Tax refunds do not always end up directly in your own account
Many Belgians and companies expect that a tax refund will be automatically deposited into their own bank account. However, the Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance warns that this is not always the case. In many situations, the money is actually transferred to another party.
At present, the FPS Finance manages approximately 680,000 active files involving a transfer or an attachment of assets. This means that the tax authorities are legally obliged not to pay the money to the taxpayer themselves, but to a creditor. This happens, for example, when someone still has outstanding debts with a bank, a bailiff, or another agency.
The process of attachment is a legal measure that ensures creditors can collect their money via the tax refund. When there is an official attachment on an account or credit, the government must forward the amount that would normally go to the citizen to the creditor. As a result, many people only notice when receiving their tax assessment notice that their refund is lower or has been withheld entirely.
The government advises citizens to stay well-informed about their financial situation. Anyone who is unsure whether there is an attachment on their assets can contact the FPS Finance or consult a legal advisor. It is important to understand that in these cases, the tax authorities are simply following the law and are required to carry out the attachment correctly.