Your income
When calculating your monthly instalments we usually take your income into account. Read which income we use and what to do if your income has dropped.
Which income?
We look at your income and your partner's, if you have one, from 2 years ago. We call this the reference year. We obtain the details of your income from the tax authorities (Belastingdienst). If you file tax returns, we consider your aggregate income. Otherwise, we use the taxable salary shown on your annual tax assessment(s).
If we cannot get your income details, we will send you a notice. The notice explains how to provide us with your income details in Mijn DUO.
Do the SF15-old repayment rules apply to you? If so, you can ask DUO not to include your partner’s income. You can do so in Mijn DUO.
If you choose not to include your partner’s income, the will be frozen. This means you remain obliged to pay back your loan for as long as you don’t include your partner’s income, until you have paid back your loan in full. The repayment phase will not expire until you no longer have a debt. There will be no cancellation of any remaining debt.
As soon as you start including your partner’s income again, the duration of the repayment phase continues again as well. Once the repayment phase expires, any remaining debt will be cancelled. Any overdue instalments are not cancelled.
Relationship ended
Inform us through Mijn DUO if your relationship ends. We will make sure the duration of the repayment phase continues again.
If you cannot log in to Mijn DUO, please use the 'Changes loan repayment’ form.
Your partner’s income is included from the month after you have a partner. If you have a new partner, or your relationship ends, your monthly instalments may be affected. Fill out the Personal details update assistant and read what to do.
Falling income
If your income has fallen since the reference year, you can ask us to look at a more recent year. We call this changing the reference year.
Income outside the Netherlands
If you have a foreign income, we are often unable to request details from the relevant tax authorities. In these cases, you have to notify us yourself of your income before taxes. We send you a letter about this every year. After this, you can inform us of your income in Mijn DUO.
If you have no access to Mijn DUO, you can use the Opgave inkomen voor verzoek lager maandbedrag form.
If there is foreign income, we need an income statement from the tax authorities of the country in question or an income tax assessment. This document is also required if you have no income.
The statement must be submitted in Dutch or English. Is the statement in another language? Then have the statement translated and enclose a copy of the original statement.
- Is the income on the statement lower than the equivalent of €8,000? If so, you need to include evidence of the additional nontaxable benefits you received.
- Are you a business person and does the income statement not state a basis for profit tax? In that case, you will need to include an accountant’s statement detailing the profit tax. That can be the profit statement before profit tax.
- Do you live outside the EU/EEA and is it not possible to get an income statement from the tax authorities? If so, you must enclose a copy of the annual statement or a copy of all pay slips.
- Do you want to change the reference year to a year that has not yet passed? Then you must enclose pay slips for the months in that year that have already passed.
- Are you self-employed and have you been granted a deferral in submitting your tax return? Then you need to send a statement of income from your accountant. This must show your full income (and the profit) for the entire year.
- In some countries, the income statement from the tax authorities might be called differently. The table provides more information on the required supporting documents for a number of countries.
| Country | Required supporting documents |
|---|---|
| Belgium |
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| France |
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| Germany |
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| Great Britain |
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| Romania |
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| Spain |
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| United States |
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Income in the Dutch Caribbean
Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius
Do you live on Curaçao, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius? If so, we will send you a letter, asking you to notify us of your income. You only need to do so once. After this, we will annually ask the tax authorities for information on your income. If this does not work, you will need send a Verklaring inkomstenbelasting form to notify us of your income.
Sint Maarten or Aruba
If you live on Sint Maarten or Aruba, you need to send a Verklaring inkomstenbelasting form each year to notify us of your income.
Supporting documents
You need to send one of the following documents with the Verklaring inkomstenbelasting form:
- A statement on the form itself, from the tax authorities of the island in question (question 4)
- A form called Informatie Beheer Groep Studiefinanciering Verklaring Inkomstenbelasting voor belastingplichtigen binnen de Nederlandse Antillen (issued by the Inspectie der Belastingen Curaçao)
- A Machtiging Verklaring Inkomstenbelasting voor belastingplichtigen op Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten of Caribisch Nederland (issued by the Belastingdienst/Tax Administration)
The supporting documents must be signed and stamped by the local tax authorities.
Do you disagree with the gross foreign income we registered, because your tax deductions have not been taken into account? Please contact the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration Link opent externe pagina . They can recalculate your income, using the Dutch tax rules.