Gentrepreneur FAQ.

Details

• Source: https://www.gentrepreneur.be/faq
• What it is: a collection of frequently asked questions for (student) entrepreneurs, with practical basics and links to coaching/Startium

FAQ themes (summary)

Company form

• You can change legal form.
• Sole proprietorship → company: the enterprise number of the sole proprietorship is stopped and a new enterprise number is created for the company.
• Company form → another company form: possible via publication/amendment; best discussed with an accountant.

Student self-employed + student job

Student self-employment can be combined with a student job. Key considerations:

• Growth package / child benefit (18–25): in Flanders you keep it if you work either max. 650 hours/year under a student contract (reduced social contributions) or max. 80 hours/month under a “regular” contract (temp/flexi/permanent/…); some exceptions do not count towards the limit. In Brussels the limit is max. 240 hours per quarter.
• social contributions (based on net taxable income as self-employed),
• fiscal dependency (income from student job + self-employed counts together).

Can I start a business before I turn 18?

Not as a self-employed person. In Belgium you must be of age (18) and legally competent to start a business. Minors lack legal capacity, and parental consent does not change that: there is no "from 16 with your parents' approval" route. A business counter (ondernemingsloket) cannot give you an enterprise number before you turn 18.

What is possible:

• Amateur arts compensation (AVK), for certain artistic performances.
• A payroll/umbrella company (e.g. Tentoo, Amplo): they invoice your client and pay you through a temp-work relationship.
• Student job in a parent's business: from age 16, or from 15 if you have completed two years of secondary education.
• Occasional helper in a parent's sole proprietorship: limited in time and not in a relationship of authority.
• Vlajo Studentenbedrijf, if you are still in secondary school.

Joining a cooperative is not a solution for minors: as a member you are self-employed yourself, which is not yet possible.

Meanwhile you can prepare your start: testing your idea, setting prices, finding first clients and choosing your bookkeeping tool can all be done before you turn 18. Book coaching via Startium to prepare it together.

Entrepreneurship without an enterprise number

Possible alternatives if you do not (yet) want/can have an enterprise/VAT number:

• Artist compensation schemes (under conditions),
• payroll/umbrella companies,
• joining a cooperative.

Sole proprietorship vs. company

Usually decided with an accountant. Key differences include liability, set-up complexity/cost, tax treatment and admin obligations.

VAT small-business exemption

If annual turnover is < €25,000, you can opt for the small-business VAT exemption.

Pros: no VAT charged/paid; usually fewer VAT filings.

Cons: you cannot recover VAT on purchases; can be a disadvantage with high start-up investments.

Some VAT obligations remain (e.g. minimal admin; customer listing when applicable).

Help

If you cannot find your answer, contact Gentrepreneur or book coaching via Startium.