Welcome to the Field

A law was recently approved modifying the rules relating to the federal target group reduction for first recruitments from 2024. A target group reduction is a reduction in employer’s social security contributions. The restriction that has been introduced has two components.

Strong risk management increases the chance of a successful future for your company. A risk assessment is the foundation for this. But how exactly does it work?

As a result of digitisation, documents and contracts are increasingly being signed electronically. But what exactly is the legal status of these electronic signatures? Do they have the same value as the conventional pen-and-paper signature? In this contribution we take a look at the different types of electronic signature and their status in legal transactions.

Personal tax is levied through withholding taxes; a final settlement then takes place on the basis of the assessment notice, which shows whether additional tax must be paid or a refund is due. Most taxpayers are aware of withholding tax, which is deducted from the taxable remuneration of employees and business managers by their employer (company). The amount deducted is in principle calculated on the basis of a Royal Decree. The deducted withholding tax is then offset in the personal tax assessment notice against the final tax due.

Close the Gap is the life’s work of Olivier Vanden Eynde. In ‘On a roll’ he explains how crucial audits were in the growth of his non-profit organisation. Watch the video!

With the end of the year in sight, the question often arises as to what to do with a business manager’s outstanding current account balance. We take a quick look at the consequences of a debit or credit balance.

In our video series ‘On a roll’ Kris Voet explains how CFO-as-a-service helps his business Fietsen Wildiers to grow in a volatile, competitive market.

Banks and financial institutions are changing their strategy and way of doing business to reflect the increasing impact of ESG on our society, business life and legislation. This trend results in part from a general social trend towards sustainability, with banks already paying attention to ESG – especially its environmental aspects – of their own accord. In addition, banks and financial institutions are also being forced to adjust their strategy by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC), and this is having a powerful influence on banking strategy and banking activities. The Belgian government has also taken various initiatives to promote sustainability, such as the National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Pact for Strategic Investments.

During the health crisis in 2021 and 2022, the principle of recovery hours was introduced. The social partners have now reintroduced recovery hours for the period from July 2023 to June 2025. Below we briefly explain what these recovery hours entail.

The need for a bank account is obvious for most businesses. However, the proliferation of regulations to combat money laundering and fraud is leading to financial institutions being more cautious, requesting more information and ultimately often refusing to provide basic banking services.

As part of a multinational group, you will probably need to document your transfer pricing. What are the requirements and how do you fulfil them?

In July, David Grusch, a former US Air Force intelligence officer, turned whistleblower and claimed that alien spacecraft have been hidden by the government for decades. Just as UFOs vary in shape and colour, there are unidentified elements inside your organisation to which you would do well to pay attention. So let’s talk about the UFOs that may appear within your own organisation this year.

You’ve very likely already received text messages or emails from cyber criminals pretending to be someone else, such as a customer or a government body. This is just one of the ways that you – and by extension your entire company – can fall prey to a cyber attack. As an SME, are you in as much danger as a larger company? What are the potential consequences? But above all: how can you protect your SME against cyber crime and protect your own data – and that of your customers? You’ll find the answers to these and other important questions in our new ‘WhatsUpp’.

When the Companies and Associations Code (CAC) was introduced, attempts were made to restrict the consequences as regards corporate tax as much as possible. This ‘tax neutrality’ has in general been achieved.

The new Companies and Associations Code (CAC) expressly states that directors cannot be bound by an employment contract with the company in that capacity. However, this does not mean that a director may never enter into an employment contract with the company at which he or she is a director.

Companies are obliged to file a corporate tax return on an annual basis. The general rule is that, as from the balance sheet date and irrespective of the date of the general shareholders' meeting, a period of seven months is granted to submit the return.