American Belgians risk losing their Belgian bank account in 2020
As recently communicated in the Belgian media, Belgians with the American nationality risk losing their Belgian bank accounts because of the strict application of the U.S. FATCA-legislation. FATCA In application of the FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), which is also applicable in relation to U.S. citizens residing in Belgium, financial institutions outside the U.S.
Unfavourable treatment of Belgian residents that invest in property abroad: the story continues
On 25 July 2019 the European Commission decided to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for its failure to properly implement new rules related to the taxation of rental income of foreign immovable property owned by Belgian tax payers. Last year, on the 12th of April 2018, the European Court of
Gentlemen’s agreement Belgium-Luxembourg: a new chapter for cross-border workers
On 16 May 2019 the Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and the Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel have agreed to reopen negotiations regarding the double tax treaty concluded between Belgium and Luxembourg, with respect to the taxation of individuals working in a cross-border context. Belgian-Luxembourg double tax treaty In principle, employees who are tax resident
Newshub: Belgian Tax Authorities announce some of their focus areas for 2019 tax audits
The Belgian Tax Authorities have recently announced some of their focus areas for 2019 for tax audits. This early warning allows both individual taxpayers and enterprises to ensure compliance with their Belgian tax obligations. Enterprises can expect to face more scrutiny in relation to the following subjects: Companies who do not fulfill all the conditions
Taxation of severance pay – reference year: 12 months of taxable ‘professional income’
Severance pay From a Belgian income tax point of view, all payments made by a company as a result of the discontinuation of the work or the termination of an employment contract of an employee are characterized as “severance pay”. In principle, such payments are taxed in accordance with the regime of article 171, 5°,
New Royal Decree published on legal constructions outside EEA falling in the scope of the Cayman Tax
Cayman Tax The so-called ‘Cayman Tax’, introduced as from 1 January 2015, is a taxation regime in the Belgian income tax code that introduces a tax transparency of certain legal constructions that have been set up by Belgian private individual tax residents. The income of certain qualifying entities will be taxed directly in the hands
