EKWAL Accounting & Tax

Ekwal Accounting & Tax, also written 'ēkwəl, is a firm of accountants and tax advisers at number 61 avenue Saint-Pancrace in Kraainem, on the edge of Brussels. It was formed on 1 January 2022 through the merger of three companies, AECTS, Finance Spirit and Fiduciaire VBS, which had already been pooling their resources and skills for more than seven years. The firm is registered with the ITAA under number 50.427.064. It says it works in line with current Belgian law and attaches great importance to the institute's ethical and professional rules.

The team has more than seven people, including certified accountants, an in-house accountant and trainees, among them Cédric Bellemans and Thierry Schwers. Its clients are mainly SMEs, self-employed people and non-profit associations, active mostly in the service and industrial sectors. The firm also works with international subsidiaries, which explains part of its services, such as reporting to the parent company or non-resident taxation. It has built a network of company auditors, specialist lawyers, notaries, coaches, bankers and professional associations.

In bookkeeping, the firm handles the day-to-day accounts of companies, branches, associations and organisations from many sectors. This covers posting documents, closing the accounts, VAT formalities and those related to staff management, interim statements and, where relevant, the consolidation package for the parent company. It prepares the annual accounts, helps draft the minutes and reports of the management body, prepares the tax return and assists clients during tax audits.

For companies that keep their own books, the firm offers accounting supervision. It advises on how to organise the accounts, periodically reviews and checks entries, gives posting advice and prepares interim statements and group reporting. It then handles the annual accounts, proposes the minutes and reports of the management body, prepares the tax return and remains available in the event of an audit. It also offers staff training in accounting and finance, as well as courses on specific accounting topics.

Tax advice is aimed at companies, branches, associations and their directors. It covers VAT, corporate income tax, personal income tax and estate planning, legal entities tax for non-profits and non-resident taxation, for individuals as well as Belgian establishments of foreign companies. The firm also carries out tax audits and advises on administrative and financial organisation. The website gathers a long list of links to Federal Public Service Finance services, Biztax, Intervat, Belcotax, the Central Balance Sheet Office and the formalities for foreign bank accounts.

Finally, the firm supports company formation: choice of company form and name, split between capital and borrowed funds, taxation, financial plan and the equity required. It handles contact with the notary and the formalities at business counters. It also offers registered office services at its address and a meeting room. Clients have access to several online tools, including Sage Cloud Demat for paperless documents, Fid-Manager and Winauditor. The contractual relationship is based on an engagement letter and general terms published on the website.