{"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

Other work-related expenses for your side business \ud83d\udcda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are also expenses that are clearly only linked to your side hustle. These can be fully claimed. Think about accountant fees, business cards, or that specialised software <\/strong>you need for your side gig. Even courses and training<\/strong> (yes, Udemy<\/a> counts!) that help you get better at your job can be claimed. You can even include a subscription to a newspaper or magazine<\/strong>, as long as it\u2019s relevant to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claiming your car as a business expense \ud83d\ude98<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Can you claim your car and fuel costs as a business expense if you\u2019re freelancing on the side? Absolutely! Again, it depends on how much you use the car for your side business versus your main job and personal use.<\/strong> The type of fuel and CO2 emissions are also taken into account to determine how much you can actually deduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can read all about claiming your car as a self-employed in a secondary occupation here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca1Accountable tip:<\/strong> Our \u2018business expense search tool<\/a>\u2019 shows you exactly what you can claim and offers suggestions. Have you thought about claiming your reading glasses as a business expense, for example?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deductible expenses can be backdated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s another good thing to know: you can claim expenses made up to three months before officially starting as a complementary self-employed<\/strong>, as long as they\u2019re clearly linked to your business activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about VAT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget: claiming expenses to reduce your taxes also involves VAT, which you can deduct as a percentage. <\/strong>Of course, you need to be VAT-registered for this to apply. Then, the amount of VAT you can claim depends on how many days per week you work on your side gig. For example, if you work five days a week in your main job and two days in your own business, you can claim 2\/7 of the VAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flat-rate business expenses for side-hustle freelancers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Maybe you\u2019re thinking that collecting all those receipts and invoices sounds like a lot of hassle, eating into your already limited free time. So, you\u2019re leaning towards the flat-rate option, which allows you to deduct a standard percentage of your profit. Just like employees, this flat-rate deduction is 30% of your profit (excluding social security contributions and goods purchases), with a maximum of \u20ac5,750 in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But be careful: the flat-rate deduction is only the best choice if you have very few business expenses. So don\u2019t be put off by the idea of claiming expenses and gathering evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Accountable, it\u2019s a lot easier. Claiming expenses as a side-hustle freelancer is as simple as snapping a photo of your receipt or invoice and uploading it. Our smart app links it to the correct expense in your bank account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try Accountable free for 14 days!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about business expenses for self-employed in a secondary occupation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What expenses do you have as a complementary self-employed?<\/strong><\/strong>

To start your business, you\u2019ll pay a one-time fee of \u20ac109 to register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, and around \u20ac70 to activate your VAT number. Additionally, you\u2019ll pay a quarterly social contribution of at least \u20ac98.52. All of these are tax-deductible expenses that you can include in your bookkeeping. As a side-hustle freelancer, you can also claim other expenses, such as materials you use for your business, your computer, part of your phone plan, and even a portion of your heating and internet bills.<\/p> <\/div>

Which expenses are tax-deductible for self-employed in a secondary occupation?<\/strong><\/strong>

The tax-deductible expenses, or costs you can claim in your bookkeeping, are the same for side-hustle freelancers as for full-time freelancers. Any costs incurred for your business activities are generally (partially) deductible. However, it’s important to be realistic and honest when claiming expenses. You can find more information on which costs you can claim on Deductibles<\/a>.<\/p> <\/div>

How much are you allowed to earn monthly with your side business?<\/strong><\/strong>

There is no limit on how much you can earn monthly as a side-hustle freelancer. However, keep in mind that your side business income is added to your main salary as an employee. If you earn a lot from your side gig, you may quickly move into a higher tax bracket. You can reduce the tax impact by claiming business expenses. Additionally, your social contributions are calculated based on your side business income.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Are you, like many side-hustle freelancers, unsure about how much you actually take home after taxes?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help answer that question, we\u2019ve developed a tool that gives you the answer. With this tool, you can see in real-time what your net income will be and how you can optimise it by claiming the right business expenses.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try Accountable now<\/a> \u2013 100% free!<\/strong> \u2728<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Additionally, you\u2019ll pay a quarterly social contribution of at least \u20ac98.52. All of these are tax-deductible expenses that you can include in your bookkeeping. As a side-hustle freelancer, you can also claim other expenses, such as materials you use for your business, your computer, part of your phone plan, and even a portion of your heating and internet bills.","inLanguage":"en-BE"},"inLanguage":"en-BE"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.accountable.eu\/en-be\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/#faq-question-1694700840302","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.accountable.eu\/en-be\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/#faq-question-1694700840302","name":"u003cstrongu003eWhich expenses are tax-deductible for self-employed in a secondary occupation?u003c\/strongu003e","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The tax-deductible expenses, or costs you can claim in your bookkeeping, are the same for side-hustle freelancers as for full-time freelancers. Any costs incurred for your business activities are generally (partially) deductible. However, it's important to be realistic and honest when claiming expenses. You can find more information on which costs you can claim on u003ca href=u0022https:\/\/www.deductibles.be\/u0022u003eDeductiblesu003c\/au003e.","inLanguage":"en-BE"},"inLanguage":"en-BE"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.accountable.eu\/en-be\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/#faq-question-1694700866633","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.accountable.eu\/en-be\/blog\/deductible-expenses-secondary-occupation\/#faq-question-1694700866633","name":"u003cstrongu003eHow much are you allowed to earn monthly with your side business?u003c\/strongu003e","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"There is no limit on how much you can earn monthly as a side-hustle freelancer. However, keep in mind that your side business income is added to your main salary as an employee. If you earn a lot from your side gig, you may quickly move into a higher tax bracket. You can reduce the tax impact by claiming business expenses. 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