Estate Planning
Plan for a carefree tomorrow
Estate Planning begins with a detailed estate inventory. Afterwards, you protect and expand your estate with the right techniques. After all, a well thought-out inheritance planning guarantees a seamless transfer. Throughout this entire process, our advisors offer you a tailor-made guidance.
DRAWING UP AN ESTATE INVENTORY
An estate inventory is a list of all your real estate and movable property. Our advisors will help you draw it up correctly, looking at your:
- real estate (e.g. houses and land)
- business (e.g. shares in your family company, or a sole proprietorship)
- bank accounts
- pension provisions
- investment portfolios
- art or other collections
- possible debts
The gift inventory is also part of your estate inventory. It gives you an overview of all gifts you have already made during your lifetime, so that you can always consult the balance between your heirs.
VGD PAX FAMILIA: YOUR ENTIRE ESTATE IN ONE TOOL
Almost your entire estate planning process is recorded in documents. Think of marriage contracts, wills, gift documents… With our digital platform VGD Pax Familia, we keep all those important documents for you in a 'digital' vault.
This is only accessible to you and your personal advisor, but you can also grant access to others - such as your partner, children or grandchildren.
Expand and protect your assets
Cash flow planning
With a thorough cash flow analysis we give you a clear picture of your personal liquid assets.
With this, we also calculate the impact on your standard of living if you want to retire early or make a gift.
Pension advice
As a self-employed person, the statutory pension is rarely sufficient to maintain your standard of living.You can consult our specialists for:
- drawing up a pension plan
- advice and assistance in statutory and supplementary pensions (VSPSS, IPC, pension savings, long-term savings, etc.)
- end of career simulations
- real estate financing through supplementary pension accrual
Property Planning
Investing in property is a common technique for expanding your capital.
We can advise you on this from a financial, legal and tax angle.
Reduced gift or inheritance tax
By structuring your (family) business in the right way - from both a tax and legal viewpoint -
you can transfer them with a reduced gift or inheritance tax.
Your personal advisor will review with you whether your company is eligible or not.
The new inheritance law since 2018
On 1 September 2018, Belgian inheritance law and inheritance tax underwent significant changes. Inheritance tax rates and matrimonial property law were modified, and since then global and punctual succession agreements can also be concluded in Belgium.
INHERITANCE PLANNING ADVICE
When you retire, it is time to enjoy what you have established during your career. But what about the future of your family business and your other properties? How do you guarantee family peace of mind?
You can consult our specialists for questions or advice on:
- cohabitation and marriage contracts
- wills
- life insurance
- gifts
- gift tax
- inheritance tax
- making a phased transfer in a family business
Do you have any further questions regarding the planning of your estate or pension? You can always contact our estate planners!
Related news
A previous article explained the importance of such cash-flow planning for the company. Its importance cannot be underestimated on account of the role that companies (however large or small) play as motors of our economy. As an entrepreneur you reckon with the future – factoring in not only the opportunities but also the risks.
Since the modernisation of inheritance law, more and more people have been making their wills. The modernised inheritance law gives you more freedom to settle your estate, and we are all eager to make use of it.
It’s a good idea to take action while you’re still alive, because inheritance tax remains very high. We take stock of the new inheritance law with Evert Huyge - wealth planner at VGD.
A gift with reservation of usufruct is a popular inheritance planning tool. It allows the giver to retain control of and income from the gifted assets while ensuring that the capital value is transferred to the next generation.
In addition to the changes in the context of inheritance law and inheritance tax, the changes in matrimonial property law will also come into effect on 1 September 2018. Our wealth planners and legal experts describe the key changes.
There has been plenty of legislative activity in the past year; 1 September 2018 is the big day when the changes to inheritance law and inheritance tax will finally take effect. Our wealth planners describe the key changes.
Since the summer agreement, as from 1 January 2018, every shareholder can reclaim the withholding tax that he has paid on dividends from shares up to a maximum of 640 euros via the annual tax return. This gives him a tax benefit of 192 euros.