If you are a foreign artist or a sportsman performing in Belgium, your income will be subject to a 18% withholding tax. Luckily, there are several ways to reduce this withholding tax levied on your performance income.

Arti-Tax can apply for a reduced tax application on behalf of foreign artists in Belgium. This application allows the artist to deduct production expenses from the total fee before calculating 18% withholding tax from the net profit. This can save bands and sportsmen a lot of taxes. There are various requirements to be met, most important one, is that the artist has to be represented by a liable touring company. Please contact us to be sure of a good explanation about the requirements for filing a successful application.

There is a “standard” exemption of € 400,- per artist per show that always can be deducted as deemed expenses from the artist’s gross fee, before calculating the 18% withholding tax. 

In case you are a US artist or sportsman your income could be exempt from withholding tax, but this is up to an amount of $ 20,000 per person per year in Belgium. This alteration in the tax treaty between the USA and Belgium is effective as of January 1, 2008. However, if the artist and or sportsman should earn more than this exempt amount, the whole exemption will expire and you will be taxed as of dollar 1 (!). Please contact us, if this is your situation.

Besides filing for regular tax submission before shows, Arti-Tax can file for objections against the withhold taxes in Belgium for shows in the past. There are some requirements, please contact Arti-Tax for further questions.

Arti-Tax has done a lot of these applications in the last 20 years with very good results.

Please send an email to info@arti-tax.com or dial +31(0)111 850 850, in case you want to apply for a tax reduction or if you would like to have some more detailed information.