Creators

Your first million as a creator: what should already be in place

Updated: 2026-08-17 Holdwise editorial team

By your first million as a creator, seven things should already be in place. Most of the important work is done before you reach this amount. A million built outside a company structure is fragile. Check the seven things and fix what is missing, in the order given. The list applies from roughly €750,000 upward. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

The seven things

A holding above the operating company, set up before the company had much value. A future sale is then tax free under the participation exemption. Of the seven, a missing holding is the most expensive gap. See selling your channel or brand.
A planned salary: you pay at least the customary salary. A lower salary is allowed only in a few cases, for example while a new BV is still unable to pay the full amount. You pay dividends up to the limit of the 24.5% bracket. At a salary of €36,000 compared with €58,000, you keep about €7,100 a year more. After a later dividend, about €2,800 of that remains. Calculate it with your own figures.
A one-page investment policy, carried out automatically inside the holding every month, in good and bad months alike.
A complete archive: seven years of tax returns, payout overviews and contracts, all filed. You can then answer a letter from a tax inspector in one afternoon.
Personal protection: disability insurance that matches your real monthly costs, health insurance, and a will. The company structure only helps you fully if these three are also in place.
Exit rules, known in advance: you know what happens if you sell and what happens if you leave the country, before either becomes urgent. See the exit rules.
Your professional team: a bookkeeper, a tax adviser, a notary and an independent investment adviser. Each of them reviews your full situation every year.

What changes at this level

Below a million, you focus on growing your income. At a million, you also focus on protecting what you have. You protect yourself against paying tax twice and against too much money in one investment. You also protect yourself against impulsive decisions, and against your channel losing value over time.

If several items are missing

Fix them in the order of the list: first the structure, then the salary, then the investment policy. See what you pay at €1 million for the numbers. Your first step is a written review of your situation, which you can request via the start page for creators.

Free advice

Want our team to have a look?

We help creators with their income, their company and their tax. Tell us where you stand or what you are planning. You get free advice on your next step.

Part of Doing Business in the Netherlands, the complete 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

I hit €1 million as a creator and have yet to set up a company structure. How bad is it? +

You can still fix it, and it is better to fix it now than after the next million. Fix the structure first (holding and BV), then the salary, then the investment policy.

What is the most expensive mistake at this level? +

A missing holding. If you sell a valuable channel that you own personally, you pay box 2 tax on the whole gain. If you sell it from a holding, the gain is tax free.

Do I need a family office at €1 million? +

You need the same functions, but a full institution usually comes later. A holding plus a team of four professionals meets the same needs for a creator business.

Does this checklist apply from €750,000? +

Yes. The seven things should be in place from roughly €750,000 upward. Earlier is even better.