When should I hire a tax advisor?

‘We can’t make it more fun, but we can make it easier.’ Although the well-known slogan of the Tax Authorities promises this, the Dutch tax system is quite complicated. Filing your tax return correctly can therefore sometimes be a challenge. Fortunately, there are helplines. If you can’t figure it out yourself, you can contact a tax advisor.

If you work with a bookkeeper or accountant, they will probably also give you tax advice. But there is a fundamental difference with a tax advisor. Accountants and bookkeepers draw up annual accounts, file your VAT return, check your administration and generally understand simple tax matters. A tax advisor is a specialist in tax matters and can provide advice when things get more complicated. An accountant or bookkeeper does not necessarily have all the necessary knowledge about taxes, which means you may pay more tax than you should.

Generate money

A tax advisor helps you pay as little tax as possible within the framework of the law. He is aware of changes in tax laws and provides tax advice on all aspects that come with your administration. A good tax advisor will ultimately earn you more money than he will cost you.

Helicopter view

That does not mean that an accountant or bookkeeper is interchangeable with a tax advisor. The latter looks at your company with a helicopter view to discover where tax advantages can be achieved. He usually works closely with your accountant or bookkeeper.

Not protected

What you should take into account is that tax advisor is not a protected profession. This means that anyone can call themselves that. If you do business with a tax advisor, it is important that you check whether someone is really as expert as he claims. Therefore, check whether a tax advisor is registered in the Register of Tax Advisors or check references.