items. A practical reference, built from real cases. Not advice.
One email. One document. No follow-up sequence. Open the checklist page →
If your fund already works with Plainly, you'll receive your invitation directly from them.
Register your interest and we will be in touch to understand your setup, the fund involved, and what coordination would look like.
No commitment. No invoice.