Your first Dutch payslip arrives and it is a wall of abbreviations: brutoloon, loonheffing, SV-loon, vakantiegeld. Most expats glance at the net number and file it. But the loonstrook hides real money, and real entitlements, behind that jargon. Here is how to read it line by line and know what you are actually owed.
Gross to net: the big two
Start with the two numbers that matter most. As Dutch payslip guides explain:
- Brutoloon (gross): the salary in your contract, before deductions.
- Nettoloon (net): what actually lands in your account, after deductions.
The difference between them is mostly tax and premiums. The gross figure is what your arbeidsovereenkomst states; the net is what you live on.
What gets deducted
The gap is made of a few items, per payslip explainers:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| loonheffing | wage tax (income tax + national-insurance premiums) |
| loonheffingskorting | tax credit that reduces your tax |
| pensioenpremie | your pension contribution |
| SV-loon | social-security wage (gross minus pension premium) |
The loonheffingskorting is worth knowing: it is a credit that lowers your tax, and you can only have it applied through one employer at a time, so check it is being used.
The big one to track: vakantiegeld
Here is the line expats most often overlook. Vakantiegeld (holiday pay) is, as the union FNV sets out, at least 8% of your gross salary, an allowance on top of your wage. The twist: it is usually built up monthly but paid out as a lump sum, typically in May.
So your monthly nettoloon does not include it, it is being reserved, and one nice May payday it arrives all at once. Your loonstrook often shows the running total accrued, so you can see what is owed. (And note: holiday pay is separate from holiday days.)
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| loonstrook / salarisstrook | payslip |
| brutoloon / nettoloon | gross / net pay |
| vakantiegeld | holiday pay (~8%, paid in May) |
| vakantiedagen | holiday days |
| uitbetaling | payout |
| inhouding | deduction |
Where it connects
Your payslip is the financial core of working life here, the counterpart to your contract, the BTW return if you also freelance, and the work-life balance you protect when you defend your weekend. It also matters beyond work: a payslip is exactly the proof of income you need when bringing a partner to the Netherlands.
The bottom line
The Dutch loonstrook is readable once you know the lines: brutoloon (gross) minus loonheffing (wage tax) and pensioenpremie gives your nettoloon (net), with the loonheffingskorting lowering your tax. And do not forget vakantiegeld, at least 8% of gross, accrued monthly and paid in May. Learn these terms, glance past the net number, and you can actually check you are being paid what you are owed.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the payslip Dutch that hides real money, brutoloon, nettoloon, loonheffing, vakantiegeld by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can read your loonstrook and check you are being paid correctly instead of just trusting the number.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between brutoloon and nettoloon?
Brutoloon is your gross salary, the figure in your contract, before any deductions. Nettoloon is your net salary, what actually lands in your bank account after wage tax and premiums are taken off. The gap between them is mostly loonheffing (wage tax, which bundles income tax and national-insurance premiums) and your share of the pension premium. Your loonstrook shows both and the deductions in between.
What is vakantiegeld and when do I get it?
Vakantiegeld is holiday pay, an allowance of at least 8% of your gross salary, meant to help cover holiday costs. It is usually built up month by month and paid out as a lump sum, typically in May. So your monthly nettoloon does not include it; it arrives separately. Your loonstrook often shows the vakantiegeld being reserved, so you can track how much you have accrued.
What do the abbreviations on a Dutch payslip mean?
Key ones: brutoloon (gross pay), nettoloon (net pay), loonheffing (wage tax), loonheffingskorting (a tax credit that lowers your tax), pensioenpremie (pension contribution), SV-loon (social-security wage), and vakantiegeld (holiday pay). Seeing these line by line lets you check your deductions are right and that you are getting the tax credit and holiday pay you are entitled to.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for payslips and work admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the payslip Dutch that hides real money, brutoloon, nettoloon, loonheffing, vakantiegeld, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can read your loonstrook and check you are being paid correctly instead of just trusting the number.
