Prime Minister Bart De Wever has proposed raising taxes on second-home owners in Belgium to help close the budget deficit.
The measure appears among a series of proposals in a policy note presented last weekend by De Wever, according to De Tijd.
At present, the indexed cadastral income of a second home is multiplied by 1.4. That amount is then added to the owner’s other income and taxed at the standard personal income tax rates.
Under the proposal now being examined, that coefficient would be increased, although it is not yet clear to what level.
Related News
- Trump's US no longer a 'reliable ally' for Belgium, leaked document suggests
- Belgian employers will soon have to start logging hours worked
- Is Belgium really heading back to the office?
The plan does not involve taxing actual rental income. Similar proposals were discussed during previous budget negotiations but were dropped each time.
The proposed tax rise would not apply only to second homes in Belgium. Properties abroad could also face higher taxation, unless Belgium has a double taxation treaty with the country where the home is located.
De Tijd reports that at least 1.4 million Belgians could be affected by the change.
De Wever’s policy note has already been described by N-VA’s coalition partners as “indigestible”.
