The FIRE Belgium Show

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Aug 2026

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Money is one of the greatest tools we have to build a life we love. Whether you're seeking financial freedom or security, or simply want to have more peace of mind when it comes to money, learning how to use it wisely is essential. In this show you will to learn how to take control of your finances, start investing and put your money to work to serve you and others more effectively. You will learn from world-class personal finance experts as well as from Sebastien’s experience in reaching financial independence at 33 and helping thousands of other make progress on their journey.

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October 26, 2026Episode 3942 min

Belgium’s 10% Capital Gains Tax: What Will You Actually Pay? [039]

New to index investing? Check the free interactive workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop/ How will Belgium’s 10% capital gains tax affect your ETF portfolio? Learn what you will actually pay when you sell. With the introduction of the new 10% capital gains tax Belgium in 2026, many investors are asking how it changes their long-term strategy. Those currently investing in ETFs will find a detailed breakdown of how the tax is calculated, including the annual exemption and how it applies to your specific situation. The episode explores the practicalities of the new rules, including how to handle broker opt-in and opt-out decisions, the FIFO investment method for selling shares, and the tax implications for gifts or inheritance. This serves as a comprehensive Belgian tax guide to help you understand what happens when you sell, ensuring you know exactly how much of your proceeds you will keep. RESOURCES MENTIONED One-to-one consultations: https://firebelgium.com/1on1/ FIRE Belgium community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium This episode shares an educational explanation of the rules and their practical implications, not personalized tax advice. Your circumstances matter, and implementation details may evolve. CHAPTERS 00:00 What will you actually pay? 02:14 When does the tax apply? 02:59 A €65,000 ETF sale: the worked example 05:34 Which investments are covered? 07:03 Gains, losses and transaction costs 08:55 Investments acquired before 2026 11:35 Annual and additional exemptions 20:19 Broker withholding: opt-in and opt-out 28:39 What changes with a foreign broker? 29:30 FIFO: Which ETF shares are treated as sold first? 31:12 What if you leave Belgium? 36:25 Inheritance and gifts 36:48 Transactions in other currencies 37:28 The accumulating bond ETF distinction 40:21 Further help and resources - Disclaimer We are not financial advisors. We do not receive any commissions. We do not hold client money. We do not provide regulated investment advice or product recommendations. We work with intelligent people who want to learn and make their own decisions. We help people develop or improve their own plan and put it into action. When you're ready, here is how to work with us: Free interactive workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop/ One-to-one consultations: https://firebelgium.com/1on1/

August 28, 2026Episode 3817 min

ETF Investing Doesn't Need to Be Hard: The 5-Minute Monthly Routine for Investors in Belgium [038]

Check out the free investing workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop/ If you’re putting off investing because you think it takes hours, this episode is for you. Once you set up a simple, passive system, maintaining your ETF portfolio can take less than five minutes per month. In this live demo, the whole process of doing my monthly transactions took under two minutes (1 min and 26 sec). In this video, you’ll see the exact steps, why they work, and the few things you need and don’t need to care about as a Belgian passive index ETF investor. Chapters 0:00 The Truth About Monthly Investing Time Commitments 1:51 Live Demonstration: Executing Your Monthly Trades 5:31 Breaking Down the Mechanics of Autopilot Investing 10:00 Defining Your Asset Allocation Strategy 14:15 Streamlining Your Path to Financial Independence 🎓 Interested in simple, practical investing, optimized for Belgian taxes? → Free Interactive Workshop: How to Build Wealth on Autopilot, evidence-based index ETF investing, optimized for Belgian taxes: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop/ 🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑 Join the Belgium Financial Independence Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium

August 11, 2026Episode 371 hr 21 min

How I invest for my sons and nephews (template + demo, so you can too) [037]

Template: https://firebelgium.com/investing-for-kids-template-demo/ If you're saving money for your children, nieces or nephews, where you put that money can make a huge difference over 10 or 20 years. Leaving it in a savings account means letting it die to inflation and losing purchasing power. Investing via bank funds or insurance products means paying excessively high fees (entry and ongoing) and giving up on the majority of the returns! So what can you do instead? In this episode, I show you the simple system I use to invest for multiple children , and let them benefit from full market returns: One low-cost, globally diversified stock-market ETF + one simple spreadsheet to track each child's investment. No complicated investment products.No separate portfolio for every child.No unnecessary high fees. And I've made my Google Spreadsheet template available for you to copy and use for your own kids, nieces or nephews, right away. - Why I don't use traditional savings accounts for long-term investing for kids (disaster no. 1) - What's wrong with many of the investment products offered by Belgian banks (disaster no. 2) - How to invest for multiple children using a single portfolio - How to get broad stock-market exposure while keeping costs low - How I selected the ETF for this strategy - How to track each child's contributions and investment performance - How to turn investing into an educational tool for your children - What to think about before eventually giving the investment to the child - How to use the spreadsheet to create an annual investment statement for each child + EXACT STEP-BY-STEP DEMO for you to use the template and start investing for your kids, optimized for Belgian taxes. You can copy it to your own Google Drive and use it to track investments for up to 10 children . 👉 Get the template here: https://firebelgium.com/investing-for-kids-template-demo/ Watch the episode , get the full understanding of how to use the tool and get started. If you're going to invest for your kids for years or decades, keeping the strategy simple, diversified and low-cost matters enormously. In the case of my 7 year old son, investing in this way has made 60% more gains than going with a bank product, for a total of 2766 €. And I want to make sure your kids get the same benefits. This episode reflects my personal approach and is for educational purposes only. It is not individual investment, tax or legal advice. And if you’re new to index investing, then I recommend you watch the free interactive workshop on Index Investing for Beginners in Belgium: create passive income from the stock market, without paying high fees to banks or advisors, taking unnecessary risks or spending all day analyzing the markets. Free Workshop → https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop --- Download the FIRE Belgium Beginner's Guide to Index Investing: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide Learn about Financial Independence in Belgium: https://firebelgium.com Subscribe to the newsletter: https://firebelgium.com/#Subscribe Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium

July 28, 2026Episode 361 hr 21 min

The 4% Rule Could Make You Retire Too Early (or Too Late) [036]

🎓 Free Interactive Workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop 📊 Free Financial Independence Calculator: https://firebelgium.com/ficalculator The 4% rule is one of the most famous concepts in the world of financial independence.It is simple: build a portfolio worth 25 times your annual expenses, withdraw 4% per year, and you should be able to retire without running out of money. But the problem is that the 4% rule could make you retire too early… or too late. Too early, because you might underestimate the risks and misunderstand the assumptions behind the rule and believe you are financially independent when you’re not.For example I’ve seen people say: well the 4% rule works because on average the stock market returns 7 to 9% per year. So taking 4% is safe. This is, of course, completely wrong. But also too late, because you might be saving and investing for years longer than necessary because you are using a rule that does not fully match your situation as an investor living in Belgium. So what is the truth?Is the 4% rule still useful?How much money do you actually need to retire or supplement your pension in Belgium? And how should you adapt this famous rule to your own investment plan? In this episode, I am joined once again by Toon Cuypers. We are going to break down the research behind the 4% rule and show you how to adapt it to your own situation.Here is what you'll learn:- how much money you really need to achieve financial freedom,- why the 4% rule is only a starting point and not a complete retirement plan,- the hidden assumptions that can change your answer by hundreds of thousands of euros,- how Belgian investors should think about their portfolio, pension, and withdrawal strategy,- and how to build a simple, evidence-based plan that gives you confidence about your financial future. By the end of this episode, you will have a much clearer framework to calculate your own freedom number and build a realistic investment plan based on evidence — not just a simple rule of thumb. By the way, if you’re new to index investing and you would like to get my blueprint on how to build wealth on autopilot, using evidence-based investing optimized for Belgian taxes, make sure to watch the free workshop on the FIRE Belgium website. It’s the best way to start and it’s my gift to you. 🎓 Free Interactive Workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop Also, towards the end of the episode, we use the Financial Independence Calculator, to help you estimate your time to FI, including Belgian taxes, such as the new tax on capital gains. You can find it here: 📊 FI Calculator (free): https://firebelgium.com/ficalculator Other important links: 📖 Beginner's Guide: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide 🌐 FIRE Belgium: https://firebelgium.com 👥 Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pn2Gu1kSM5xtOgH3osjU7 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-belgium-show/id1632972120 Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Coolhttps://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

July 14, 2026Episode 3544 min

Best Brokers in Belgium (2026 Comparison Table) [035]

=> Get the Broker Comparison Table here for free: firebelgium.com/brokers What are the best brokers for ETF investors in Belgium? What is the best broker for you? In this episode, we do a deep dive and compare 12 brokers, across 35 criteria so that you can select the best broker for your situation and your needs. I am joined by Toon Cuypers, financial coach at FIRE Belgium for this episode as he just spent 2 months updating the FIRE Belgium Comparison Table. And you can download it for free here: firebelgium.com/brokers . In this episode, you will learn about: The cheapest broker for Belgian investors, The most convenient brokers And the new automatic investments plans offered by the various brokers. If you’re looking to find the best broker to start investing with or to move your portfolio to, then this episode is for you. And if you’re new to index investing, then I recommend you watch the free interactive workshop on Index Investing for Beginners in Belgium: create passive income from the stock market, without paying high fees to banks or advisors, taking unnecessary risks or spending all day analyzing the markets. Free Workshop → https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop --- Download the FIRE Belgium Beginner's Guide to Index Investing: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide Learn about Financial Independence in Belgium: https://firebelgium.com Subscribe to the newsletter: https://firebelgium.com/#Subscribe Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium _ Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Cool https://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

June 10, 2026Episode 3416 min

When Will You Become Financially Independent? (Free Calculator for Belgium)

If you keep doing what you're doing today, when will you become financially independent? In 10 years? 25 years? Or never? Most people have no idea. But after watching this video, you will know your financial independence number and exactly how long it will take you to get there. Most financial independence calculators are wrong for investors living in Belgium, because they ignore Belgian-specific taxes and investment fees. This one doesn't. I built this tool based on evidence-based investing principles and my experience teaching over 500 professionals in Belgium how to start investing. What we cover: → How to calculate your financial independence number → How long it will take you to get there at your current savings rate → What you can do to get there faster → The real cost of investing with a robo advisor or bank funds vs index ETFs → What happens if you don't invest at all → How fees can cost you years, if not a decade ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:14 When will you become financially independent? 01:44 Why most FI calculators are wrong for Belgium 03:38 What this calculator shows you 04:28 Robo advisors and bank funds vs index ETFs 05:36 The real impact of fees 05:54 The cost of not investing 06:28 About this tool 07:00 How to download the FI Calculator Free tools mentioned: 📊 FI Calculator (free): https://firebelgium.com/ficalculator 🎓 Free Workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop 📖 Beginner's Guide: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide 🌐 FIRE Belgium: https://firebelgium.com 👥 Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pn2Gu1kSM5xtOgH3osjU7 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-belgium-show/id1632972120 Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Cool https://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

June 1, 2026Episode 3316 min

From €1,300 to €5,000/Month: How David Is Retiring 14 Years Early [033]

He was earning €1,300/month in Italy. Rent alone was €600. Saving felt impossible.Then he got a phone call from Brussels, and everything changed.In this episode, Sébastien Aguilar shares the real case study of David: a 37-year-old expat IT consultant at the European Commission who went from €0 invested to €2,500/month in index ETFs, and is now on track for financial independence at 53.This is not theory. Real numbers. Real portfolio. Real plan.---📌 What we cover:→ How David went from €1300/month in Italy to €5,000/month net in Belgium→ Why earning more is not enough, and what actually changes everything→ His exact ETF portfolio→ Why he chose a 70% equity / 30% bond allocation→ His broker strategy: MeDirect + Bolero→ How the FI Calculator shows he reaches financial independence in under 16 years→ The mindset shift: "Wait, this is actually DOABLE."---⏱️ Chapters00:00 David's story: intro00:47 Growing up in Eastern Europe: civil engineering & the 2008 crisis02:02 Moving to Italy: €800/month, €600 rent, €0 savings02:57 The crypto experiment and zero wealth-building knowledge03:18 The phone call from Brussels: headhunted by the EU Commission04:03 Arriving in Belgium, realizing €280/day is "below poverty" locally04:43 Building income: from €280/day to €550/day net, €5,000/month household05:15 The wake-up call: family savings wiped out by inflation05:37 Discovering FIRE Belgium & the Index Investing Bootcamp05:59 David's portfolio: 70% equities / 30% bonds06:22 ETF selection06:59 Broker setup: Bolero + MeDirect strategy07:53 What financial independence means for David at 5308:35 FI Calculator walkthrough, reaching FI in under 16 years10:57 The "aha" moment: this is real, this is possible12:00 Key lessons from David's case study13:58 Free interactive workshop + how to get started15:10 Testimonial from Barbara15:56 Final thoughts & call to action---🔗 Resources mentioned:📊 FI Calculator: http://firebelgium.com/ficalculator🎓 Free Workshop: https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop📖 Beginner's Guide: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide🌐 FIRE Belgium: https://firebelgium.com👥 Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Pn2Gu1kSM5xtOgH3osjU7🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-belgium-show/id1632972120 ___Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Coolhttps://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

May 15, 2026Episode 321 hr 19 min

What Happens If You Die in Belgium? (This Tax Mistake Costs Thousands) [032]

What actually happens to your money, your investments, and everything you’ve built… when you die in Belgium? For most people, the answer is simple: a large part of it disappears in taxes. 30%, 40% and up to 80% in some cases. Because of non-existent or poor estate and inheritance planning. My name is Sébastien Aguilar and I teach busy professionals living in Belgium how to build wealth on autopilot with evidence based passive investing, optimized for Belgian taxes. And in this episode, I want to help you keep more of the wealth you’re building when it passes on to the next generation. To help me do this I have invited Marc Quaghebeur , an expert in international tax and estate planning from the law firm Delsol Avocats. Marc works with entrepreneurs, expats and cross-border families in Belgium. He is the author of « Rest in Peace, A Guide to Wills and Inheritance Tax in Belgium ». In this episode, you’ll discover the key mistakes that can cost your family tens of thousands, how Belgian inheritance taxes really work, and the strategies that can bring that tax rate down dramatically. We’ll walk through what happens step by step, and the practical actions that you can take to protect what you’re building. Since the recording, I have started several things that could save my family hundreds of thousands of euros. And I am sure you’ll benefit as well. Full biography and contact details of Marc Quaghebeur: https://www.delsolavocats.com/Marc-QUAGHEBEUR And if you’re new to index investing, then I recommend you watch the free interactive workshop on Index Investing for Beginners in Belgium: create passive income from the stock market, without paying high fees to banks or advisors, taking unnecessary risks or spending all day analyzing the markets. Free Workshop → https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop --- Download the FIRE Belgium Beginner's Guide to Index Investing: https://bit.ly/FIREBGuide Learn about Financial Independence in Belgium: https://firebelgium.com Subscribe to the newsletter: https://firebelgium.com/#Subscribe Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium _ Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Cool https://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

March 31, 2026Episode 311 hr 38 min

Crypto Investing Without the Stress? | 10 Mistakes Passive Investors Must Avoid (Brecht Van Craen) [031]

Crypto investing, Bitcoin strategy, passive investing — can you invest in crypto without stress?In this episode, we talk about how passive investors can approach Bitcoin and crypto without turning it into a full-time job.I’m joined by Brecht Van Craen, founder of Digital Currency Academy, and we break down a simpler, long-term approach to crypto investing.Crypto is often associated with hype, trading, and constant noise. But is there a more rational way to think about it?We discuss how crypto might fit into a passive portfolio, what most investors get wrong, and how to approach it without overcomplicating things.⸻What we discuss- What role crypto can play in a diversified portfolio- How much Bitcoin exposure might make sense- Whether to focus on Bitcoin or explore altcoins- Why active trading is often a mistake- How to deal with volatility and market cycles- The biggest risks behind crypto adoption⸻⏱️ Chapters00:00 Can you invest in crypto without stress?01:10 Why passive investors are curious about Bitcoin05:30 The biggest mistake crypto investors make12:40 Bitcoin vs altcoins20:15 How much crypto should you own32:10 Dealing with volatility45:20 Long-term strategy vs trading01:10:00 Risks and future of crypto01:30:00 Final thoughts⸻About the guestBrecht Van Craen is the founder of Digital Currency Academy.He’s helped thousands of people in Belgium understand crypto in a more structured, long-term way, without the hype.His approach focuses on simplicity, clear rules, and investor behavior rather than speculation.⸻Free workshopIf you’re new to index investing, I’d recommend starting with the free workshop.It explains a simple way to build long-term wealth through index funds, without overcomplicating things.https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop⸻ResourcesBeginner’s Guide to Index Investinghttps://bit.ly/FIREBGuideFIRE Belgiumhttps://firebelgium.comCommunityhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium⸻Listen to the showSpotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0Pn2Gu1kSM5xtOgH3osjU7Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-belgium-show/id1632972120 _ Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Cool https://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

January 19, 2026Episode 301 hr 44 min

How to Build Wealth in Belgium (Thomas Guenter’s Real Strategy) [030]

How Do You Actually Build Wealth in Belgium? Without Overcomplicating It or Leaving Money on the Table? This is the main question we discussed with Thomas Guenter, Founder and managing partner of Finhouse. We discussed the top principles of wealth creation and what it really takes to get to it. - What does it actually take to build serious wealth in Belgium today? - Is entrepreneurship the only path to wealth? Or can employees and freelancers get there too? - Which matters more for becoming wealthy: earning more or investing smarter? And how to do it? - Should you prioritise real estate or ETFs? AHow should you combine them for the highest long-term payoff? - When does diversification really add value? How much should you put in bonds, gold, crypto or private equity (if at all)? This conversation was fascinating, and Thomas does not shy away from giving real super-practical advice. We also discussed: - What does “having enough” actually mean? How do you combine wealth and happiness? - How to optimize the transfer of wealth between generations. - What are the first steps beginners should take today to build significant wealth over the next decade? - How does Private Equity and Venture Capital work? What are the pros and cons compared to a simple portfolio of ETFs? As you can see, we covered a lot of ground, which is why this episode is longer than usual. You will probably have to listen to it over multiple commute trips or workouts. But I promise, it’s well worth it. And just in case you didn’t know you can listen to it as an audio podcast as well. Thomas is a great guest for this topic because he is one of the young entrepreneurs in Belgium with the most experience in this field, both from his super-impressive personal journey and from the work he does with his community and clients. In 2024, Thomas was nominated for the Forbes Belgium 30 Under 30 list because of the positive impact that he has on the finances of thousands of people in Flanders. In 2025, he was nominated for the Forbes Europe 30 Under 30 list in the Finance category because of his efforts to democratize the access to private equity and venture capital through his own low-cost fund of funds, the Finhouse Global Fund. Thomas is the author of the best-selling book Personal Finance – with more than 20,000 copies sold in under a year – and reaches thousands of Belgians each month through his free educational videos about investing, real estate and wealth planning. Now, before we get started, I want to share an important disclaimer: As you will see in this conversation, I am not in favor of Private Equity or Venture Capital as an asset for individual investors. I explain why in the conversation and I stand by it. I think however that it is interesting to hear Thomas’ arguments on topic. What I am hoping for is that through his work, Thomas can help challenge the industry and make it better for us individual investors at some point. For now I keep my position of warning individual investors against it. So while we have some disagreements, you will see that it is in fact a very small part of the conversation. And it does not change the respect I have for the work Thomas does to support financial literacy in Belgium. The knowledge he shares in this episode is a testament to that. It’s real gold. And I want to thank Thomas for this once more. Thomas’ personal website: https://www.thomasguenter.be/ Finhouse website: https://finhouse.be/ Follow Thomas on: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guenterthomas - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guenter.thomas/ And if you’re new to index investing, then I recommend you watch the free interactive workshop on Index Investing for Beginners in Belgium → ⁠ https://firebelgium.com/investingworkshop⁠ --- Learn about Financial Independence in Belgium: https://firebelgium.com Join the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FIREBelgium _ Music: Tobu, Wholm & Blume - Cool https://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial

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