… without infringing European law? After the European Court of Justice ordered Belgium to change its rules on the taxation of overseas properties and to pay a penalty of €2 million and a daily payment of €7,500 (for prior coverage see here). Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem rolled out an ambitious plan to set up a register of all properties held by Belgian residents all …
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Confused UK retirees …
The Belgian tax authorities are emphasising that it has nothing to do with Brexit, but this year, they have suddenly decided to tax Belgian state pensions paid to British retirees living in the UK. The problem is the double tax treaty between Belgium and the United Kingdom and the transitional rule for older retirees. What is it all about? If you live in one country …
Tax Filing in Corona Times
2021 Tax Return: the Guide In these Covid-19 times, many of us are still trying to work from home. The government is trying to make life a bit easier with some tax measures (see “Taxes in Corona Times”). Even in confinement, the taxman wants your tax return by 30 June; if you file online, you have another two weeks, until 15 July. It is time to …
France Upholds Broad Interpretation of Permanent Establishment
In a recent landmark decision, the French Supreme Administrative Court has ruled that a French company can qualify as a dependent agent, and as such be the permanent establishment of an Irish affiliated company, if it habitually exercises the authority to conclude contracts in the name of that company, even though formal consent to these contracts can only be given by the Irish affiliate. (Conseil …
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Have Stocks, Must Pay Taxes
If you invest on the stock market, and buy Apple, AB Inbev or Microsoft shares, you must not forget the taxman.
When you buy shares, you pay tax. When you receive dividends or when you sell shares, you pay tax. You pay tax just for holding stocks.
The final decision on the double taxation of French Dividends?
The Belgian Supreme Court has – for the second time – confirmed that the double taxation treaty between Belgium and France, Belgium must give a tax credit for the French withholding tax on French dividends against the Belgian withholding tax. The Belgian tax authorities cannot hide behind the text of the Belgian tax code to deny Belgian taxpayers the benefit of the Belgium-France tax treaty. …
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New Tax Rules for Overseas Properties
The European Court of Justice has ordered Belgium to change its rules on the taxation of overseas properties and to pay a penalty of €2 million and a daily payment of €7,500 (for prior coverage see here). Discrimination of owners of overseas properties. In the case of real property in Belgium, whether that is a second residence or a buy-to-let, the tax is calculated on …
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Brexit and Belgian Pensions
If you live in the UK and you receive a pension from the Service FĂ©dĂ©ral des Pensions, you may have received a letter to say from 1 January 2021 the rules concerning social and tax deductions to be deducted from Belgium pensions will change for people living in the United Kingdom. This is correct, until the end of the year, the UK is part of …
Webinar ‘Expat Financial Affairs’, Q&A
On 10 December, we made two presentations on wills and estate planning at the annual Expat Financial Affairs event of the British Chamber. Here are some of the questions and our answers. Real estate acquired before marriage is personal or communal property? Under the Belgian default matrimonial property rules, spouses have community property from the day they get married. Everything spouses acquire during their marriage is community …
Upcoming webinars
we organise regular – free – webinars on various issues related to taxes and estate planning
– The new Tax on Securities Accounts – 7 January 2021
– The Art of the Gift – 28 January 2021
– The Art of writing a Will – 25 February 2021