We see in your future…great luck. ๐ฎโจ Well, or at least changes.
The Dutch government has huge plans for 2022, reports RTL Nieuws, with a whole raft of changes planned โ including a lot for your wallet!
Here are the ones you should know about.
๐งโ๐ป โฌ2 tax-free for working from home
From January onwards, your employer can give you โฌ2 per workday to cover any additional costs which arise from working at home. We’re talking electricity, gas etc. And all that tax-free!
Is there a catch? Well, sort of. While your employer can offer you this financial relief, they are not legally obliged to do it. Looks like you just have to ask very nicely.
๐ค New Civic Integration Act
The Dutch government has decided to make the long road to becoming a real Dutch citizen a little bit different! From January 1, there are three new ways towards becoming a real Dutchie:
- The ‘B1 route’ allows you to learn Dutch over a course of three years next to doing paid or unpaid work.
- The ‘education route’ allows you to study next to your inburgering so you can hit the ground running.
- The ‘self-reliance’ route is an alternative to the first two.
Finally, the government continues to say that people who become required to integrate from 2022 will need to reach a B1 Dutch level to do their integration exams โ but the date that this will take place is indefinitely delayed.
๐ฉโ๐ซ โฌ1,000 for professional training
Good news for those having to pay for extra education or professional training to get or keep a job. From January 1 it is no longer possible to subtract these extra training costs from your yearly taxes (belastingen).
Instead, you can apply for financial aid, called STAP-budget, from March onwards. STAP stands for Stimulering Arbeitsmarkt Positie (Stimulating Jobmarket Placements). Per year, a person is eligible for โฌ1,000.
๐ต๐ป Retirement age increases
In 2021, you could still retire at the proud age of 66 and four months. With the new year, the retirement age rises to 66 years and seven months.
๐ผ Extended paid parental leave
Good news for all the new mom’s and dad’s out there. From August 2022 onwards, paid parental leave has been extended to nine weeks.
This is on top of the already existing 16 weeks off for new mothers, and six weeks off for new fathers. We love it!
โก๏ธ Reduced energy prices
Because gas and energy prices have been on the rise in 2021, the Dutch government has decided to reduce the energy tax in the new year.
Independent from your energy usage, you’re eligible for a tax benefit that rises from โฌ560 to โฌ825.
Of course, with the whopping energy prices, you still have to turn off the lights when you leave a room to avoid a nasty surprise at the end of the month. ๐
๐ต Minimum wage on the rise
So here is a tricky one. Starting on January 11, the minimum wage goes up 24 euros to a total of โฌ1725 per month for low-income Nederlanders.
Another increase of โฌ17 is scheduled for July.
But with inflation increasing prices for…well, everything… this is just a minor relief.
๐ฉโ๐ฆ Child allowance increases
More money for the children! From January 1, parents of children aged 12 to 17 will receive โฌ329.56 per quarter from the Dutch government. This is an increase from the โฌ321.24 of the previous year.
๐ญ Bad news for smokers
Do you want to hear the goof or the bad news first? Good news? Okay, prices for cigarettes won’t increase in 2022 as of yet!
But from January 1 onwards, you won’t be able to purchase them in the horeca anymore. That means bye-bye to cigarette sales in bars, restaurants and cafรฉs.
Do any of these financial changes apply to you? Tell us in the comments!
Feature Image: NewAfrica/Depositphotos
