Tax rates in the Netherlands 2020

Rate Box 1 (income from work and home)

The rate in Box 1 is a combination of tax and premiums social security. Premiums social security are calculated in the first bracket. On your payslip or year end statement you may see something like: “ingehouden loonheffing” or “LB/PR. VOLKSVZ” where LB stands for wage tax and PR. VOLKSVZ for premiums national insurance or premiums social security.

If you are not insured in the Netherlands but in the country where you were transfered from (based on a A1 declaration or Certificate of Coverage) then you don’t pay premiums social security in the Netherlands thus reducing the amount which is withheld from your salary of freelance income.

For the year 2020 the tax rate and premiums for income from work and home are:

Combined rates in Box 1 for persons younger than retirement age

Taxable income
Tax per bracket
Premium National
Insurance per bracket
Total rate
Fromup to and including
€ 0€ 34,7129.70% 27.65%37.35%
€ 34,713€ 68,50737.35%0%37.35%
€ 68,50849.50%0%49.50%

National insurance premiums (premiums social security)

Total premium for the national insurance is 27.65% which is divided in:

  • AOW (General Old-age Pensions Act ): 17.9%
  • ANW (General Surviving Relatives Act): 0.1%
  • Wlz (Act on long-term care): 9.65%

Rate Box 2 (income from a substantial interest in a limited company)

For the year 2020 the tax rate for income from a substantial interest is 26.25%.

Rate Box 3 (income from savings and investments)

The tax rate for income from savings and investments stays 30%. Expats with the 30% ruling can opt in the tax return to be exempted from taxation on savings and most of the investments.

Tax credits

After the tax has been calculated based on the above percentages you can reduce the calculated amount with the applicable tax credits.

  • Personal tax credit (max for lower incomes) € 2,711
  • Personal tax credit (max for incomes above € 68,508) € 0
  • Personal tax credit for partner without income born after 1 January 1963 € 543
  • Personal tax credit for partner without income born before 1 January 1963 € 2,711
  • Labour tax credit (max for lower incomes) € 3,819
  • Labour tax credit (max for incomes above € 68,508) € 0

If you have children additional tax credits can apply. There are also other specific tax credits depending on your situation but the above are the common tax credits.

Tax return

Do you need help with your Dutch tax return? Expatax can help you. You can also find more information about the Dutch tax system on our website.

4 Comments

  1. You mention ‘Combined rates in Box 1 for persons younger than retirement age’, are there different tax brackets for retirees?

    1. The difference is that retirees don’t pay premium for the AOW. So in the first bracket the total rate is 19.45% instead of 37.35%.

      1. Arian, does this none payment of AOW premium also apply to people taking early retirement please and receiving a pension mainly from UK and part from NL?

        1. No, the exemption for paying premiums for the AOW only applies from the official AOW retirement date.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Expatax assists with:

Recent posts