Following the NSSO's recent announcement regarding childcare cost reimbursements, we've created this article to help you understand the changes and their impact.
This article covers:
Impact on your flex plan 🧨
For choices made before 03/03/2025
✅ Good news! These choices remain valid and will be processed as planned :
the choices will appear in upcoming monthly payroll files and can be reimbursed
Remain exempt from social security contributions
For choices made between 03/03/2025 and 10/03/2025
⚠️ These choices will be:
Automatically rejected by Payflip (📆 10/3 end of day the latest)
Employees with a rejected choice will receive an email with a word of explanation (📆 10/3 end of day the latest)
The budgets will be returned to employees' wallets
No processing or reimbursement will occur via the payroll so these rejected choices will not appear in the monthly payroll file sent out this month
From 10/10/2025 onwards
🚫 The benefit will be:
Disabled for new choices. Employees can no longer choose for this benefit.
Still visible in the employee Payflip with an information banner for 3 weeks (until 01/04)
Understanding the change in NSSO treatment 🧐
The benefit: A quick overview
In June 2024, we introduced the childcare costs reimbursement benefit in Payflip, allowing employees to request reimbursement for childcare expenses up to €600 per child annually.
🎯 The benefit quickly became our 5th most popular choice, with 1,750 selections made in less than a year. This remarkable success showed how much employees valued this option in their flex plan.
What has changed?
On 03/03/2025, the NSSO authorities revised their position on childcare cost reimbursements.
The key change 👇🏼
Only benefits that directly complement social security benefits are exempt from social security contributions. For childcare costs specifically, this means that direct reimbursement of childcare or school-related expenses no longer qualifies for exemption, even with supporting documents. These costs are now considered normal education and maintenance expenses rather than a complement to social security benefits.
Previous tax and NSSO treatment
The reimbursement was:
Subject to personal income tax (confirmed through a ruling request with the Ruling Commission)
Exempt from social security contributions (based on NSSO authorities advise)
This treatment was based on the principle that such reimbursements qualified as supplements to social security benefits, making them exempt from NSSO contributions while remaining taxable income.
Looking Ahead 🔭
While we understand this change may disappoint many of you who valued this benefit, we must ensure full compliance with NSSO regulations. This is why this benefit will no longer be an option in Payflip. 💔
Our team is actively working on alternative solutions to continue optimising your reward package within the legal framework.
Help ⁉️
For admins
Help needed to communicate the news to your employees?
Here you can find a template e-mail that you can share with your employees if you want to.👇🏼
EN 🇬🇧
EN 🇬🇧
📢 Important Update: Changes to childcare cost reimbursement benefit
Dear Employees,
We need to inform you about an important change regarding the childcare costs reimbursement benefit in Payflip.
On March 3rd, 2025, the NSSO authorities announced that childcare reimbursements will no longer be exempt from social security contributions. This means any reimbursement requests made from March 3rd onwards cannot be processed under the previous beneficial tax treatment.
What does this mean for you?
If you submitted a reimbursement request on or after 03/03/2025 :
Your choice will be automatically rejected
The budget will be returned to your Payflip wallet
No reimbursement will be processed in your next payslip
This decision wasn't made lightly, but without the social security exemption, this benefit no longer serves its purpose of optimizing your rewards. The benefit will be discontinued in Payflip from 10/03/2025.
For more details about these changes, please consult the complete NSSO position here.
We understand this might be disappointing news, and we're here to answer any questions you might have. Don't hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Your HR Team
FR 🇫🇷
FR 🇫🇷
📢 Mise à jour importante : Changements concernant le remboursement des frais de garde d'enfants
Chers Employés,
Nous devons vous informer d'un changement important concernant le remboursement des frais de garde d'enfants dans Payflip.
Le 3 mars 2025, les autorités de l'ONSS ont annoncé que les remboursements de frais de garde d'enfants ne seront plus exemptés des cotisations de sécurité sociale. Cela signifie que toute demande de remboursement effectuée à partir du 3 mars ne pourra plus être traitée selon le régime fiscal avantageux précédent.
Qu'est-ce que cela signifie pour vous ?
Si vous avez soumis une demande de remboursement le 03/03/2025 ou après :
Votre choix sera automatiquement rejeté
Le budget sera restitué dans votre wallet Payflip
Aucun remboursement ne sera traité dans votre prochaine fiche de paie
Cette décision n'a pas été prise à la légère, mais sans l'exemption de sécurité sociale, cet avantage ne remplit plus son objectif d'optimisation de votre rémunération. L'avantage sera supprimé de Payflip à partir du 10/03/2025.
Pour plus de détails sur ces changements, veuillez consulter la position complète de l'ONSS ici.
Nous comprenons que cette nouvelle puisse être décevante, et nous sommes là pour répondre à vos questions.
Bien à vous,
Votre équipe RH
NL 🇳🇱
NL 🇳🇱
📢 Belangrijke update: Wijzigingen in de terugbetaling van kinderopvangkosten
Beste Medewerkers,
We moeten jullie informeren over een belangrijke wijziging met betrekking tot de terugbetaling van kinderopvangkosten in Payflip.
Op 3 maart 2025 hebben de RSZ-autoriteiten aangekondigd dat terugbetalingen van kinderopvangkosten niet langer vrijgesteld zijn van sociale zekerheidsbijdragen. Dit betekent dat terugbetalingsaanvragen vanaf 3 maart niet meer kunnen worden verwerkt onder de vorige voordelige fiscale behandeling.
Wat betekent dit voor jou?
Als je een terugbetalingsaanvraag hebt ingediend op of na 03/03/2025 :
Je keuze zal automatisch worden geweigerd
Het budget komt terug in je Payflip wallet
Er zal geen terugbetaling worden verwerkt in je volgende loonstrook
Deze beslissing is niet lichtvaardig genomen, maar zonder de sociale zekerheidsvrijstelling dient dit voordeel niet langer zijn doel om je verloning te optimaliseren. Het voordeel zal vanaf 10/03/2025 worden stopgezet in Payflip.
Voor meer details over deze wijzigingen kan je het volledige RSZ-standpunt hier raadplegen.
We begrijpen dat dit teleurstellend nieuws kan zijn, en we staan klaar om je vragen te beantwoorden. Aarzel niet om contact op te nemen.
Met vriendelijke groeten,
Je HR Team
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change or its impact on specific situations, don't hesitate to reach out to us via the chat. 🔵 We're here to help!
For employees
Questions?
If you have any questions about this change, don't hesitate to reach out to your HR team or to us. 🔵