You received a final assessment for 2021 with a lowered box 3 income - what are the consequences?

Did you file your 2021 income tax return before 4 August 2022? At that time, our tax return software had not yet taken the Supreme Court ruling into account. After the ruling, we developed a new calculation method that we used to recalculate your box 3 income.

In the final assessment you received from us, you can see that your box 3 income has been lowered. This is because the new calculation method works out better for you. On page 2 of your assessment, you will find an explanatory note under the heading 'Inkomen uit sparen en beleggen (box 3)' (Income from savings and investments (box 3)).

The decrease of your box 3 income may affect other parts of your tax return. For example, the distribution of the joint basis for savings and investments between tax partners and the deduction of specific medical expenses and donations.

Distribution of the joint basis for savings and investments

Did you and your tax partner distribute the joint basis for savings and investments according to a certain ratio in your tax return? If so, the same ratio has been used for establishing the final assessment.

The recalculation of your box 3 income may make it more advantageous for you and your tax partner to select a different distribution ratio. To find out whether this is better or not, go to Mijn Belastingdienst and select 'Mijn aangifte inkomstenbelasting wijzigen' (Changing my income tax return). You can make a new distribution between you and your tax partner and refile your tax return. This is possible until the assessment of you and your tax partner becomes final and conclusive. That is up to 6 weeks after the date of the last final assessment.

Do you have a tax partner but haven’t you filed a joint tax return? In that case, please note that your partner must also file a new income tax return, using the same distribution ratio as in your tax return.

Deduction of specific medical expenses or donations

When your box 3 income goes down, your threshold income will also decrease. For more information, go to Drempelbedrag specifieke zorgkosten berekenen (Calculating the threshold amount for specific medical expenses, only available in Dutch). This, in turn, will affect the threshold amount for the deduction of specific medical expenses and donations. It is possible that due to the income decrease you become entitled to this deduction, whereas you previously were not. In order to check this, go to Mijn Belastingdienst and select 'Mijn aangifte inkomstenbelasting wijzigen' (Changing my income tax return). In the online tax return software, we apply the new calculation method. The new threshold amount will show after you enter the data in the tax return.

Were you already entitled to deduction of specific medical expenses or donations? In that case, your deduction will increase because your threshold decreases. We automatically adjusted this in your assessment.

Do you have a tax partner and did you distribute the specific medical expenses and donations in your tax return? In that case, we applied the same distribution ratio in your final assessment. To find out whether a different distribution would be more advantageous for you, go to Mijn Belastingdienst and select 'Mijn aangifte inkomstenbelasting wijzigen' (Changing my income return). In the online tax return software, we now use the new calculation method. If necessary, you can make a new distribution between you and your tax partner and refile your tax return. This is possible until the assessment of you and your tax partner becomes final and conclusive. That is up to 6 weeks after the date of the last final assessment.