Mistakes in pre-filled-in tax forms

Some simplified tax forms, which are already filled in by the tax authorities, contain inaccurate data, De Standaard, De Tijd and Het Nieuwsblad report today. The simplified forms are used for taxpayers whose situation does not change from one year to another, such as retirees who only have a state pension, the unemployed or people who live on an invalidity or illness allowance. Tax lawyer Michel Maus yesterday said on Twitter that an error had appeared in his mother’s form, which is automatically completed by the tax authorities - a mistake to the tune of €700 in the taxman’s favour. According to Luc Vanheeswijck of the Dumon, Sablon & Vanheeswijck law firm, 85 to 90% of the data in the simplified forms is correct. It is not up to the tax authorities but to the taxpayer to check the accuracy of the data on the forms, he added. Last year, only 75,000 out of 1.5 million simplified statements had been corrected by taxpayers.