TEP-Talk: International Divorce in Belgium, and taxes

Life in Belgium is often quite different from what you are used to at home. Adapting to work, getting the children to school, settling in ... it takes some time, but after a few months or years, you feel at home.

And then your spouse or partner says : "we need to talk ...".

A deep, paralyzing sorrow gives way to denial. Anger is the next powerful emotion, that can lead to bargaining and often a depression before there can be any acceptance. And you cannot understand how your partner has already come to the inevitable end: a divorce.

It is on this awful rollercoaster of emotions that you will be asked to make decisions that will change your life, that will have an influence of the children’s further life, on your finances, …

This is where you find yourself all alone.

A good lawyer helps you see clear, navigate the obstacles and make sound decisions.

Eliane Kengo is a lawyer with years of experience in guiding clients through a divorce. She will explain how divorce works in Belgium, for international couples with different backgrounds. What are the stages: set up separate homes, do you go for negotiation or litigation, in Belgium or at home? What are the setbacks you may encounter and what fallback situations are there for a good negotiation?

Marc Quaghebeur is an international tax lawyer with years of experience in cross border estate planning. How do the taxes work for alimony, for the maintenance for the children, and what if your partner is travelling the world and has the expatriate tax status, … ? Sharing your wealth upon a divorce also brings its own issues, in particular if you move back home.

These are the questions our speakers will be presenting with some practical cases from their years of experience in helping partners settle their differences.

You may not be concerned but you may have some questions to help a friend.

The presentation is online but interactive. You can ask your questions during or after the TEP-talk. If you have any questions or suggestions that may be useful to address during the presentation, please feel free to do so by clicking on [contact] below.