The documents required for your income tax and national insurance contributions return (IB) 2015 can be collected. These returns can be submitted from 1 March 2016. By then, the Tax and Customs Administration will have incorporated all the data provided by withholding agents, financial institutions and similar bodies into the pre-filled return (VIA).
Modest
As mentioned, the Tax and Customs Administration already enters a large amount of data into the VIA. However, you remain fully responsible for ensuring that the correct information is entered correctly in your tax return. You must therefore still gather all relevant documents so that you can check whether the Tax and Customs Administration has entered the correct information into the VIA and whether the tax return is complete with that information. An incorrect tax return may result in fines being imposed.
We have put together a list of the documents you need to gather for your 2015 income tax return. You can find this list here.
Declaration
As in previous years, the tax return must be submitted electronically. Private individuals can submit their tax returns using the ‘Aangifte 2015’ app or via the online tax return service at MyTax Office. To file your tax return online, you will need a DigiD.
For entrepreneurs The Tax and Customs Administration prepares the tax return in the personal portal, to which the business owner is granted access via a username and password issued by the Tax and Customs Administration.
If you live abroad and need to file an income tax return in the Netherlands, you will no longer be able to do so using your PIN code in 2015. If you do not have a DigiD (only Dutch nationals can apply for a DigiD), you can apply for a username and password. This will be possible from mid-March 2016.
If a foreign taxpayer is unable to file their tax return online, they can still request a paper C form from the International Tax Helpline (+31 555 385 385).
VWGNijhof prepares your (provisional) income tax returns using advanced software and submits them via a dedicated electronic communication channel. We do not need your DigiD for this.
Attack
The 2015 income tax return must be received by the Tax and Customs Administration by 30 April 2016 at the latest. If the return is submitted before 1 April 2016, the Tax and Customs Administration will issue a (provisional) tax assessment before 1 July 2016. If the return is submitted after 1 April 2016 but before 1 May 2016, the Tax and Customs Administration will do its best to issue a (provisional) assessment before 1 July 2016.
It is, of course, possible to obtain an extension for the submission of the 2015 income tax return. Generally speaking, this extension is granted until 1 September 2016. If you wish to apply for an extension, you must submit your request before the return’s due date.
VWGNijhof is requesting an extension for the submission of its clients’ tax returns under the so-called Becon scheme. Under this scheme, 2015 income tax returns must be submitted by 1 May 2017 at the latest; however, the application of the Becon scheme is subject to the condition that the returns to which the scheme applies are submitted in instalments throughout the extension period.
Tax interest (4% / 8%)
A key consequence of submitting your income tax return late is that, after 1 July 2016, the Tax and Customs Administration will charge tax interest on amounts payable to it. A very high rate of 4% per annum is applied for this purpose (in the context of corporation tax, the rate is as high as 8%!). If you are due a tax refund, the Tax and Customs Administration will not pay any interest on it.
You can avoid paying interest by settling the income tax due under a provisional assessment before 1 July 2016. You must submit your request for such an assessment to the Tax and Customs Administration well in advance of 1 July 2016.