{"id":1248,"date":"2021-12-21T17:21:43","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T16:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fix-blog.local\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/"},"modified":"2021-12-21T17:21:43","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T16:21:43","slug":"deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.accountable.eu\/en-be\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/","title":{"rendered":"Deductible expenses for self-employed in a secondary occupation: how does it work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re self-employed in a secondary occupation, you\u2019ve probably wondered about this before: is it really worth claiming your expenses and keeping all those receipts? The short answer? Absolutely. And here\u2019s why.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The highest tax bracket<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you have a side hustle alongside your main job, your self-employed income is added on top of your salary<\/strong>. If you\u2019ve chosen to set up as a sole trader, like most people in your situation, this means that everything you earn on the side might get taxed at the highest bracket of your total income<\/strong>\u2014or even higher. And that\u2019s definitely something you want to avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great way to optimise your taxes as a self-employed in a secondary occupation is to claim business expenses. By doing so, you reduce your net profit and, in turn, the amount of tax you need to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What expenses can complementary self-employed claim?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Good news! You can claim a wide range of business expenses to reduce your taxable income. Claiming expenses is allowed for self-employed in Belgium, even in a side business.<\/strong> Just make sure everything stays reasonable and that you genuinely need it for your side hustle. And you might be able to claim more than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equipment purchases \ud83d\udcbb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When starting as a complementary self-employed, you\u2019ll likely need things like a smartphone, laptop, or printer. The same goes for your internet connection and mobile phone plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use these items exclusively for work, you can claim 100% of the cost.<\/strong> That means the entire purchase amount can be deducted from your taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use them for both personal and business purposes, you can calculate what percentage is for work. <\/strong>For example, if you buy a \u20ac1,000 laptop and use it for 24 hours per week for work and 8 hours for personal use, you can claim \u20ac750 as a business expense (24 out of 32 total hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Home office expenses \ud83c\udfe0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The same principle applies to your home office. Think about the furniture and office supplies you need. But also, don\u2019t forget things like heating, water, and electricity<\/strong>. For these, you\u2019ll look at the size of the space you use for work. For example, if you\u2019re a freelance graphic designer in a secondary occupation, how many square metres is your office at home? <\/p>\n\n\n\n