2023-12-24 06:59:43
Higher minimum wages, lower healthcare allowance, more expensive beer and a higher state pension age. On January 1, everything will change for your wallet once more. NU.nl also lists the most important changes this year.
First of all, the income. We expect to make some progress next year. Anyone who earns an average salary will receive an additional net amount of 79.17 euros per month. This is mainly because tax credits will increase slightly, meaning you have to pay less tax.
Minimum wages are also rising. In addition, there will be a minimum hourly wage. This is to the advantage of people with long working weeks of, for example, 40 hours. Now someone who works 36 hours a week and earns the minimum wage ends up with the same monthly salary as someone who works 40 hours for the minimum wage. There will be a difference from 1 January.
Benefits will also increase along with the minimum wage. This includes, among other things, the AOW, social assistance, unemployment benefits and disability benefits.
Your individual situation may deviate considerably from the averages, for example if you are promoted or fired. There are also various costs that will increase in the coming year. The Dutch Central Bank estimates that inflation will be 2.9 percent next year.
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Many pensions have increased, but not for everyone
Pensions will increase next year at a number of funds. For example, the two largest funds in the Netherlands, civil servants fund ABP and healthcare fund PFZW, are increasing pensions by 3 and 4.8 percent respectively. But bpfBOUW, for example, does not do that.
Next year, the next step will be taken in raising the state pension age. This year you received the old-age benefit if you reached the age of 66 years and ten months, but following New Year’s Eve this will become 67 years old. This will remain unchanged until 2027. In 2028, the state pension age will increase to 67 years and three months.
Higher compensation for working from home
Next year, both the tax-free travel allowance and the tax-free home work allowance will increase. After January 1, an employer may reimburse 23 cents per kilometer. That is now 21 cents. You can soon get 2.35 euros for a day working from home, while it is currently 2.15 euros.
Those who have a lot of wealth will pay more tax on it. Firstly, the tax-free amount of 57,000 euros will not increase with inflation, secondly, the tax in box 3 will increase from 32 to 36 percent.
There is also bad news for self-employed people. The self-employed person’s deduction drops from 5,030 to 3,750 euros. This deduction will be further reduced in the coming years.
We spend more money on health insurance
The premium for health insurance will increase next year. With the larger insurers you usually pay between 5 and 12 euros per month more for the basic package than this year. The deductible remains 385 euros.
At the same time, the healthcare allowance will decrease. Next year, a single person will receive a maximum of 123 euros per month. That is now still 154 euros. The maximum income you can earn to still be entitled to healthcare allowance will also be reduced by approximately 1,000 euros.
1:25Healthcare premiums higher once more: this is how the price is structured
Energy label is taken into account when considering mortgage
The energy label of the house you want to buy becomes even more important following New Year’s Eve. The better the label, the higher the mortgage you can get. The benefit can amount to tens of thousands of euros. Even if your house has a poor energy label but you want to do something regarding it, you can get a higher mortgage. In addition, single people can borrow some extra next year.
Taking advantage of a tax-free donation to buy a house is no longer an option. This so-called jubilee barrel is no longer a ton since the beginning of this year, but only 27,000 euros. After January 1, this arrangement will disappear completely. At the same time, the starter exemption for transfer tax will be increased from 440,000 to 510,000 euros.
Furthermore, nurses, police officers and teachers may find it easier to find housing. From January 1, municipalities may give priority to certain groups for rental houses and new owner-occupied homes. This concerns people with a crucial profession or who have a connection with the municipality in question.
Most rents will rise next year. Anyone renting in the private sector can receive an increase of up to 5.5 percent next year. In the social sector, rents may increase by a maximum of 5.8 percent, although this is only possible from 1 July. The rental allowance will increase by a maximum of 34.67 euros per month.
Price ceiling for energy disappears
The price ceiling that was introduced at the beginning of this year to keep electricity bills affordable will disappear once more next year. Most households will probably not notice much of this, because the rates at most suppliers have now fallen below the ceiling.
The Temporary Energy Emergency Fund will remain intact. This scheme is intended to help low-income households if they have great difficulty paying their energy bills. The income requirements to qualify will become slightly more flexible following January 1.
Some fixed costs that are included in the energy bill will increase next year. For example, grid management costs will increase, as will the gas tax, which will increase by 11 cents per cubic meter. On the other hand, the tax on electricity will actually decrease by 2 cents per kilowatt hour. The government wants to discourage the use of gas.
The Energy Tax Reduction increases from 596.86 to 631.39 euros per year. This is an amount that is deducted from your total energy bill. An increase is therefore beneficial for your wallet.
The excise duty on petrol, diesel and LPG remains unchanged. Initially, the government wanted to increase excise duties back to the level before April 1, 2022, when a temporary reduction was introduced. But the House of Representatives overruled the government this autumn, meaning fuel excise duties will remain unchanged for the time being.
Child benefit and child budget are increasing
Anyone who receives child benefit will receive approximately €20 per month extra next year. This applies to children in all age categories up to the age of eighteen. The child budget is also increasing. For the first child, the maximum amount will increase by 750 euros per year, for other children a maximum of 883 euros will be added.
The maximum prices for childcare will increase next year. This applies, among other things, to day care, where the maximum rate increases from 9.12 euros to 10.25 euros per hour.
Parents are partially reimbursed for these costs through the childcare allowance. Just like in 2023, you can get a maximum of 96 percent of childcare costs reimbursed next year. This percentage applies to households that will earn a maximum of 28,297 euros next year. That is slightly higher than this year’s 26,944 euros.
Sending letters and drinking beer are becoming more expensive
Drinking a glass of wine or beer will cost you a little more next year. The tax on alcohol will increase by 8.4 percent. This makes a case of beer 27 cents more expensive, a bottle of wine 7 cents. Cola or fruit juice will also become more expensive, because the tax will be increased from 0.8 to 2.6 cents per liter. The tax on mineral water will disappear.
The cabinet has also decided to increase fines for traffic violations. Driving through a red light or sitting behind the wheel with your phone in your hand will cost you 10 percent extra next year.
Sending a letter will also cost you more next year. PostNL increases the price of a stamp from 1.01 to 1.09 euros. Sending a letter abroad will cost you regarding 10 cents more than this year. Sending a package abroad will also be slightly more expensive with PostNL, the package price within the Netherlands remains the same.
Disposable plastic cups banned in the office
After January 1, single-use plastic cups and containers will be banned in offices and other workplaces. Instead, an employer must offer reusable alternatives. Employees can also bring reusable cups from home. There will be an exception for healthcare institutions.
There will also be a ban on e-cigarettes with flavors such as mango or cola. These are popular among young people and with a ban the government hopes that these ‘vapes’ do not become a stepping stone to regular cigarettes.
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