Belgium or Malta: how many months of your working year go to the tax authority?

Belgium or Malta: how much of your year is truly yours? On €100,000 gross, Belgium keeps the equivalent of nearly six months of your working year for the tax authority. In Malta: nearly two months. Different country, different life. Why in months rather than an amount? A euro figure assumes you take your salary with you to the new country, and almost nobody manages that. The share that goes to the tax authority, your average effective rate, does travel with you everywhere. That is why we calculate in months. The calculation, on €100,000 gross employment income: in Belgium you keep a net €52,630 (effective 47%), meaning the equivalent of nearly six months per year goes to the tax authority. In Malta you keep €85,000 (effective 15% under the non-dom (English: non-domiciled resident) scheme), nearly two months for the tax authority. The difference: €32,370 per year. Important: the more you earn, the larger that share, because the system is progressive. The figures here apply at €100,000 gross; on your own income the outcome will differ. Calculate your own figure at libaros.com. On paper Malta is not a low-tax country (statutory top rate 35%), but newcomers under the non-dom scheme do not pay that full rate. Figures: average effective rate on employment income (income tax plus employee social contributions), single individual, current tax year. Indicative, not tax advice. Calculated with the Libaros calculation engine.