Netherlands Vakantiegeld Calculator

At least 8% of your gross salary earned over the vakantiegeldjaar (1 June to 31 May), under the Wet minimumloon en minimumvakantiebijslag. This is a legal minimum, some employers pay more via a collective labour agreement (cao), but 8% is the floor almost every Dutch employee can expect.

Almost always as a single lump sum, typically between 21-25 May, though some employers pay it in June or spread it monthly if that's specified in your contract or cao. Check your contract if you're unsure which method applies to you.

Yes, it's ordinary taxable Box 1 income, not a tax-free bonus. In the payout month, payroll typically withholds tax on it using a special table (bijzonder tarief) based on your annualised salary level, which in practice taxes it close to your marginal rate since it stacks on top of your regular pay rather than being spread across 12 months. Over the full tax year the total tax bill converges to the same figure either way.

Yes. Vakantiegeld is ordinary Box 1 salary income, so if the 30% ruling applies to your employment, its tax-free carve-out applies to the vakantiegeld portion exactly the same way it applies to your regular pay, calculated on your combined gross income for the year.

Only above roughly 3x the statutory minimum wage (around €93,000/year gross at 2026 minimum-wage levels), and only if you and your employer have agreed this in writing. It's an opt-in exception, not a default, so most contracts, even at higher salaries, still pay the full 8% unless yours explicitly says otherwise.

Usually not. Most Dutch job postings quote a base gross salary that excludes vakantiegeld, meaning your actual annual cash received is typically about 8% higher than the headline figure once the May lump sum lands. Always check whether an offer's quoted salary already includes vakantiegeld or not before comparing offers.

It models the mandatory 8% minimum and 2026 Box 1 tax bands (35.75% / 37.56% / 49.50%), approximating the payroll bijzonder tarief withholding. It doesn't account for the general tax credit, employment tax credit, ZVW health insurance premium, or pension contributions, and doesn't detect contractual exceptions above the roughly €93,000 threshold. Check your payslip or consult a Dutch tax adviser for exact figures.