Search Q&A
UK based Self Employed working and living in Brussels
Hi,
I pretty much live in Brussels now but have a slightly complicated working set-up. The Belgian company for which i work pays my own limited company in the UK in pounds sterling and I transfer some of this back to my Belgian account for living expenses etc.
I've recently applied for a residency card and there was some problem obtaining my id as I didn't speak fantastic French and they didn't speak English very well, so I'm unsure how to proceed.
The problem is that I have to prove to the authorities that i have an income coming into Belgium by providing bank statements. But the part i wasn't sure about was that it seems I have to provide these to...Carrefour Bank.
My questions are: does this sound correct, that it's Carrefour Bank to whom i provide these details? Also, how do i provide them? Is there an email or a Carrefour Bank branch somewhere in Brussels?
Any advice or information would be appreciated.
David
You need an accountant.
The scenario you're describing is that of a limited company contractor working in Belgium through a company controlled from Belgium.
Therefore, it is subject to Belgian tax and reporting requirements, and as you're now residing here, that will be backdated to when you started working in Belgium.
Therefore, your tax situation is a mess.
If you sort it out through a professional, you should be OK. If you leave it, they should catch up with you and you'll end up with a big fine.
The "Carrefour Bank" is the "Banque-carrefour des entreprises"
Basically the place where you register your business and you register yourself as self employed. Or something like that, which is why you need an accountant to help you out here.
http://economie.fgov.be/fr/entreprises/BCE/#.WH46aVMrKCo
To register in Belgium, at least initially, you just have to prove that you can support yourself. A job contract, bank balance, payslips.
Of course if you are registered you have to do tax declarations, and then things has to be semi-correct.
I doubt that it will be worthwhile starting another company in Belgium if you have already one in UK. Maybe look at starting up salary to you in Belgium. Of course tax and social security would take half, so make it as small as possible!
Yes, your situation is quite complicated, but my point remains the same. I think that the commune will need to see evidence of an employment contract between your company and yourself as an individual for them to give you a resident's card. Due to double-tax agreements, your UK company would not have to pay tax in Belgium, but you - as you live here - should pay tax and social security on your income from the company. This "Banque Carrefour des Enterprises" would be if you want to start a company in Belgium, but I doubt you want to do that given the additional cost. Maybe you need to start "local branch" of your UK company, not sure. But the authorities will not tolerate indifinitely you living here off your UK company's revenue without signing up for personal tax and contributions.
Your UK accountant is wrong. Get a Belgian one on the case ASAP.
You are resident in Belgium, and your company is controlled from Belgium, therefore it falls under Belgian tax legislation.
Q - how do i provide accounts to Banque Carrefour?
A - You seem to have misunderstood what the Banque Carrefour is. It is not a "Bank". It is the Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises, and is more comparable to say something like Companies House in the UK. It is effectively a register of legally established businesses in Belgium.
I think you have to go back to the commune and ask exactly what it is that they want. They WILL NOT have asked you to submit your bank statements to the "Banque Carrefour". They probably thought you had a company, or were self employed in Belgium, and that the business would be registered, hence them asking for "proof" that the company existed from the Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises. A bit like someone could look up a company in Companies House to see if it exists and print of the latest accounts.
Ultimately, you will probably have to get your UK accountant involved. As he / she is so convinced you don't need any Belgian declared income, they are probably the best person to be able to go down to your commune and explain why you can't prove any taxable income, despite the fact that you're working here, controlling a company from here, and you want to be registered as a resident here.
Good Luck & Happy New Year.
