Assessment or declaration: what is the difference (and what does it mean for you as an entrepreneur)? – The Happy Financial

You receive mail from the tax authorities. It says ‘attack’. But you just have you declaration done? Or you can see that you have a provisional attack Got it while you thought you didn’t have to arrange anything yet. Understandable that you have doubts.

The terms declaration in scale are often confused. Yet they are really two different things – and as an entrepreneur it is important to know the difference well. In this article I explain exactly what the difference is, why it is important and what you should do if you receive one of the two.

What is a declaration?

A declaration means that you pass on your data to the tax authorities. As an entrepreneur you do that for:

You fill in these declarations yourself, or have it done by your accountant. Based on your figures, the tax authorities calculate how much tax you have to pay (or get back).

What is an attack?

A scale Is the official response from the tax authorities to your tax return. It is literally the ‘imposition’ of tax: the tax authorities let us know how much tax you have to pay or get back.

There are different types of attacks:

1. Provisional attack

This is an estimate of your tax for the current year. The Tax and Customs Administration looks at earlier data (for example your profit from last year) and determines an amount that you pay in advance on that basis.

Practical: You expect to have to pay € 10,000 in income tax this year. The Tax and Customs Administration sends you a provisional assessment of € 10,000, spread over 12 monthly installments.

2. Final assessment

This is the official settlement after your declaration. The tax authorities check your tax return and then definitively determines what you have to pay or get back. Have you already had a provisional attack? Then that amount is settled.

3.

If it turns out that you have paid too little tax earlier (for example, because you have forgotten something), the tax authorities can impose an additional assessment. Fines or interest can also be added.

4. Official attack

If you do not make a declaration while you have to, the tax authorities can make an estimate of what you should have paid. This is called an official attack. Spoiler: That estimate usually does not fall to your advantage.

How are declaration and attack together?

Let’s make it practical with an example:

1. You file income tax return for the previous year in March.
2. In May you will receive the final attack: You have to pay € 3,500.
3. In June you pay this amount to the tax authorities, according to the payment instructions.

Or another scenario:

1. You get one at the beginning of January provisional attack For the current year of € 6,000.
2. You pay € 500 every month.
3. In March of the following year you make your declaration.
4. The Tax Authorities draws up the balance: you have paid € 6,000, but you actually appear to owe € 5,500 in tax.
5. You will then receive € 500 back via the final attack.

Many misunderstandings

Let’s clarify a few classics:

“I got an attack, but I didn’t do anything”
→ There is a good chance that it is a provisional attack on the basis of previous years. Check the year and the description well.

“I have received an attack, so I don’t have to make a declaration anymore”
→ Wrong. The provisional assessment does not replace the declaration. You are obliged to make a declaration yourself if you are invited or have to pay taxes.

“The tax authorities have already calculated it, so I don’t have to check anything”
→ The responsibility lies with you. Always check whether the amount is correct with your own administration.

Why is this important for you as an entrepreneur?

As an entrepreneur you are responsible for a correct declaration. Do you not understand the difference with an attack? Then you run the risk of:

• Fines (if you make a declaration too late or not)
• Interest (if you have paid too little)
• Unnecessary stress or surprises with your tax assessment

By taking your declaration seriously and carefully checking the attacks, keep your grip on your numbers and your cash flow.

A provisional attack can be useful if you want to plan smartly. You spread your tax for the year and prevent you from having to cough up a large amount at the end of the year.

In summary

Do you want to prevent this kind of confusion?

Then make sure you have your administration in order, do your declarations on time and know what your attacks mean.
Need help? View my handy templates so that you know how much you have to set aside for your income tax.