💡 Why does year-end closing matter?
As a sole trader in Belgium, your financial year always runs from 1 January to 31 December. That date is when your tax picture gets locked in: the amount you'll be taxed on next year is determined by what's in your books on 31 December.
Taking a few minutes to run through this checklist before year-end can make a real difference to your tax bill. This article covers the seven key points to check, plus what to expect in the first weeks of the new year.
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.
✅ 1. All your professional expenses are recorded
Go through your unprocessed expenses and add any you might have missed. Every deductible expense you don't record increases your taxable profit and your tax bill.
💡 Need inspiration? Browse the list of deductible expense categories directly in Accountable under Expenses → Categories. |
✅ 2. Your social security contributions are up to date
In Accountable, open the Social contributions module to see what you've already paid and whether a regularisation payment is expected.
Key point: social security contributions count in the year you pay them, not the year they relate to. Paying a regularisation before 31 December can reduce both your taxable profit and your future contributions.
ℹ️ If you have a significant regularisation due, paying it before year-end rather than in January can be worth it fiscally. |
✅ 3. You know how much income tax to expect
In Reports → Overview, you'll find an estimate of your personal income tax for the year. If the figure is high, you can still make a prepayment before 20 December to avoid a tax surcharge.
✅ 4. Your stock is recorded (if you sell goods)
If you had unsold goods on 31 December, their purchase value counts as your year-end stock. You record this in Accountable under Income tax → Stock.
Stock directly affects your gross margin and therefore your taxable income. Don't overlook this if you're active in trade or crafts.
Read how to manage stock and inventory in Accountable for a detailed explanation of how to calculate your stock variation.
✅ 5. Your copyright invoices are handled correctly
Copyright income is taxed in the year the invoice is paid, not the year it was issued. If you issued a copyright invoice in 2025 that hasn't been paid by 31 December, you can move it to 2026 in Accountable.
ℹ️ Open the unpaid invoice → Actions → Edit → uncheck "Record this document on this date" → update the date to 2026. |
✅ 6. All your sales invoices are marked as paid or unpaid
Review your open invoices in Accountable and make sure every payment you've actually received is recorded. An invoice incorrectly marked as open will skew your reports and can cause issues in your tax return.
✅ 7. You've exported your important documents
Download a copy of your data via Settings → Export my data. Keep a local copy of your invoices, expenses, and reports alongside what's stored in Accountable.
💡 In the event of a tax audit, you'll need to provide all your supporting documents. Accountable keeps them, but a local backup is always a good habit. |
📆 What comes after 31 December?
Once the year is closed, here's what's coming up in the first weeks of the new year:
Q4 or annual VAT return: to submit before 25 January (quarterly filers)
Annual client listing: to submit before 31 March.
Personal income tax return: Accountable prepares the figures for you; you file them on MyMinfin in the spring.
📂 Useful articles to go further: |
Key takeaways
Your financial year closes on 31 December: what's in your books on that date determines your taxable income for the year.
Record all deductible expenses and pay any outstanding social contribution regularisation before 31 December to reduce your tax bill.
Use Reports → Overview in Accountable to check your estimated income tax and consider a prepayment before 20 December if needed.
Mark all invoices correctly as paid or unpaid, record your year-end stock, and export a local copy of your documents.
After 31 December, your next deadlines are the Q4 VAT return (25 January), the annual client listing (31 March), and the income tax return (spring).
Need help? Chat with us or email support@accountable.eu, we're happy to help.