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Sheet 04 — Tips & tricks

Eight things you want to know as an entrepreneur.

The questions we answer most often on the phone, in black and white. Click a card for the full story.

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Cost structure

You have more costs than you think

Our starting point: you always have more business costs than you think. Walk through your day mentally:

That's how you walk through your day and every time you spend on business: pay from your business account and immediately scan the receipt with the SnelStart app or upload the invoice PDF into the SnelStart Purchases portal.

But surely I don't have that many costs? — says 99% of people You have more costs than you think. Call us and find out. Call 020 - 369 29 61

Hover or tap the balloon.

Investments

December or January?

The word "investment" came up several times in the cost structure tip and not without reason: if you invest more than a certain amount in a fiscal year, we can apply additional deductions for you.

Practical tip: want to buy something in December, but you won't reach the threshold this year? Then wait until January. You'll have a whole year left to possibly make another investment and reach the threshold after all.

You'll find the current threshold at the Dutch Tax Administration' page on the small-scale investment deduction (KIA). Click through to the relevant year there (page in Dutch).

Pay on time

Instant isn't always instant

Always pay your business taxes well in time. Within the Netherlands, money is in principle debited and credited instantly, but administratively that's not always the case.

You've probably seen it: you pay by card at the Albert Heijn and later the amount shows up in your bank statement dated the next day. It works the same way at the Dutch Tax Administration. Transfer the money on the very last day and administratively that can trigger a fine.

So pay on time or use the iDEAL/Wero payment feature in SnelStart.

Payment dates

Put them in your calendar now

At the start of the year, put all payment dates in your calendar:

Provisional assessment

An advance on the bill

The provisional assessment is, so to speak, an advance on the bill and only applies to income tax and corporate income tax. The Dutch Tax Administration often sends one on its own initiative, but bases it on your latest filed return. So your advance may well be based on figures from one and a half to two years ago. And a lot may have changed in the meantime.

You can therefore always submit a request to change your provisional assessment. In many cases the Dutch Tax Administration agrees, but it's not guaranteed.

Does your situation change significantly during the year? Let us know and we'll request the adjustment for you.

Tax interest

Avoid the unpleasant surprise

If your income tax or corporate income tax is paid later than 1 July after the end of the year, the Dutch Tax Administration charges tax interest. That can happen, for example, when an extension has been requested for you. We request one by default. The card explains why. And now that interest rates in Europe have risen, tax interest has risen right along with them. So this is one to stay ahead of.

The solution is called the provisional assessment (voorlopige aanslag): no tax interest is charged over the amount you have already paid during the year through your provisional assessment. Want us to request one? Let us know.

And take note: if your situation changes significantly during the year, tell us and ask us to adjust the provisional assessment. That way you will not be facing an unpleasant surprise when we discuss your return with you.

Filing extension

An additional year

The regular deadlines are 1 May (income tax) and 1 June (corporate income tax). Because we have to spread our work across the whole year, the Dutch Tax Administration has given us permission to apply for an extension: an additional year to file our clients' returns. We make use of that.

Some people want their return done as soon as possible, others prefer to wait as long as possible. Let us know your preference and we'll take it into account in our planning.

See also our annual planning under How we work.

Good to know: an extension means filing later, not owing later. Once your final tax assessment (aanslag) arrives, the Dutch Tax Administration charges interest over the period from 1 July up to that assessment. The card explains how to avoid that.

Income tax checklist

What do we need from you?

The same question every year, so here it is in black and white: this is what we need from you for a standard income tax return. Not everything applies to you. Just send in what does.

Not sure whether something is relevant? Just send it along or ask. Better one document too many than one too few.

Handy tip: grab last year's return and, for everything that was declared then, look up this year's documents. In many cases that covers almost the entire return.

This checklist has its own web address: upscaleconsultancy.com/en/tips.html#checklist-ib. Handy to save. Or click the link icon in the top right, next to the close button, to copy the link.