As a self-employed professional, building up a supplementary pension is essential. The statutory pension for the self-employed is generally lower than that of employees, and the Free Supplementary Pension for the Self-Employed (FSPSE, also known as VAPZ or PLCI) is one of the most tax-efficient ways to close that gap.
Your mandatory legal pension works as follows:
It is paid through your social contributions every quarter.
You must contribute for at least 30 years as a self-employed person to benefit from this pension.
The amount you receive depends on your earnings and therefore on how much you have contributed through social contributions.
New from 2026: pension bonus and penalty
Since the 2026 pension reform (approved on 28 May 2026), a bonus and penalty have also been introduced for your state pension:
Pension bonus: are you continuing to work beyond your statutory retirement age? If so, from 1 January 2026 you will accrue a bonus, which will be paid out as soon as you retire, from 1 January 2027 at the earliest.
Pension penalty: if you take early retirement from 1 January 2027 without meeting the required career length condition, your pension amount will be reduced.
The percentage depends on your year of birth: 0% (born in 1960 or earlier), 2% (born between 1961 and 1965), 4% (born between 1966 and 1974), 5% (born in 1975 or later).
Please note that this article provides general guidance only. Tax rules may vary depending on your individual situation. When in doubt, ask your Tax Coach.
This article covers what the FSPSE is, its tax advantages, who qualifies, and how your contributions are handled automatically in Accountable.
What is the FSPSE (VAPZ/PLCI)?
The FSPSE is a pension insurance plan specifically designed for self-employed individuals. By contributing annually, you build up supplementary pension capital that is added to your legal pension. This allows you to maintain a better standard of living once you retire.
What are the tax benefits of the FSPSE?
One of the key advantages of the FSPSE (VAPZ/PLCI) is its generous tax treatment:
100% tax-deductible: Your contributions are fully deductible as a business expense, which lowers your personal income tax.
Reduced social security contributions: Since your net taxable income decreases, your social contributions are also reduced.
Depending on your income, the total financial advantage (through tax and social contribution savings) can be as high as 64% of your contribution, making it a very cost-effective way to save for retirement.
How much can you contribute in 2025?
For the year 2025, the following contribution thresholds apply:
Standard FSPSE: You can contribute up to 8.17% of your net taxable professional income, capped at €4,000.44.
Social FSPSE: You can go up to 9.40%, with a maximum of €4,602.71.
The Social FSPSE includes additional protections such as coverage in case of disability, and at least 10% of your premium must go toward solidarity guarantees.
Good to know:
At the end of April 2026, the government announced an increase in these rates: standard VAPZ from 8.17% to 8.50% (max. approx. €4,251.39) and social VAPZ from 9.40% to 9.78% (max. approx. €4,891.60). This amendment is due to be voted on and published before the end of this year.
Are you already making contributions?
In that case, you should continue to use the rates above for the time being; once the amendment has been published in the Belgian Official Gazette, you can make a retroactive top-up payment to cover the difference. We will update this article as soon as the legislation is finalised.
Who is eligible for the FSPSE?
The FSPSE (VAPZ/PLCI) is available to:
Self-employed individuals in main occupation
Self-employed individuals in secondary occupation who pay full social contributions (same as a main occupation)
Assisting spouses under the "maxi statute"
📌 Note: Self-employed starters in secondary occupation can only participate after three years of activity.
Coming soon:
There is also a proposal on the table to open up the VAPZ to self-employed people in a secondary occupation who pay social security contributions on a professional income of at least €1,922.16 (2026 threshold), meaning they do not have to contribute as much as someone in a primary occupation. This proposal has yet to be voted on. We will update these conditions as soon as the law is finalised.
The FSPSE is straightforward to set up, tax-efficient, and one of the few products that lets you save smartly as a self-employed professional.
How does it work in Accountable?
Here is how the FSPSE (VAPZ/PLCI) and your social contributions are handled automatically in Accountable.
1. For your social contributions
They are recorded as expenses in the category "Social contributions".
There is no VAT on social contributions.
The amounts are automatically deducted from your taxable income for the calculation of your Personal Income Tax.
2 ways to easily find these amounts:
Go to Taxes > Income tax submission > 5. Income statement
Go to Export > Income statement
2. For your FSPSE
They are recorded as expenses in the category "PLCI/VAPZ".
There is no VAT on this expense.
The amounts are automatically deducted from your taxable income for the calculation of your Personal Income Tax.
2 ways to easily find these amounts:
Go to Taxes > Income tax submission > 5. Profits and Losses
Go to Data export > P&L
In your income tax declaration, the FSPSE will be found in code 1632 or 1656, depending on whether you work in the commercial or liberal sector, i.e. the same code as for social security contributions.
Example: FSPSE (VAPZ/PLCI) with a profit of €25,000
Suppose you are a self-employed person in a main occupation with a net taxable income (after deduction of expenses) of €25,000.
You can contribute up to 8.17% of your income (with a maximum of €4,000.44 in 2025):
€25,000 x 8.17% = €2,042.50
This amount can be fully deducted as a professional expense, resulting in a lower taxable income and lower social security contributions.
Key takeaways
The statutory pension for the self-employed is lower than for employees, making supplementary saving important.
FSPSE contributions are 100% tax-deductible and also reduce your social security contributions, for a combined advantage of up to 64%.
In 2025, you can contribute up to 8.17% (Standard FSPSE) or 9.40% (Social FSPSE) of your net taxable income.
In Accountable, FSPSE payments are recorded as expenses and deducted automatically from your taxable income.
Need help? Chat with us or email support@accountable.eu, we're happy to help.