Some traditions we are happy to keep up: FOCUS MONEY has put tax firms across Germany to the test for the 21st time — and named the Steffen & Partner group a "Top-Steuerberater" (top tax advisor) in the segment of large firms for the 17th consecutive time (issue 24/2026).
The leitmotif of this year's test is the final farewell to the proverbial shoebox full of fuel receipts: the Steuerberater (German Certified Tax Advisor) of 2026, according to the editors, is "no longer a data administrator but a data interpreter". 99.5 per cent of the top firms tested use AI for research, and more than 90 per cent use it in accounting. We admit it: we do not miss the feather duster.
Behind the award lies a demanding procedure — an extensive questionnaire covering firm structure, specialisation, continuing education, people management, and AI and digitalisation, plus 22 tricky technical questions posed by tax auditors that account for 60 per cent of the overall result. Steffen & Partner competed in the most demanding category of large firms (30 or more staff), the one in which the biggest names in the industry are also listed. In total, FOCUS MONEY names 360 top firms across Germany.
And as with every award: we are delighted — but the benchmark is set by our clients. An overview of all awards can be found under Awards.
FOCUS MONEY — Top-Steuerberater 2026
The original reprint as a PDF.