You invoice copyright revenue to your clients in Belgium? Here is a handy step-by-step guide for declaration and payment of the withholding tax.
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After each sales invoice, your client has to pay and declare the withholding tax.
Most of Accountable users usually take care of the payment and declaration directly, in order to simplify the life of their clients.
If you pay yourself, the first step is to find the correct amount and instructions on the sales invoice generated by Accountable:

Simply proceed to the payment of the mentioned amount to the IBAN on the invoice.
If you want to make the declaration online for your client, here is how to do it.
1- Log in to MyMinfin using your eID card & reader, or Itsme
2- Open the tab "Ma déclaration" > "Précompte mobilier"
3- Select "une autre entreprise" and indicate the VAT number of your client (you declare and pay in place of your client)

4- In the Declaration screen, select "273S - Droits d'auteur et droits voisins" and indicate the date of your invoice.

5- Next, you will need to enter the amounts to be declared.
First of all, select the tax rate of 15%.
The withholding tax is borne by the Beneficiary if you pay
The "Allocated amount" corresponds to the copyright income that you have invoiced
The deductible amount is 50% of the invoiced amount
The Taxable Amount is the rest = 50% of the invoiced amount
The amount of the withholding tax is 15% x 50% x Amount allocated (i.e. 7.5% of the income)


6- The next screen shows you the summary. Click on "valider".

7- Finally, you have the option to attach a file if necessary. Then click on "envoyer mes documents"

⚠️ It is mandatory to declare form 281.45 ⚠️🚨🚨Please note that filing tax returns for a separate entity without formal authorization can be risky. Although it may sometimes be inconsequential, it is problematic to submit a tax return without the explicit agreement of the debtor of the copyright income. |
In order to report on the total copyright income you have received during the year, your client must file the "fiche 281.45" declaration.
In the same logic as for the withholding tax, you can file the tax declaration yourself and save the admin hurdle for your client.
⚠️ The deadline is February 28th, for the total copyright income from the previous year.
Here are the steps to file the declaration:
Use it'sme to login
Select "in the name of a company" and select your name and VAT number as a natural person self employed

Select "envoi par encodage" > "ecrans de saisie

Select "ajouter une déclaration" then fill in the details of your client


Select "type de fiche"

In the next screen, select the fiche 281.45 then fill in all the information

In the next screen, input the yearly amounts that you have received

Finally, submit the declaration
All the information in the file below (FR & NL) ⬇️
Author - Valesca Wilms
As content marketing lead at Accountable Belgium, Valesca writes about freelancing, self-employment, and taxes based on her own experience as a freelancer.
Who is Valesca ?Thank you for your feedback!
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