If you lived in Belgium in 2021 or you arrived in the country last year, you have probably received an online notification by now from the Belgian authorities that your 2022 tax return can be submitted.
The 2022 return covers the period between 1.01.2021 and 31.12.2021, unless you arrived later in the year or have left Belgium before the year-end. While the online tax form can already be submitted, the paper form (‘brown envelope’) is still on the way and should soon arrive in your mailbox.
Traditionally, Tax-on-Web, the platform to file your taxes online, remains accessible until 15 July 2022. If you would still prefer the traditional method of filing on paper, the form will mention a filing deadline by 30 June 2022.
More and more taxpayers will receive a so-called ‘tax return proposal’ instead, based on the info that is readily available by the tax authorities. It is a noble attempt to facilitate the filing process, but often contains errors. It is therefore useful to check it and not just accept what is mentioned in the pre-completed return. For example, foreign earnings and business income will never be included in the proposal, so this would always require your personal input.
If you need more time to prepare your filing or you just prefer to delay paying your taxes, you can file through an accountant or tax advisor who is able to submit online until 30 September 2022. This is one month less than last year! As the online filing system often experiences errors and irregularities, the Belgian authorities might extend the deadline, but that traditionally happens the very last minute.
If you do not agree with the ‘tax return proposal’, you or your tax advisor only have time to respond until 15 July 2022, so the standard filing extension until September does not apply here.
If you need professional help to prepare your 2022 tax return, your foreign bank account reporting and/or foreign real estate reporting, do not hesitate to reach out to us!
