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Deduct your pension plan

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A pension plan, such as the VAPZ (Private Supplementary Pension for the Self-employed, PSPS), is 100% tax-deductible as a business expense.
A (social) VAPZ lowers both your income tax and your social security contributions.
The tax maximum for the VAPZ is raised every year.

What is the tax advantage of a VAPZ?

The VAPZ is a 100% deductible business expense.

This means your contributions lower your taxable income, so you pay less corporate or personal income tax as well as lower social security contributions.

A VAPZ is the only form of pension saving with this double advantage.

What is the VAPZ tax maximum in 2026?

The maximum contribution you can deduct for tax purposes in 2026 depends on your net taxable income:

With an ordinary VAPZ, you can contribute up to a maximum of 8.50% of your net taxable income. A ceiling of €4,251.39 applies in 2026.
With a social VAPZ, you can contribute up to a maximum of 9.78% of your net taxable income, with a deductible ceiling of €4,891.60 in 2026.

Are there other tax-friendly options for a pension plan?

Both a POZ and an IPT are tax-friendly additions for the self-employed. A POZ is intended for self-employed people with a sole proprietorship, while self-employed people with a company can save for their pension in a tax-friendly way through an IPT.

The tax advantage of a POZ

A Pension Agreement for the Self-employed (POZ) is interesting if you want to save even more for your pension, or as an alternative to a VAPZ. It also offers a tax advantage, but the tax rules work differently.

A POZ is not deductible as a business expense, but you receive a 30% tax credit in your personal income tax.
A POZ has no effect on your social security contributions.
The maximum amount depends on the 80% rule.

The tax advantage of an IPT

With an IPT, the company pays the premiums and can deduct them 100% as a business expense, as long as the 80% rule is respected.

An IPT is more tax-efficient than a POZ and allows higher contributions than a VAPZ, but it does not lower your social security contributions.

IPT vs. VAPZ and POZ: which is more tax-efficient?

Feature	VAPZ	POZ	IPT
Who can take one out?	All self-employed people	Self-employed people with a sole proprietorship	Self-employed people with a company
Who pays?	The self-employed person	The self-employed person	The company
Tax-deductible as a business expense?	✅ Yes	No, only a 30% tax credit	✅ Yes, for the company
Maximum contribution	8.50% (ordinary) or 9.78% (social) of net taxable income	Depends on the 80% rule	Depends on the 80% rule
Lower social security contributions?	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No

How do you get the maximum tax advantage?

Contribute the maximum allowed amount to your VAPZ to benefit fully from the 100% tax deductibility.
Choose a social VAPZ to enjoy not only a higher deductible amount but also extra protection in the event of incapacity for work or bankruptcy.
Consider a POZ or IPT as additional pension saving, but make sure you use your VAPZ to the full first for maximum tax advantage.

⚠️ Please note: this concerns the biggest tax advantage for a pension plan as a self-employed person; it is not investment advice.

Wannes GrosemansAccountant and founder of 2UG Boekhouding Fiscaliteit

Expert’s advice ✨

Building up a pension is an important part of the life of any self-employed person. PSPS/PLCI/VAPZ are simple levers to put in place, with low risk and established tax advantages. They are generally a good first step, but are rarely sufficient to provide you with a comfortable cushion. As a self-employed person, it is also worth looking at ETFs (index-linked investments) or property investments, which offer a higher return (with greater risk, of course).

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