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Ending your professional partnership (maatschap)

This information is provided by:Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, KVKNetherlands Chamber of Commerce, KVKNederlandse versie

If you decide to end your maatschap (professional partnership), you must notify the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK. First, you must dissolve the partnership. You will also have to settle with the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. Keep your administration for at least 7 years. Read this checklist to find out how to end your public partnership.

1. Check the agreements with your partners

Have you and your partners made oral or written agreements? If you have a partnership agreement, this includes agreements on the distribution of profits and liability for losses and debts when the maatschap is dissolved. Partners will need to pay part of the debts and may get their share back in cash or in kind (such as products).

2. Dissolving the maatschap

In order to cancel your partnership, you must dissolve it.

If one of the partners does not agree with the termination of the partnership, you can have the partnership ended in court. This is only possible in special cases, such as difficult relationships between the partners or non-fulfilment of obligations by one of the partners.

Dissolving a maatschap with outstanding debts

Are you forced to end your professional partnership because your company is in debt? Investigate whether you qualify for debt restructuring. For temporary debts, you can first request a postponement (suspension of payment). If you are still unable to pay off your debts, you must file for bankruptcy.

3. Check the financial consequences

When you end your professional partnership, you and your partners draw up a final balance (or have it drawn up). This is a final overview of the assets of your maatschap. The capital must be settled (vereffening) and divided.

4. Inform your staff and customers

Do you have staff? Tell them in time that you are going to end your business. This way your staff can look for different work in the meantime.Also check which contracts or agreements you have with customers and suppliers. Do this before you tell them you are ending your business.

5. Dismissing staff

There are rules that you must adhere to if you employ staff. If you , you must apply for a dismissal permit. You must also lay down agreements in a , such as a and job counseling. Also notify the Dutch tax authorities of the dismissal.

6. Deregister your general partnership from the Business Register

Deregister your maatschap from the Dutch Business Register. To deregister your professional partnership, you must first dissolve it (see step 2). The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK informs the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration about the termination. You will receive a letter from the Dutch tax authorities about the consequences for income tax and VAT. Do you want to apply for a benefit? Do this before deregistering (see step 3).

    7. Submit your final VAT return

    After the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has been informed that your professional partnership has been deregistered, all partners will receive a letter stating that you must submit a final .

    8. Pay income tax

    The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration will send you a letter confirming the deregistration from the Business Register and the tax settlement. Each partner must file a final .

    9. Check what to cancel

    Make sure you cancel contracts and insurance policies of your maatschap. For instance:

    10. Keep your records

    After ending your professional partnership, you must keep for at least 7 years. You may also scan the records to keep them digitally.

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