Adviser mode: give the person you support a clear simulation

Who is it for?

For employment advisers at Le Forem, Actiris, VDAB and ADG (the regional public employment services), social workers at Public Centres for Social Welfare (CPAS/OCMW), trade union advice desks, social services and accountants. Indexo helps you show someone, with figures, what a decision changes: taking a job, going part-time, starting out as self-employed. The site is free, with no sign-up.

A clean simulation in four steps

1. Choose the tool that answers the person’s question (list below).
2. Fill it in together, from their documents: payslip, contract, tax assessment notice (aanslagbiljet / avertissement-extrait de rôle). The result updates with each field.
3. Click ‘Printable version’ below the result. Print, or choose ‘Save as PDF’ as the printer to send them the file.
4. If needed, use ‘Copy the link to this calculation’: the link reopens the tool with the same values, so you can pick up the simulation at the next appointment.

The main net salary calculator also has a printable version, with the calculation details and the sources for each line.

What the printed version contains

Which tool for which situation?

The Indexo tools to use in a meeting, depending on the person’s question:

• Going back to work after unemployment. Net pay from work compared with benefits, and what can be combined: Back to work, Combining with unemployment.
• Assessing a job offer. The net pay of each offer, commuting and benefits included: Compare two job offers, Gross to net.
• Checking a salary or a payslip. Line-by-line differences and the minimum pay scale: Check my payslip, Joint committee minimum, Net minimum wage.
• Article 60 employment through the PCSW. Net pay for a job provided by the PCSW: Net salary under Article 60.
• Student, flexi-job or first job. Hour limits, ceilings and net pay: Student job, Flexi-job, First job.
• Working fewer hours, leave. The loss of net pay and any benefits: Switch to four-fifths, Leave and career breaks.
• Birth, marriage, separation. The effect on net pay, tax and the household budget: Having a baby, Marriage or cohabitation, Couple’s budget.
• Dismissal or resignation. Length of notice and compensation: Notice and dismissal.
• Tax and tax return. What the person will pay or get back: Tax refund or tax to pay, Household tax, Reading the tax assessment notice.
• Budget, debts, entitlements. What is left to live on, the garnishable portion and the help to apply for: The salary you need, Wage garnishment, Benefits you may be missing.
• Starting out as self-employed. Contributions, money to set aside and the rules on combining: Social security contributions, How much to set aside, Can I combine?.
• Pension. The pension after deductions, and authorised work: Net pension, Working during retirement.
• An employer who wants to hire. The cost of a new hire and the reductions: Cost of a salary to the employer, Hire my first employee.

Confidentiality: nothing leaves the computer

• The amounts entered, payslips and imported files are read by the browser. Nothing is sent to Indexo or to any third party.
• Indexo uses no cookies, no local storage and no audience measurement. The profile (status, gross pay, family situation) is kept only in the page address, after the ‘#’ sign.
• On a shared computer, work in a private browsing window and close it after the meeting: everything is erased.
• A copied link contains the values entered. Send it only to the person concerned; use the PDF instead if they do not need to change the simulation.

The limits to explain

An Indexo simulation is an indicative estimate, not a decision. The withholding tax (bedrijfsvoorheffing / précompte professionnel) deducted every month is not the final tax; unemployment benefits are decided by the National Employment Office (NEO) (and paid by CAPAC/HVW or the trade union), sickness benefits by the health insurance fund (mutualité / ziekenfonds), the social integration income by the PCSW; tax is assessed by FPS Finance. Each tool states its sources and limits: read them with the person. The engine’s accuracy is checked against published cases: Proof of accuracy.

Frequently asked questions

What next?

• Check a payslipLine-by-line differences, with their explanation.
• Can I combine?The rules for combining with unemployment, a pension or incapacity for work.
• Benefits you may be missingThe help the person may be entitled to.
• Proof of accuracyCases checked to the cent.