First Belgian income tax bills being sent this week

Returning from holiday to find a letterbox full of mail? For half a million of us in Belgium, an income tax bill could be in that pile.

The federal finance ministry is sending out the first batch of 2020 tax bills - based on your declared 2019 earnings - in the coming days.

Seven million tax bills are due to be sent out between now and June. This week's first batch will be just over 500,000 of those.

The first bills are mostly for residents with simplified tax affairs, who receive a pre-filled tax return and have one source of income.

Getting a tax statement doesn't necessarily mean bad news: a quarter of the bills being sent this week have a zero balance. Another quarter announce news of a refund in the taxpayer's favour.

If you're among the other half of recipients, with tax due, you will have two months to pay. Refunds will also be processed by the end of October.

For more information, read our handy guide here to understanding your Belgian income tax bill.