Prinsjesdag: what happens on Budget Day and what it means for entrepreneurs
Written by Ilias Aarrass6 min read · Published on · Last reviewed on 
In short
On Prinsjesdag, the third Tuesday of September, the cabinet presents the speech from the throne, the budget memorandum and the Tax Plan; the tax proposals only take effect on 1 January after the House of Representatives in October and November and the Senate in December have approved them.
- For entrepreneurs the Tax Plan is the key document: it contains the rates and deductions.
- Prinsjesdag plans can still change until the Senate vote in December.
- Many measures in the news became law in earlier years and go ahead regardless.
- Do not make irreversible decisions on a proposal; plan year-end choices once the rules are fixed.
Around Prinsjesdag the news is full of headlines like "freelancers will pay more" or "director-shareholders get tax relief". Part of that is already law, part is a proposal that may still change, and part is a preview of years further ahead. If you react to every headline, you make decisions on plans that may never happen. This article covers what happens on Budget Day, which documents matter to you as an entrepreneur, how the route to 1 January runs and when you should act.
What happens on Prinsjesdag?
Prinsjesdag falls on the third Tuesday of September. The King reads the speech from the throne: a speech written by the cabinet setting out the broad plans for the coming year. Traditionally this happens in the Hall of Knights; while the parliament complex in The Hague is being renovated, it takes place in the Royal Theatre in The Hague.
The same afternoon the Minister of Finance presents the budget memorandum and the national budget to the House of Representatives, in the well-known briefcase. With that, the tax proposals for the following year are on the table too. For entrepreneurs that is the most important part of the day, far more important than the speech itself.
Which documents matter to you?
Dozens of documents are published on Prinsjesdag. As an entrepreneur you really only need one of them: the Tax Plan package. It contains the bills with the rates, deductions and tax credits for the new year. The rest is background.
| Document | What it contains | Relevance to you |
|---|---|---|
| Speech from the throne | the broad lines of cabinet policy | low: no amounts or details |
| Budget memorandum | the economic outlook and the overall picture of spending and revenue | medium: useful for context |
| Tax Plan | the bills with rates, deductions and tax credits | high: this is where the numbers that affect you are |
| Budgets per ministry | spending per policy area, such as subsidies and schemes | varies: only if you rely on a particular scheme |
From proposal to law: the route to 1 January
What is presented on Prinsjesdag is a proposal. The House of Representatives debates the Tax Plan in October and November and can change it through amendments. The cabinet can also make changes itself through a memorandum of amendment. Then the Senate votes, usually in mid-December. Only once it agrees and the law is published in the official gazette does it apply from 1 January.
That things really can change along the way became clear in 2026: two weeks after Prinsjesdag the cabinet came with additional proposals for box 2 and for borrowing from your own BV. What exactly is on the table for 2027 is in Tax Plan 2027: what changes for freelancers and director-shareholders.
The timeline of a Tax Plan
- August
- the cabinet makes the final choices for the budget
- Third Tuesday of September
- Prinsjesdag: speech, budget memorandum and Tax Plan
- October and November
- debate and vote in the House of Representatives, with amendments
- December
- vote in the Senate and publication in the official gazette
- 1 January
- the new rules take effect
Result: So there are almost three months between Prinsjesdag and the final law in which a lot can still change.
What do you do as an entrepreneur after Prinsjesdag?
The best response to Prinsjesdag is to stay calm and distinguish. What is already law you can plan for. What is a proposal you keep an eye on until the vote in December. Only in the last weeks of the year do you know for sure what changes on 1 January, and that is exactly the moment when you can still make most choices.
If you have a BV, the box 2 rates and the rules on borrowing from your BV matter most; with a sole proprietorship it is usually about the entrepreneur deductions and the box 1 rates. Discuss with your bookkeeper in November or December what the final rules mean for you.
- Check for each measure whether it is already law or still a proposal.
- Do not make irreversible decisions based on a proposal that has not been adopted.
- Look at investments before year-end: the small-scale investment deduction depends on the year in which you invest.
- With a BV, plan the timing of dividends only once the rates for the new year are fixed.
- Adjust your provisional assessment in January if your income or the rules change significantly.
Frequently asked questions
When is Prinsjesdag?
Always on the third Tuesday of September. In 2026 that was 15 September.
Do the Prinsjesdag plans apply immediately?
No. They are proposals that first have to pass both houses of parliament. They usually take effect on 1 January of the following year, and they may still change along the way.
Which document should I read as an entrepreneur?
The Tax Plan: that is where the rates and deductions are. Simpler still is an overview from your bookkeeper that has already applied the measures to your situation.
Can a measure still fail after Prinsjesdag?
Yes. The House can adopt amendments, the cabinet can adjust proposals and the Senate can reject a bill. You only know for sure after the vote in December.
Sources
- PrinsjesdagRijksoverheid · rijksoverheid.nl
- Public finances: budget and budget memorandumMinisterie van Financiën · rijksfinancien.nl
Sources checked on
This article provides general information based on the rules known for 2026 and does not replace personal tax advice. For your specific situation, we're happy to take a look with you.
