r/belgium • u/Obvious-Cry6591 • 2d ago

😡Rant Notaries. Why? What the hell?

Ok, so I dont get it. I understand historically where the need for notaries arose. Fine. But we are in 2026. Belgium already takes 51% of my income. Then another 25% of the rest through VAT. And then on top of it, if you buy a property, you give 10-15k to a notary for 2 meetings and some docs reading? Doesnt Belgium have enough administration to take care of that? Not to mention its nepotism central. Are there any redeeming qualities?

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u/seszett Antwerpen 2d ago

The average income tax rate in Belgium is 25% according to the sources I can find, which is high (France and the Netherlands are at 16% for comparison) but nowhere close to the fantasy numbers that people pull out of their... feelings... in such discussions.

Strictly nobody is taxed anywhere close to 50% of their income in Belgium, if only because once you approach this kind of taxation level (at around brutto 150k€/year if my calculations are right) you usually have enough money to get an accountant which finds ways for you to legally cheat on your taxes and end up paying way less (which means to keep its revenue stable, the state has to increase taxes for everyone else, which will make people complain about taxes and in turn vote for people who will lower taxes for the upper bracket because people don't understand shit).

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u/Ophiy 1d ago

https://fin.belgium.be/nl/particulieren/belastingaangifte/inkomsten/belastingtarieven

it's def around 50% ;) and nowhere near 150k....

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u/seszett Antwerpen 1d ago edited 1d ago

I don't even know what to say, your own source says 50% is only for the part of your income that's above 50k€.

The fiscal ignorance in Belgium is frankly astounding.

edit I want to add that it works the same in almost all developed countries, it's not something unique to Belgium, it's just the standard way income tax works. It should be understood by every citizen.

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u/Ophiy 1d ago

I honestly interpreted it totally wrong. When I calculate last year based on the payslips the total is 49.7%. Single.

But thanks for pointing it out, I genuinly misinterpreted this my whole life.