In 2001, the tax system was changed thoroughly. The tax rates have been lowered; the basic allowance and its supplements have been transformed into tax credits. The deduction for labour costs has also been replaced by a tax credit. Certain other deductions have been reduced or abolished. Extra tax credits for households with children were introduced.
In 2002 and 2003 the tax system was only slightly changed. The additional combination credit was introduced in 2004. The various child credits were integrated and streamlined in 2006.
Public insurance for medical care has been reformed in 2006. A new standard health insurance system was introduced. Until 2005, no public health insurance contributions were levied on income in excess of EUR 33 000. However, taxpayers earning more than EUR 33 000 were obliged to take a private insurance. These private health insurance contributions were not included in the Taxing Wages calculations because they were made to a privately-managed fund (and are therefore not taxes). Since 2006, every individual contributes a nominal contribution to a privately-managed fund (on average EUR 1 064, depending on the competition between insurance companies, a year in 2009) and, in addition for employees, a percentage of gross income (6.9%) net of employees’ pension premiums and unemployment social security contributions until a maximum of gross income of EUR 32 369 (in 2009). For this last contribution, the employee receives mandatory compensation of his employer for the same amount. The premium itself, however, is not modelled (either as an employee or employer SSC) in Taxing Wages. Instead it is modelled as a non-tax compulsory payment from the employer to a public-managed health insurance fund. The spending of this fund mainly compensates private insurance companies for their (public) obligation to insure individuals with a high health risk. Taxpayers might obtain compensation for the nominal contribution to the private insurance company of on average EUR 1 064 in 2009, depending on the households personal situation and taxable income. This is called the health care benefit and is part of the NTCP (see Section 2.1).
In 2007, the tax system has not been changed, except for some parameter updates. In 2008, the child credit has been replaced by an extra child benefit.
In 2009, the general tax credit will be reduced for non-working spouses in order to cut down the capitalization of this tax credit in 2024. A non-working spouse can in 2024 capitalise the general tax credit only against his/her own earned income. In 2009 the employment credit is extended for income exceeding EUR 42 509. This credit will be reduced by maximum EUR 24, whereas the employment credit is increased for lower incomes. The income dependant combination credit is introduced in order to promote the labour participation of single parents or partners of married workers. The income-dependent combination credit has been increased considerably. The extra child benefit depends on the total income of the family and the number of children per family. The income-dependent child benefit is higher when more children under the age of 18 years are member of the family. As from 2009 onwards, employees do not have to pay an unemployment premium mainly to reduce administration costs for employers. Employers pay now both an unemployment premium and a premium for invalidity for their employees (see also par. 2.2).
In 2013, the income base for SSC and Income-Tax is harmonised. Standardising or harmonisation of the income tax base for levying SSC and Taxes is introduces in 2013 and is called the Law “WUL” i.e. Harmonising the income base for SSC and Taxes (see publication CPB the Netherlands). So, the income tax base is since 2013 exclusive the income dependant health care contribution and employees will no longer have to pay taxes over income dependant health care contributions, instead they pay a higher tax rate in the first tax bracket and mainly Work credit is adjusted. The tax rate in the first tax bracket has been increased from 1.95% to 5.85% and the Work credit is reduced for employees with a higher income such that the effect of this harmonisation is budgetary neutral.
The main adjustment in 2014 is the General tax credit which is made income dependent. Higher income will receive less general credit and the reduction is 2% per euro of income between EURO 56 495 and EURO 19 645 per year. See also par 1.141.
In 2015, the child arrangements are reduced from 10 items to 4 items. For that reason Single parent credits have stopped. Cash transfers for parents with children and low income increase. And for single parents with children an extra cash benefit of EUR 3 050 is introduced to compensate the loss of single parent credits.
Not all child arrangements are part of the TW model because these are quite specific arrangements for disabled children and parents with low income with children.
Long term health care is modernised. The SSC rate for (AWBZ Dutch) reduced with 3% to 9.65% of taxable income. The tax rates in the first two brackets are raised with 3% because Social spending is still used but now for other general social purposes.
In 2016, as part of a EUR 5 billion package of tax reductions on work, the general tax credit and the work credit were phased out fully, meaning that higher incomes no longer receive the general tax credit and the work credit.
Multiple tax credits were increased and made more income dependent in 2019. The working credit is increased, but phased out at a faster rate of 6% (instead of 3.6%). The combination credit starts at EUR 0 instead of EUR 1052, but increases with 11.45% instead of 6.159%. The elderly tax credit has been increased and is now gradually phased out at a rate of 15%, instead of a sudden drop of more than EUR 1 300 above a threshold income. Also, a first step has been made to unify the tax rates in the first three brackets. These three brackets will be combined into one new bracket in 2021.
