Fred

Senior Member
Oct 2, 2003
41,113
When Zach says that his employer pays 4.6k/month for him to get 1.9k that doesn't mean his gross salary is 4.6k though, the taxes that employer pays are never included in gross salary. I'm no Belgium tax expert, but I'd guess that his gross salary is probably somewhere between 3-3.5k, which is surprisingly low for a country like Belgium.
Well that's different, I thought he was saying gross salary is 4.6k/month, which for someone whose only been working for a couple of years in his field is not that bad. 3-3.5k though is low, you're right.
 

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Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
39,317
When Zach says that his employer pays 4.6k/month for him to get 1.9k that doesn't mean his gross salary is 4.6k though, the taxes that employer pays are never included in gross salary. I'm no Belgium tax expert, but I'd guess that his gross salary is probably somewhere between 3-3.5k, which is surprisingly low for a country like Belgium.

But I agree that's a heavy heavy tax burden for the people who're working, might be one of the highest in the world
No. They are included in gross salary in Belgium. Well, depending on you look at it at least.

1.9K would be his net salary.

Btw, I think we are effectively no. 1 when it comes to income tax.
 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
Belgium have had primarily center - center/right governments in the last 40 years, yet Zach claims Belgium is a Socialist mess.

Belgium is a liberal democracy with an open market economy, yet Zach claims Belgium is a Socialist state.

Belgium have an overall healthy economy; high productivity, highly efficient, highly trained and educated population, yet Zach claims it's sluggish and unefficient [inefficient red.]. http://www.oecd.org/belgium/economic-survey-belgium.htm
 

pitbull

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2007
11,045
No. They are included in gross salary in Belgium. Well, depending on you look at it at least.

1.9K would be his net salary.

Btw, I think we are effectively no. 1 when it comes to income tax.
Really? So when I see that minimum wage in Belgium is 1,562.59 EUR per month gross, it means that both the employees taxes and the employers taxes get deducted from that? Poor people :D

That's strange, I always thought that gross wage is what the employer owes you for a period of time and from that you pay your taxes to the government.
 

Seven

In bocca al lupo, Fabio.
Jun 25, 2003
39,317
Belgium have had primarily center - center/right governments in the last 40 years, yet Zach claims Belgium is a Socialist mess.

Belgium is a liberal democracy with an open market economy, yet Zach claims Belgium is a Socialist state.

Belgium have an overall healthy economy; high productivity, highly efficient, highly trained and educated population, yet Zach claims it's sluggish and unefficient [inefficient red.]. http://www.oecd.org/belgium/economic-survey-belgium.htm

We have an inefficient and sluggish bureaucracy. I assume that's what he meant.

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Really? So when I see that minimum wage in Belgium is 1,562.59 EUR per month gross, it means that both the employees taxes and the employers taxes get deducted from that? Poor people :D

That's strange, I always thought that gross wage is what the employer owes you for a period of time and from that you pay your taxes to the government.

Well, honestly I am not really that up to date, because I am self employed. I do know however that if I were to take home gross wages of 1,500 Euros a month, my taxes would be close to 0. I would still have to pay social contributions though. Take home pay would probably be around 1,100, though I think it is likely to be a lot higher if you're an employee.
 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
We have an inefficient and sluggish bureaucracy. I assume that's what he meant.
Bureaucracy will always be inefficient and sluggish compared to non at all. Without knowing the Belgian system (different between Flanders and Wallonie?), I suspect it might be closer to the French than the Nordic; I'd say a couple of reforms would probably do you well.

But in general Belgium is miles ahead of Greece, Italy, Spain. And only the most efficient countries in the World does better than Belgium in this regard. Belgium is 4th in the World in productivity (GDP per hour worked), if your bureaucracy was as bad as Zach claim, you wouldn't have that position.

But Zach's opinionated and endless babbling is suited to confirms his own narrative as the confused conservative/libertarian/populist he is.
 

ALC

Ohaulick
Oct 28, 2010
46,526
How is it possible that as an engineer you make so "little" before taxes? They make ridiculous amounts of money here. But you risk being stabbed on the train on the way to work by a crazed homeless man, so there are some tradeoffs :p
I’m an engineer in jersey and I’m making chump change. Entry level positions are really not that well paying.
 

lgorTudor

Senior Member
Jan 15, 2015
32,951
How is it possible that as an engineer you make so "little" before taxes? They make ridiculous amounts of money here. But you risk being stabbed on the train on the way to work by a crazed homeless man, so there are some tradeoffs :p
That's actally a lot before taxes by German standards (avg engineer entry level is easily 30-40% lower than that) but taxes are lower as well. Zach would have to only pay 27% of his gross salary and end up with 3300€ instead of 1900€
 

Maddy

Oracle of Copenhagen
Jul 10, 2009
16,545
That's actally a lot before taxes by German standards (avg engineer entry level is easily 30-40% lower than that) but taxes are lower as well. Zach would have to only pay 27% of his gross salary and end up with 3300€ instead of 1900€
It's a decent salary; especially if pension (if paid by employer) isn't a part of that number.

According to this calculator: https://www.belgiumtaxcalculator.com/

Zach's salary would on average in Belgium give a monthly net salary of around 2400 euro. In Denmark it wouldn't be much higher.
 

Enron

Tickle Me
Moderator
Oct 11, 2005
75,658
I’m an engineer in jersey and I’m making chump change. Entry level positions are really not that well paying.
Like really. How am I going to make a dollar more than a McDonald's employee?

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It's a decent salary; especially if pension (if paid by employer) isn't a part of that number.

According to this calculator: https://www.belgiumtaxcalculator.com/

Zach's salary would on average in Belgium give a monthly net salary of around 2400 euro. In Denmark it wouldn't be much higher.
Pension is a great concept. In the US we have 401k and you pay that out of your salary.
 

X Æ A-12

Senior Member
Contributor
Sep 4, 2006
87,934
Came to work early to impress and just now i found boss isnt even coming in today :(

Already done pretty much 90% of the productive stuff i was gonna do anyway. Only 6 hours to go :tup:
 

IliveForJuve

Burn this club
Jan 17, 2011
18,923
The company I work for might not be able to buy massive quantities of Diesel for their projects because of the State's inefficiency to process paperwork.

How the fuck does it take 6 months to 1 year to be able to consume and manipulate more than 20.000 liters of Diesel. Makes no sense.

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Oh and even if we bribe government officials it might take 3 months AT LEAST.
 

AFL_ITALIA

MAGISTERIAL
Jun 17, 2011
31,784
Society is completely different over here. At the end of the day there is more equality and wealth is more spread.

If you want to get rich here, become a doctor. If you want to get really rich, become a dentist.

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I figured. I hope to see it one day.

Doctors make obscene money. My friend is going to be a cardiologist. Sure, he'll owe the equivalent of a house in debt, but he'll be making ridiculous money.

I’m an engineer in jersey and I’m making chump change. Entry level positions are really not that well paying.
What branch, if you don't mind me asking?

That's actally a lot before taxes by German standards (avg engineer entry level is easily 30-40% lower than that) but taxes are lower as well. Zach would have to only pay 27% of his gross salary and end up with 3300€ instead of 1900€
I wonder if this has anything to do with Germany being a more educated society in general. I know you have a really high number of STEM graduates, not sure about engineering fields though. Maybe supply outweighs demand.

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The company I work for might not be able to buy massive quantities of Diesel for their projects because of the State's inefficiency to process paperwork.

How the fuck does it take 6 months to 1 year to be able to consume and manipulate more than 20.000 liters of Diesel. Makes no sense.

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Oh and even if we bribe government officials it might take 3 months AT LEAST.
Don't you work in a law office?
 

IliveForJuve

Burn this club
Jan 17, 2011
18,923
I figured. I hope to see it one day.

Doctors make obscene money. My friend is going to be a cardiologist. Sure, he'll owe the equivalent of a house in debt, but he'll be making ridiculous money.



What branch, if you don't mind me asking?



I wonder if this has anything to do with Germany being a more educated society in general. I know you have a really high number of STEM graduates, not sure about engineering fields though. Maybe supply outweighs demand.

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Don't you work in a law office?
The firm pays my salary but I'm the legal counsel for a construction company in the oil and gas industry.
 

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