Whether you are replacing an old investment or simply selling one, this article walks you through every step to handle it correctly in Accountable. Getting this right matters: it stops depreciation at the right moment, removes the asset from your books, and calculates any capital gain or loss automatically.
⚠️This guide is for self-employed individuals keeping simplified accounting in Accountable. If you operate through a company (SRL/BV, SA/NV, …), both the bookkeeping and the tax treatment of the gain are different: the gain is taxed at the corporate income tax rate, not at the 16.5% separate rate, and getting the proceeds to you personally adds a further step. The steps below do not all apply to companies. |
ℹ️ This guide covers selling an asset. If your asset was lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair, see this article instead. If you are closing your business entirely, see this article. |
Use this flow when the asset was recorded at 100% professional use in Accountable and appears in your Amortization table.
Go to Settings > Amortisation (mobile) or More > Amortization table (web).
Open the asset and select Mark asset as sold.
Choose the sale date.
Either link an existing sales invoice, or create a new one directly from this screen (see section C).
Once linked, Accountable automatically stops depreciation as of the sale date, removes the residual value from your assets list, and calculates the capital gain or loss. When you receive payment, link the bank transaction to the sales invoice as you would for any other invoice.
Make sure the sales invoice uses the correct VAT treatment for your situation before linking it (see section D below).
If the asset was recorded with a professional-use percentage below 100%, the rule is consistency: the VAT and tax treatment on sale must follow how you treated the asset at purchase.
If at purchase you recorded only the business share (professional use below 100%), then at sale you invoice and record only that same business share of the selling price. The private portion stays out of your business accounts entirely.
If at purchase you recorded the full asset in the business (which is common for many assets), then the sale is a full business transaction at the full selling price, with normal VAT rules.
Special case for passenger cars: VAT deduction on cars in Belgium is generally limited to 50%. The accepted practice at resale is to charge 21% VAT on 50% of the selling price only. For light commercial vehicles where you could deduct 100% VAT, VAT applies to the full selling price. Make sure your invoice wording is correct before linking it to the asset in Accountable.
Go to Revenues tab > click on Create an invoice in the top right corner.
Add your customer details and, for EU B2B customers, include their valid VAT number so the correct VAT treatment can apply.
Add one line describing the asset clearly (model, serial number, or for vehicles the licence plate or key identification details). Select the correct VAT rate for the asset and your situation.
After saving the invoice, go to Settings, Amortisation, open the asset, mark it as Sold, and link it to this invoice. This linking step is essential: it is what tells Accountable to stop depreciation and book the gain or loss correctly.
When selling a business asset, the standard VAT rules apply just as for any regular sale.
Belgian customer: charge Belgian VAT at the standard rate for that asset (usually 21%, sometimes 6% or 12%).
VAT-registered customer in another EU member state (goods physically transported there): charge 0% VAT as an intra-Community supply. The customer applies the reverse charge. Validate the customer's VAT number and add the legal mention "Intra-Community supply, exempt under art. 39bis of the Belgian VAT Code".
Customer outside the EU (with proof of export): 0% VAT as an export, exempt under art. 39 of the VAT Code. Keep your export documents.
Small business VAT exemption (franchise de la taxe): you do not charge VAT. Your invoice must carry the mention "Exempt from VAT, art. 56bis of the VAT Code".
For mixed-use assets, adjust the VAT base on the professional-use percentage applied at purchase. For passenger cars, this is usually capped at 50%.
Accountable calculates this automatically once you mark the asset as sold and link the sales invoice. Here is what happens in the background:
Gain or loss = sale price (excl. VAT) - residual book value
The residual value is the original purchase price excluding VAT, minus all depreciation already booked. If the sale price is higher than the residual value, you have a capital gain. If it is lower, you have a capital loss.
Example: you bought a laptop for €1,200 excl. VAT and depreciated €800 over time. The residual value is €400. If you sell it for €600 excl. VAT, the gain is €200. If you sell it for €300 excl. VAT, the loss is €100.
Your capital gain will appear automatically in your annual income tax declaration under step 4 in the web app.
A capital loss works the other way round: it is a deductible professional loss that reduces your taxable income for the year.
ℹ️ How is the gain taxed? It depends on how long you used the asset, counted from the purchase date to the sale date (day to day, not in number of depreciation years): Less than 5 years: the gain is added to your ordinary professional income, taxed at the progressive rates, and is also subject to social contributions. At least 5 years: a more favourable regime applies. You can choose between spread taxation (if you reinvest the sale price in depreciable assets) or a separate rate of 16.5% (+ municipal surcharges). The 16.5% option is usually the most advantageous. The impact can be significant, so check the best option for your situation with your Coach Fiscal. |
📌 Special case: gift or sale below market value. If you give the asset away or sell it below its market value, its book value is written off as an exceptional depreciation, but you must also book an "abnormal or gratuitous benefit" (avantage anormal ou bénévole) equal to its market value (art. 26 of the Belgian Income Tax Code). In practice you may be taxed as if you had sold the asset at its market value, so check with your Coach Fiscal before transferring an asset for free or at a reduced price. |
Recording the sale as regular revenue A business asset sale must be recorded as an asset disposal, not as standard sales income. If you book it as revenue, Accountable cannot correctly track the residual value or calculate the gain or loss.
Applying the wrong VAT rate Always check the correct VAT rate for the asset and your VAT status. If you are under the small business VAT exemption, you should not charge VAT at all.
Using 0% VAT without meeting the conditions 0% is only valid for export with proof, or intra-Community supply with a valid customer VAT number and proof of transport. Applying 0% without the right conditions can lead to corrections and penalties.
Missing reverse-charge wording for EU B2B sales Validate the customer's VAT number, keep proof of transport, and add the correct reverse-charge statement on the invoice. If any of these are missing, the 0% rate may be rejected.
Ignoring mixed professional and private use Align the VAT treatment on the sale with the professional-use percentage used at purchase. Passenger cars are the most common trap.
Forgetting VAT revision rules for investment goods If you sell an investment good within the VAT revision period (typically 5 years for moveable assets, 15 years for property), a VAT correction may be required or possible in your favour. The amount depends on how long the asset was held and the original VAT deduction.
Not keeping supporting documents Always keep the sales invoice, proof of payment, and any document supporting the VAT treatment: transport documents for EU sales, export documents for non-EU sales. Missing documents is one of the fastest ways to lose the 0% VAT position.
Still have a question, or unsure how to handle your specific situation? Reach out via the in-app chat. We're happy to help 😊
How to add my existing assets under amortization in Accountable
Buying a building for your business: what you can and can't depreciate
What to do when a business asset is stolen or broken beyond repair
Thinking of shutting down your business? How assets, books and VAT are handled
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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