Belgian taxpayers recorded a total of 1,580 offshore companies in their 2015 returns (when declaring their 2014 income).
La Libre Belgique, having had access to the FPS Finance figures, reports today (Tuesday) that this is a figure which is increasing.
On the basis of these fairly definitive figures, it emerges that the number of legal tax planning schemes located in tax havens is on the increase. Sixteen per cent more were declared in 2015 compared to 2014. These returns showed that a total of 1,361 such schemes were used for generating incomes in 2013.
Since 2014, Belgian taxpayers have had to mention the use of offshore companies in their tax return.
According to the lawyer Denis-Emmanuel Philippe (of Bloom Law), a good number of taxpayers concerned are awaiting the DLU4 vote (the voluntary declaration of capital and shares remaining outside of the Belgian tax jurisdiction, editor's note). “As a means to save time, some taxpayers may choose to retain an accountant who has up until the end of October to submit the return.”
(Source: Belga)
