Accountancy Vergauwen

Accountancy Vergauwen is an accounting office on Watermolendreef in Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders. It is registered with the ITAA under number 53.460.841. Behind the office is a single person, Silvano Vergauwen, a certified accountant who wants to offer an alternative to large firms: an accountant who takes the time to get to know the entrepreneur, gets in touch proactively and supports them throughout their career. Meetings take place at his home, at the dining table in his living room, rather than in an impersonal office.

The office targets small self-employed businesses, including those working part-time, SMEs and above all start-ups, which often struggle to find an accountant with time to advise them. Because he works alone, with no administrative staff or trainees, Silvano Vergauwen knows every file inside out, which avoids lost documents and repeated questions and leaves room for advice.

For start-ups, support covers the choice between a sole proprietorship and a company, preparing a financial plan and advice on financing, the formalities for starting full-time or part-time (registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, applying for a VAT number, joining a social insurance fund), and advice on money management, cash flow and pay. The office then follows the business as it grows and expands, up to a takeover or closure at retirement.

Bookkeeping is done on Octopus, a Belgian online accounting platform that both client and accountant can access. Clients upload their invoices, which also arrive automatically via Peppol, and follow their revenue, costs, profit, open invoices and bank balance in real time thanks to the link with CODA bank statements. Clients attached to another package can keep using it. The office also assists during tax audits.

The office charges a fixed annual fee, with no hourly billing. It covers processing purchase and sales invoices, bank statements and the cash book, interim reports, annual accounts and the balance sheet, the personal or corporate income tax return, the VAT return and customer listing, advice on advance tax payments and cost optimisation, monitoring of social security status and contributions, pension optimisation and general advice. The amount is set after a first meeting that takes into account the legal form, Belgian or international customers, whether copyright income applies, invoice volumes and VAT status. There is no barrier: no question is considered too simple, and clients can write, call or ask for a meeting whenever they wish.