Depreciation: spreading the cost of business assets
How depreciation works for Dutch freelancers: the €450 threshold, useful-life calculation, worked examples, and when to use investment deductions instead.
When you buy a laptop, a desk, or a van for your business, you don't deduct the full cost in the year you buy it — you spread it across the asset's useful life. This is called depreciation (afschrijving). It's the tax system's way of matching expense to income: you use the asset to earn money over several years, so you deduct the cost over those years. Here's exactly how to calculate it, when to use it, and the key threshold that changes everything.
The €450 threshold
This is the first question: does the asset cost more than roughly €450?
- Under €450: Expense it immediately (deduct the full cost in the year you buy it). A keyboard, mouse, office chair, or a small tool? Pay and forget.
- €450 or over: Depreciate it over its useful life (typically 3–5 years, sometimes longer). A laptop, monitor, desk, or filing cabinet? Spread the cost.
The threshold is not exact — it's based on taxable events and a "small asset" rule. Most freelancers use €450 as the rule of thumb. Check with your accountant if you're on the edge.
Depreciation at a glance
How depreciation works: a worked example
Let's say you buy a laptop for €1,200 in January 2025. You expect to use it for 5 years.
Year 1 (2025): Depreciation = €1,200 ÷ 5 = €240 deduction Year 2 (2026): €240 deduction Year 3 (2027): €240 deduction Year 4 (2028): €240 deduction Year 5 (2029): €240 deduction
The total cost is fully deducted over 5 years, matching the period you use it.
Useful-life guidelines
Common asset types and their typical useful lives:
| Asset type | Useful life | Annual depreciation |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop/computer | 3–4 years | 25–33% per year |
| Desk, chair, furniture | 5 years | 20% per year |
| Printer, scanner | 4–5 years | 20–25% per year |
| Camera or video equipment | 4–5 years | 20–25% per year |
| Vehicle (van/car) | 5 years | 20% per year |
| Website, software license | 3 years | 33% per year |
| Office renovation | 20 years | 5% per year |
| Building or structure | 20–25 years | 4–5% per year |
The Belastingdienst doesn't force you to stick to these — they're guidelines based on typical wear and residual value. A cheap printer might last 3 years before you replace it; a heavy desk might last 10. You choose, but be reasonable. If an auditor thinks you're being aggressive (claiming a 10-year laptop life when they typically last 4), they can object.
Residual value (restwaarde)
If an asset has a meaningful resale value at the end of its life, you should account for it. For example:
- A €5,000 van might be worth €1,500 after 5 years.
- Depreciable amount = €5,000 − €1,500 = €3,500.
- Annual depreciation = €3,500 ÷ 5 = €700/year.
For most small items (a laptop, desk, monitor), the residual value is tiny and you can ignore it. For vehicles and larger equipment, it matters.
Scrap value
If an asset has zero or negligible scrap value (like a cheap office chair), you don't need to subtract anything — depreciate the full cost.
Small-asset vs. large-asset accounting
Small assets (under €450)
Just expense them in the year you buy:
- €35 keyboard → €35 deduction in year 1.
- €200 office chair → €200 deduction in year 1.
- €400 monitor → €400 deduction in year 1.
Large assets (€450+)
Record them in a depreciation schedule (afschrijvingstabel) and deduct a portion each year:
- List the asset (e.g., 'Laptop Dell XPS')
- Record the purchase date and cost (€1,200)
- Estimate useful life (4 years)
- Calculate annual depreciation (€1,200 ÷ 4 = €300/year)
- Enter the annual deduction on your tax return
- Keep the schedule for 7 years
Keeping a depreciation schedule
A simple spreadsheet works:
| Asset | Date | Cost | Life (years) | Annual depreciation | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop | 2025-01-15 | €1,200 | 4 | €300 | €300 | €300 | €300 | €300 | Paid in full |
| Desk | 2025-03-01 | €600 | 5 | €120 | €120 | €120 | €120 | €120 | From supplier X |
Let ZZP Belasting do the maths
Automatic BTW returns, income-tax forecasts and depreciation — from the invoices you already have.
Try it freeThe special case: VAT-registered businesses
If you're VAT-registered, you can reclaim the VAT paid on a business asset at the time of purchase (in your VAT return). This means you only depreciate the net cost:
- Buy a laptop for €1,200 inc. 21% VAT.
- VAT component = €209 (you reclaim this immediately).
- Depreciable cost = €1,200 − €209 = €991.
- Depreciate €991 over 4 years = €248/year.
If you're not VAT-registered (under the KOR or below the threshold), you pay the full €1,200 and depreciate it as-is.
KIA: an extra deduction on top of depreciation
Once you're depreciating assets normally, you might qualify for the KIA (small-scale investment deduction). If you invest more than roughly €2,900 in business assets in a single year, you get an extra deduction of up to roughly 28% on part of the investment, on top of normal depreciation.
This is a separate, upfront deduction — you can claim both. See KIA: an extra deduction when you invest for the full rules.
Disposing of an asset
When you sell, donate, or scrap an asset you've been depreciating:
- Stop depreciating it in the year you dispose of it (or earlier if it's mid-year).
- If you sell it, the difference between the sale price and the remaining book value is either a gain (taxable) or a loss (deductible).
Example:
- Laptop bought for €1,200 in 2025, depreciated over 4 years (€300/year).
- In 2027 (after 2 years of depreciation), the book value is €1,200 − (€300 × 2) = €600.
- You sell it for €400.
- Loss on disposal = €600 − €400 = €200 (deductible against your profit).
Sell it for €800? Gain of €200 (added to your taxable profit).
Plan your disposals
If you have a big gain on an asset sale in a high-income year, you might ask your accountant about timing — selling it in a lower-income year could reduce tax. Similarly, losses can offset other income.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to depreciate, or can I just deduct the cost upfront?
What if I'm not sure how long an asset will last?
Can I change the depreciation method mid-year?
If my laptop breaks after 2 years, do I stop depreciating it?
Depreciation is mechanical once you understand the logic: you match the cost of an asset to the years you use it. A €1,200 laptop used for 4 years? €300 a year. A €600 desk used for 5 years? €120 a year. Keep a simple schedule, and you'll never wonder whether you claimed a cost. ZZP Belasting builds depreciation schedules for you, so all your assets are tracked and deducted correctly.