[akavi]

I assume that cars are not seen as a taxable benefit in Belgium?

[jonasdegendt]

It is but at a hilariously cheap rate. It’s pennies on the dollar (or euro, in this case) compared to owning a car outright.

It’s a fringe benefit that was invented in order to enable employers to sweeten the pay package without having to straight up pay more, and respectively pay a lot more taxes.

We’ve a large bunch of these tax efficient fringe benefits in Belgium but the company car is by far the one that provides the most value.

[Hamuko]

https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-company-car-conundru...

>Of the 6 million cars on Belgian roads, about 10 percent are company cars.

>Even a first job often comes with a car, and most employees also get unlimited fuel cards.

That sounds fucking crazy.

[Yujf]

Yup, so Belgium has a lot of weird things like that, but it's really hard to take it away since it's such an important part of salary for many people and taxation is really high so most people are very opposed to losing benefits like this.

[photonbeam]

My dad had an unlimited fuel card for a company car, everyone used that car frivolously

[dukeyukey]

Private health insurance is taxable in the UK but every non-intern tech job I've had has had it as a benefit.

[akavi]

Interesting. Curious if that's cultural influence from the US (where it isn't taxable)