📅 Last updated: 8 May 2026
· 🏷 Topic: IPT, company, 80% rule, self-employed
· 🇧🇪 For: Belgian self-employed working through a company
IPT = Individuele Pensioentoezegging (Individual Pension Commitment). A supplementary pension product specifically for self-employed people who work through a company (BV/BVBA, NV, etc.). For those who do not work through a company — see VAPZ(NL).
How IPT works
Your company takes out an insurance contract in your name (the manager/director). The company pays the premiums, and you receive the pension capital at retirement.
For the company:
– Premiums deductible as a business expense (reduces corporate tax by 20-25%).
– No social security (RSZ) on the premium (within the 80% rule — see below).
– 4.4% insurance premium tax (taks op verzekeringsverrichtingen) is due on each IPT premium paid by the company. Unlike VAPZ, which is exempt.
For you personally:
– No additional tax when premiums are paid (the company pays, not you).
– Pension capital taxed at retirement (see “Payout” section).
The 80% rule
The legal limit on IPT premiums: the total accrued pension (1st pillar + IPT combined) may not exceed 80% of your last normal gross salary.
In concrete terms: if your last gross salary from the company is €60,000/year, then your total pension (statutory + IPT) may not exceed €48,000/year.
What this means for the premium: depends on age, gross salary, and existing accrued pension. For a 40-year-old with a €60,000 gross salary and no other pension capital: typically room for €8,000-12,000/year IPT premium. For a 55-year-old manager earning the same €60,000: often €15,000-20,000/year or more.
⚠️ The 80% rule is complex and depends on salary history, existing pension entitlements, age, and term. Always run the calculation with your accountant or a specialised pension adviser.
Combining VAPZ + IPT
For the optimal tax setup for self-employed people working through a company:
- VAPZ up to your personal ceiling (€3,965 in 2025) — deductible as a business expense for the self-employed person.
- IPT on top via the company — deductible for the company.
Advantage of combining: you take advantage of both the personal tax benefit (VAPZ) and the company-level benefit (IPT). A 50-year-old self-employed person with a BV can in this way build up €25,000-35,000/year of pension with tax optimisation at two levels.
Branch 21 vs branch 23 for IPT
As with other insurance pension products, the choice is between:
- Branch 21 (tak21) — guaranteed minimum 2.50% (WAP floor since 1 January 2025) + profit share. No volatility.
- Branch 23 (tak23) — linked to an underlying fund (typically world equities or a mix). Variable return. Note: since 1 January 2026, Belgium’s new 10% capital gains tax may interact with Tak23 IPT payouts. If the payout is classified as professional income at retirement, CGT likely does not apply additionally — verify this with a tax adviser for your specific structure.
For long-term IPT (15+ years to retirement): branch 23 has historically been more advantageous due to higher expected return. For a short horizon: branch 21 to avoid volatility.
See Branch 21 vs branch 23(NL) for details.
Payout at retirement
At the statutory retirement age (66 since 1 February 2025 for those born 1960-1963; 67 from 2030 for those born from 1964; age 65 retained for those born before 1960):
- 10% withholding tax (bedrijfsvoorheffing) provided you actually keep working until retirement age.
- Solidarity contribution (RSZ) 2% standard withholding (flat rate since 1 January 2026; recalculated after payout based on total statutory + supplementary pension; refund if over-withheld).
- RIZIV contribution 3.55%.
Earlier payout is taxed more heavily (16.5% or more depending on the scenario).
Backservice and catch-up premiums
Important advantage: the 80% rule looks at accrued pension. Did you contribute less than possible in previous years? You can do backservice — paying a large catch-up premium for the “missed” years, provided you stay within the 80% limit.
This is particularly relevant for managers who set up their BV later in life or who initially paid themselves a low salary and left assets inside the company.
Practical: how do you start?
- Request a calculation from your pension adviser or insurer — how much premium can you optimally contribute given the 80% rule?
- Compare products: AXA, Belfius, Allianz, AG Insurance all offer IPT products. Pay attention to the cost structure (entry fees, management fees) — differences can run up to 1-2%/year.
- Underlying choice: branch 21 for certainty, branch 23 for growth potential.
- Document everything for your accountant.
Common mistake
Keeping salary too low to save on corporate tax. Low salary = low 80% ceiling = limited IPT room. Sometimes a slightly higher gross salary + larger IPT contribution is more tax-advantageous over the life cycle than minimal salary + all profit kept in the company.
💡 The optimal salary-IPT mix is a calculation with your accountant. General rules don’t work: it depends on your situation, age, wealth, and exit plan for the company.
🔗 For the broader pension picture: see Pension Planning Belgium(NL) and VAPZ Explained(NL).
Sources
- FSMA — IPT and pension products
- FPS Finance — 80% rule on pension premiums
- Wikifin — IPT explanation
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