The status of ‘self-employed student’ is particularly advantageous, provided you don't exceed the income ceiling. Because if you do, you and your parents could be in for a surprise when it comes to taxes, family allowances, or even student grants. We'll tell you all about it in this article!
In Belgium, provided you're still registered as a student, your parents receive family allowances until you turn 25, even if you have the status of self-employed student.
There’s one important condition: your self-employed activity cannot exceed certain limits, both in terms of income and working hours. If you exceed these limits, you and your parents risk losing your child benefit as a self-employed student.
The rules are different depending on where you live.
💡Accountable tip: If your income is between €8,504.44 and €17,008.88 and you can prove that you haven't worked more than 240 hours, you can have your situation reviewed. Ask your family allowance fund for advice.
Basically, your parents pay less tax when they have a fiscally dependent child. So talk to your parents regularly about your annual income to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Yes, you can receive a student grant even if you’re a self-employed student, provided your income stays below certain levels.
💡To find out more about the conditions for accessing a student grant, consult the website of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
As a self-employed student, you don’t pay taxes as long as you remain below the tax-exempt amount of €10,910 (in 2025).
💡Accountable tip: Business expenses can significantly reduce your taxable income. For example, you earned €5,000 this year, but you bought a new computer worth €1,000 for your business? In this case, your gross annual income is €4,000, so you don't pay taxes, you remain fiscally dependent on your parents, and you keep your family allowances.
Are you a student dreaming of starting a freelance business, but don't know where to start? The Accountable team ✨will guide you step by step.
Keep an eye on your income in real time in our app. That way, you can ensure you don't exceed the maximum amount so you can keep your family allowances as a self-employed student.
💡Ready to get started? Here's our guide to getting started as a student freelancer
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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