Tips & Tricks - Dutch Tax Return 2024
Optimally prepare your tax return with our helpful 2024 tips, so you don't miss out on tax benefits!
Important notes and deadlines for your tax return
As of 1 March 2025, it is possible to file your 2024 income tax return.
If you file your tax return before 1 April 2025, you will receive a response from the Tax Office by 1 July 2025. This means you will have clarity quickly about how much you have to pay or get back.
Should you fail to file your tax return by 1 April 2025, you will have to file your tax return by 1 May 2025. If this is not feasible either, it is wise to apply for an extension in time to avoid penalties and additional interest.
Tax interest is calculated over the period from 1 July following the tax year to the date the assessment is issued. For the 2024 tax return, this means that tax interest begins to accrue from 1 July 2025.
The tax interest rate may vary annually. For 2024, the rate is set at 6.5%. This means that if you have a large amount of taxes to pay, the interest can add up quickly. Therefore, it is important to request a preliminary assessment if possible or file your tax return on time.
Income from work and home (Box 1)
In Box 1 you report income from work and home. This includes profit from business, income from employment, income from other work and income from your own home.
If you bought or sold a home in 2024, this will affect your tax return. Costs you incurred to take out the owner-occupied home debt, such as notary fees, appraisal fees and consulting fees, are deductible.
Are you divorced in 2024 and no longer living together? This has implications for your tax return. Thanks to a special rule in tax law, mortgage interest remains deductible after your divorce for up to 2 more years under certain conditions.
Optimize your tax return for substantial interest (Box 2)
As of 2024, there are two rate brackets in Box 2. Up to an amount of €67,804, you pay 24.5% tax, while you pay 31% on the excess. This means you need to plan your income carefully to take full advantage of the lower rate bracket.
A major advantage of Box 2 is that you and your tax partner can freely divide the income. This provides opportunities to save tax by making optimal use of the rate step-up. For example, partners together can pay out up to €135.608 in dividends at the lower rate of 24.5%, provided this is divided properly. This can be especially beneficial if one of the partners falls into a higher tax rate bracket. By splitting the income, you can reduce the joint tax rate.
Maximize your return on savings and investments (Box 3)
When completing your tax return for Box 3, the reference date is very important. This is because the value of your assets and liabilities is determined on 1 January 2024. A threshold of €3,700 per taxpayer applies to debts.
In addition, it is important to know that if your box 3 assets on the reference date are less than € 57,000 per taxpayer, you will not pay tax on your assets. This can have a big impact on your final tax assessment.
For tax year 2024, notional rates of return are used to calculate the tax. These rates are:
1.44% for bank deposits
6.04% for investments and other assets
2.61% for debt
Using notional returns can sometimes not be beneficial, especially if your actual return is lower. That's why it's important to understand how these percentages affect your tax assessment.
Around the summer of 2025, you can report your actual return using the 'Statement of Actual Return' form. This can be beneficial if your actual return is lower than the notional return used by the Internal Revenue Service.
If you own cryptocurrency, you must declare it (in most cases) as other property in Box 3. The value you must declare is the exchange rate on 1 January 2024.
Please fee free contact us for further information on how to complete your tax return in the most beneficial way.
