Eschborn, December 21, 2023: BRRS lawyer Sabine Bleier has obtained an important decision of the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) for BRRS partner Dr. Stephan Schlegel on the obligation to make a transfer in the case of released self-employment.
Obligations in the case of released activity
A self-employed debtor who can no longer find dependent employment on the regular labor market but still earns profits from his released self-employed activity is obliged to transfer attachable amounts. In its judgment of October 12, 2023 – IX ZR 162/22 – the Federal Court of Justice ruled that – contrary to a widespread opinion in the literature – a debtor who is self-employed is also obliged to transfer attachable amounts in accordance with section 295 (2) InsO old version if he is working in a non-compulsory capacity. The question of the obligation to pay is solely dependent on whether an activity is actually carried out.
Even those who are not available to the labor market must make payments
With this decision, the BGH clarifies the question of whether a debtor who is not available to the regular labor market due to his age, for health reasons or due to special circumstances that can be taken into account, but who is nevertheless self-employed and makes a profit, is obliged to make a transfer. The BGH affirms this against the background that the aim of Section 35 InsO is to allow creditors to participate in the income and profits.