Wijninckx contribution: tomorrow never comes?
In 2012 the so-called “Wijninckx contribution” of 1.5% was introduced on pension contributions of more than EUR 30,000 per worker per year. There was a transitional as well as a final regulation provided to decide whether the threshold of EUR 30,000 is exceeded. The final regulation was originally to have entered into force on 1 January 2016. This was previously postponed until 1 January 2017. The Act of 30 September 2017 relating to various provisions in social affairs, which was published today, postpones the final regulation again until 1 January 2019.
The transitional regulation includes another calculation method and threshold applicable than those provided for in the final regulation.
In the transitional regulation, both the employer’s and worker’s contribution (pension and death coverage) must be taken into account. The contribution of 1.5% is applied to the part of the contribution which exceeds the threshold of EUR 31,836.00 (indexed amount 2017) and which is not at charge of the plan member.
Another calculation basis will apply in the final regulation, and the threshold will be replaced by the so-called “pension goal”. The contribution of 1.5% will be due on the total amount of the employer’s contributions if the sum of the total occupational pension (accumulated pension reserves) and the state pension (flat rate assessment) exceeds the pension goal. This pension goal will equal the maximum public sector pension (78,453.60 EUR in 2017) multiplied by the career fraction of the worker.
Due to this new postponement, the transitional regulation will remain applicable until 31 December 2018. The reason for the postponement is that the Government has given priority to the introduction of the mypension website, and due to this, the various actors involved in the calculation and collection of the final regulation (among others Sigedis) are not ready yet.
> Key message
The transitional regulation of the Wijninckx contribution remains applicable until 31 December 2018.