Last year, the total value of donations in Flanders surpassed €25 billion for the first time, according to figures obtained by Flemish MP Peter Van Rompuy (CD&V) from Finance Minister Ben Weyts (N-VA).
A total of 93,679 donations were registered in Flanders in 2025. With approximately 500 cases still being processed, the milestone of €25 billion is confirmed.
Donations are a tax-friendly method of transferring wealth. The gifting of movable assets such as money, shares, jewellery, or artworks has grown increasingly popular in recent years. In 2025, 51,873 donations involving movable goods were recorded, amounting to €17.6 billion. This represented a 12% increase compared to the previous year and a dramatic 44% rise compared to 2023.
The rise in donations is partly due to the extension of the so-called “suspicious period.” While registering movable asset donations is not obligatory—unlike real estate transfers—Flemish law now requires a donor to remain alive for five years after the donation to prevent beneficiaries from having to pay inheritance tax on unregistered gifts. Until the end of 2024, this period was three years.
