What is the cooperation deduction?
The cooperation deduction is part of the entrepreneur deduction. The deduction applies when your fiscal partner supports your business without receiving compensation of EUR 5,000 or more. To make use of this scheme, you must be an entrepreneur for income tax purposes, meet the hour criterion and your partner must contribute at least 525 hours a year.
The deduction is a percentage of your profit. The higher the number of hours your partner contributes, the higher the deduction. The percentages range from 1.25 per cent to a maximum of 4 per cent. You apply the deduction in your income tax return. The deduction reduces your profit, so you pay less tax.
Conditions for the cooperation deduction
The tax authorities impose a number of conditions. You are only eligible for the cooperation deduction if:
- Your you are an entrepreneur for income tax purposes
- You meet the hours criterion of 1225 hours
- Your partner contributes at least 525 hours in the year
- Your partner receives less than €5,000 in compensation in that year
It is important that your partner's work contributes to your business. It involves work you would otherwise have to do yourself, such as administration, customer contact, marketing or executive tasks within your business operations.
Important: keeping track of hours
A good time registration is necessary. You must be able to make it plausible that your partner works a minimum of 525 hours per year. Therefore, record the hours worked and the associated activities. Only business activities count. Household chores do not count as hours worked. A clear list of hours will help you when the Tax Administration asks for proof.
Co-work deduction 2025
The cooperation deduction has fixed percentages. The scheme works the same as in previous years. Below you can see the graduated scale for 2025:
| Hours worked by partner | Percentage cooperation deduction |
| Less than 525 | No deduction |
| 525 to 875 | 1.25 per cent |
| 875 to 1225 | 2 per cent |
| 1225 to 1750 | 3 per cent |
| 1750 or more | 4 per cent |
The more hours your partner contributes, the greater the benefit. The deduction is calculated on your business profits.
Co-work deduction 2023 and 2024
The percentages for 2023 and 2024 are the same as the 2025 graduated scale. There is no difference in the structure of the scheme. The same distribution of hours and deduction percentages apply for all years.
Calculation example cooperation deduction
Suppose your partner contributed 1,800 hours and your profit is €50,000. Since 1,800 hours is above the 1,750-hour limit, you will be entitled to the maximum co-work deduction of 4%.
4% of 50,000 euros is 2,000 euros. You deduct this amount from your profit. Your taxable profit then becomes 48,000 euros. Depending on your tax bracket, this yields a considerable advantage. For fewer hours, the percentage falls and the deduction is therefore smaller.
What is labour remuneration?
You can opt for a work remuneration/real remuneration for your partner. If you pay your partner for the work he/she does and this remuneration is at least €5,000 in a year, you can deduct this amount from your profit in your income tax return. This can save you a lot of money.
If you pay less than €5,000, you are not allowed to deduct this from your profit. But you may then be eligible for co-work deduction, as explained earlier.
Terms
A number of conditions apply to an employment reward:
- Remuneration should be businesslike and appropriate for the job
- The amount of 5,000 euros or more may be deducted
- Lower remuneration is not deductible
- You choose annually whether to use the co-work deduction or an employment benefit
Wage employment
If you employ your partner, you treat him or her as a regular employee. You have to pay payroll taxes and keep payroll records. The wages you pay are fully deductible as salary expenses. Your partner pays tax on the wages he or she receives. In salaried employment, the co worker deduction is waived because the work is remunerated.
Income tax partner
If you compensate your partner more than €5,000 under employment benefits, or if he/she is employed, this is taxed as wages in income tax.
That means your partner has to declare the amount received as income. You deduct the amount from your profit. This can be fiscally advantageous when it reduces your joint tax burden. In the case of small fees or when applying the cooperation deduction, your partner does not have to pay income tax on the work.
