13-week cash flow forecast
A direct, rolling weekly forecast covering all receipts and payments. Integrated with the P&L and balance sheet, so that banks and shareholders can rely on it.
Service 01 · Liquidity & Stabilisation
Secure liquidity. Regain control.
When cash runs short, days matter. In the first week we create full transparency over every euro, release cash tied up in the business and lead the conversations with banks, suppliers and credit insurers. So that management can decide again, instead of merely reacting.
In short
Liquidity stabilisation is the process of reliably securing a company's ability to pay its debts over the coming weeks and months. At its core is a 13-week cash flow forecast on a weekly basis, combined with immediate working capital measures and coordinated communication with banks, suppliers and credit insurers. Tactical typically builds this forecast within the first week and implements the measures together with management.
Most corporate crises only become visible in the cash position. The cause is often lost orders, rising costs or a project that has gone off track. The consequence is always the same: management spends its time prioritising payments instead of fixing the underlying problem.
We reverse that sequence. First comes a robust set of numbers, then we buy time, then we address the root cause. Where additional funding is needed, we negotiate it and can provide capital ourselves.
A free Excel template with instructions (in German) is available under 13-week cash flow forecast.
Updated: September 2026 · Responsible: Dr. Raphael Nagel (LL.M.), Founding Partner
Typical situations
When companies call us about liquidity.
- Liquidity can no longer be planned with confidence over the next eight to twelve weeks.
- The house bank is cutting credit lines, asking for additional collateral or requiring an independent restructuring opinion.
- Covenants under loan agreements have been breached or are about to be.
- Credit insurers are reducing limits and suppliers are switching to payment in advance.
- A major customer defaults or pays late and receivables are building up.
- Taxes, social security contributions or wages can only be paid on time with difficulty.
What we actually do
What happens in the first weeks.
Cash task force
A weekly rhythm with clear owners: payment approvals, collections, purchasing freezes and prioritisation of critical suppliers.
Working capital levers
Receivables, inventory, payables. We release tied-up capital, for example through factoring, inventory reduction and renegotiated payment terms.
Bank and creditor negotiations
Preparing and leading the discussions with house banks, lender syndicates, lessors and credit insurers. The goal: standstill, preserved facilities, bridge funding.
Bridge and interim financing
Structuring bridge loans, shareholder contributions or sale-and-leaseback. Capital from Tactical is available on request.
Insolvency law assessment
Ongoing review of solvency and the going-concern forecast together with restructuring lawyers, so that management meets its statutory duties with confidence.
Directors' duties
Liquidity is also a question of personal liability.
Managing directors of a German GmbH must monitor solvency continuously. Under § 15a of the German Insolvency Code (InsO), a company that is illiquid must file for insolvency within three weeks at the latest, and within six weeks where it is over-indebted. Payments made after the company has become insolvent can trigger personal liability for the directors.
A sound 13-week forecast is therefore doubly valuable: it shows where cash can be found, and it documents that management takes its duties seriously. Where illiquidity is imminent, it also opens the route into the StaRUG, a German restructuring procedure outside insolvency.
Tactical is not a law firm. The legal assessment is carried out by specialised restructuring lawyers with whom we work closely. We provide the numbers, the measures and the implementation.
| Term | Meaning | Deadline or horizon |
|---|---|---|
| Illiquidity (Zahlungsunfähigkeit, § 17 InsO) | Payment obligations that are due cannot be met | Insolvency filing within 3 weeks at the latest |
| Imminent illiquidity (drohende Zahlungsunfähigkeit, § 18 InsO) | Illiquidity is foreseeable | Forecast period usually 24 months; gateway to the StaRUG |
| Over-indebtedness (Überschuldung, § 19 InsO) | Assets do not cover liabilities and there is no positive going-concern forecast | Forecast period 12 months; filing within 6 weeks at the latest |
Simplified overview of German law, not legal advice. As of September 2026.
Process
The first 30 days.
Days 1 to 3
Situation report
Bank statements, open items, payment schedule. Within a few days we know how many weeks of runway actually remain.
Days 3 to 7
13-week forecast
A robust weekly forecast with scenarios, immediate measures and clear owners.
Weeks 2 to 3
Lenders at the table
A joint meeting with banks and key creditors. Standstill, secured facilities, agreed bridge.
From week 4
Fix the root causes
Transition into operational restructuring or, if required, into a StaRUG procedure or self-administration.
More than advisory
We bring not only the plan but, if needed, the money.
Traditional advisers build the cash flow forecast and recommend talking to the bank. We sit at the table ourselves and negotiate. And if the bank will not go further, Tactical can step in as a capital partner: with bridge financing, working capital or an equity investment. More under Financing in special situations (in German).
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?
A direct liquidity forecast that maps all expected receipts and payments for the next 13 weeks on a weekly basis and is rolled forward every week. It is the standard that banks, credit insurers and courts expect in a crisis, because it reveals short-term funding gaps that a monthly plan conceals.
How quickly is the forecast ready?
In acute cases within five to seven working days. We usually provide a first runway estimate after two to three days, as soon as bank statements, open items and the payment schedule are available.
What should we do if the bank cancels the credit line?
Do not negotiate alone. First build a robust forecast, then speak to all lenders together. A standstill agreement can often be reached once the bank sees that a structured process is under way. In parallel, we review alternative financing, including capital from Tactical.
When must a company in Germany file for insolvency?
In the case of illiquidity within three weeks at the latest, in the case of over-indebtedness within six weeks at the latest (§ 15a InsO). The decisive point is when the ground for insolvency objectively arose. The legal assessment is made by a restructuring lawyer; we provide the financial basis for it.
Does Tactical also take on liquidity planning only?
Yes. Many mandates start with a pure cash flow forecast and cash task force. Whether this turns into a longer engagement, a financing or an investment is your decision.
Related services
One thing usually leads to another.
Service 02
Operational restructuring
Fix the causes: costs, processes, portfolio.
More →Service 03
Proceedings & StaRUG
Restructuring with court support.
More →Capital
Financing & capital
Capital when the bank hesitates (in German).
More →Template
13-week forecast (Excel)
Free template with traffic-light logic (in German).
More →Confidential first call
Let us talk before your options narrow.
Three lines are enough. The founding partner replies personally, confidentially and with a concrete assessment.