Ask HN: How do I earn a dollar of my website legally in western Europe (EU)?

1 point·barrenko··5 comments

Question in title - basically, is there any way to legally receive money in EU for some digital service / product without opening some sort of trade / LLC?

We can say I'm specifically asking for Belgium.

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Almost all tax collectors let you earn up to a certain amount per year before you have to make it a business. It can be as high as €20 000. Talk to an accountant or the business bureau in your region. They usually have very accessible information on their websites.

Yes, in Belgium and most of the EU, you can earn small amounts legally. You can do this through a “side income” or hobby income model without having to register a business right away.

Like that, use platforms like Ko-fi, Gumroad, or Buy Me a Coffee, which handle payments and taxes partially.

If your income stays below a certain limit of about €6,000 a year in Belgium through the deeleconomie scheme, you could get tax benefits. And you won’t need full business registration.

> Like that, use platforms like Ko-fi, Gumroad, or Buy Me a Coffee, which handle payments and taxes partially.

Or just old fashioned bank invoices to begin with, until it has enough revenue to motivate card payments.

It is easy to incorporate a business, costs very little, and then you can use pro payment platforms like Stripe.

Still way too much to test an idea or a product.

Thank you for the reply (and everyone else)! Is there a sort of a guarantee that below that threshold I won't get a random inquiry from the tax office, or is that always a possibility? I carry that sort of fear from southern EU.

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