Don't miss out on a deductible expense
One of the conditions for the deductibility of an expense is having a supporting document. Without one, the expense cannot be deducted. There is no formal requirement: it doesn't have to be an invoice!
In practice, however, an invoice or receipt are the most commonly used forms of proof. This is especially true when an invoice is required to recover VAT.
A receipt or invoice that doesn't include your VAT number allows you to deduct the expense (for personal income tax or corporate income tax purposes), but not to recover the VAT.
To help you see things clearly, use the table below 🕵🏻♂️:
Example situations | Document required for deductibility | Tolerance if the document is lost |
Meal at a restaurant | VAT receipt: different from a proforma receipt, must include the restaurant's VAT number. | No tolerance. |
Shopping at Colruyt or any other shop | Till receipt: with the retailer's VAT number. In this case, you cannot recover the VAT.
Invoice: you can always ask for an invoice with your details. In that case, you will be able to recover the VAT (if you are VAT-registered). | No tolerance. |
Petrol station (fuel pump, charging station) | Invoice with a fuel card: by paying with a fuel card, you receive properly formatted invoices by email (VAT is then recoverable). This is the preferred solution (see more info here). | Proof of payment (payment receipt or bank statement): better than nothing, as payment is evidence of the expense. |
Round of drinks at a bar, purchase from a craftsperson | Invoice or till receipt with the supplier's VAT number. | No tolerance. |
Taking the bus or train in Belgium | Transport ticket: even if it's not a properly formatted invoice, VAT is recoverable (this is an exception for public transport in Belgium — a simple ticket is sufficient). | No tolerance. |
Purchase of a second-hand car or phone from a professional | Invoice: even if handwritten, must include the supplier's VAT number. | No tolerance. |
Purchase of a second-hand car or phone from a private individual | Written document or email: for example, when buying a second-hand or refurbished car or phone. | No tolerance. |
Second-hand purchase from a private individual online (Vinted, 2ème main, etc.) | Online purchase confirmation email | No tolerance. |
Taking a taxi, Uber or other ride-hailing service | Invoice or receipt: either you have a mobile app that automatically generates the receipt, or the driver must provide you with a paper receipt. | No tolerance. |
Rent for your office | Lease or written document / email: covering the duration, rent amount, notice period, space rented, etc. | Bank statement: proof for the deduction of the expense. The lease alone is not sufficient. |
Social security contributions | Annual certificate of social security contribution payments sent by your social insurance fund the following year.
The quarterly payment notices should be uploaded to your accounts so that your tax estimates can be calculated correctly. | Bank statement: proof for the deduction of the expense. |
Work carried out by a contractor | Invoice: with the supplier's VAT number. | No tolerance. |
New lock for the office door, buying a plant at a market, ordering burgers for a client meeting | Handwritten note without a VAT number: only acceptable if the seller is a private individual. If they are a professional, they must provide you with a till receipt or invoice including their VAT number. | No tolerance. |
And your BILLY invoices 😎? | Digital invoice: an invoice is issued each month as a PDF and automatically recorded in your expenses. You don't need to upload it to your expenses. | No tolerance. |
Finally, also pay your mixed expenses (those with both a private and a professional portion) from your business bank account. In the event of an audit, you won't have to provide your personal bank statements to prove the expense. If your business account doesn't have enough funds, you can simply transfer money from your personal account to your business account.
💡 Ordering online? Make sure to create a professional account on the online shop before placing your order. This ensures you receive a proper VAT invoice. Once an order has been placed using a personal account, it is rarely possible to obtain a VAT invoice afterwards.