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The number of simplified declaration proposals has been on the rise for several years now. This year, more than 3.2 million Belgians will receive such a proposal. If nothing needs to be changed, you do not need to respond either. However, if something does need to change (i.e. the Tax Authorities hold incorrect or incomplete data), then you must respond in good time. This year, it will be more likely than previously thought that people will need to respond. 

Incorrect proposal – what kind of snags might be in the proposal? 

The Tax Authorities have drawn up these proposals based on the information that it holds. You only have to look at Tax-on-Web to realise that the Tax Authorities do indeed know a great deal about its taxpayers. This year, however, there are two new and important features in the tax return for which the Tax Authorities do not hold the necessary information, and which will therefore require changes in many situations. We will explain these two new and important features in the tax return briefly below.  

  • Reporting the existence of more than one securities account 
    The first new feature is that you must now report whether you were a holder in 2018 of more than one securities account. If this was the case, then the new code 1072/2072 must be ticked in the tax return. The Tax Authorities will not receive any information from the banks on this. 

    Consequence: all taxpayers with more than one securities account who have received a simplified declaration proposal will need to correct this proposal. If they fail to do so, their tax return will be inaccurate. 
     

  • Exempted dividends for the first instalment of 640 EUR ​
    A second new feature, on which the Tax Authorities have no information, concerns the personal income tax exemption introduced in 2018 for the first instalment of 640 EUR in dividends received. However, the banks have not applied this exemption when paying out the dividends. The incorrectly deducted withholding tax should therefore be recouped by means of the personal income tax return via the codes 1437/2437. The banks will not be making any records of the dividends that taxpayers receive, so the Tax Authorities have no sight of this. 

    Consequence: all taxpayers who have received dividends from which withholding tax was deducted and have received a simplified declaration proposal can still recoup the withholding tax on the first instalment of 640 EUR (i.e. max 192 EUR) if they correct the proposed declaration. 

Respond in good time 

The simplified declaration proposal can already be consulted via Tax-on-Web. The Tax Authorities will send a paper copy to all those who have not yet consulted the electronic proposal by the end of May. 

The correction to the proposal must happen by: 

  • 28 June: if it is done on paper, the response form must reach the Tax Authorities by this date.
  • 11 July: if it is done via Tax-on-Web. 

And what if you have received a simplified declaration proposal, while you have already given a mandate to your bookkeeper/ accountant? While your agent does, in principle, have time to submit the tax return until 24 October, no separate term is provided for agents to correct the simplified declaration proposals. Therefore, the final deadline of 11 July applies here as well. The Tax Authorities are reported to be watching this more closely this year. 

Contact one of our experts

An Lettens

An Lettens

Partner Tax & Legal Services

Business & International Tax


Karolien Vanmeerhaeghe

Karolien Vanmeerhaeghe

Director Tax & Legal Services

VAT advice