Creators

Your holding as a family office: what it does for your wealth

Updated: 2026-08-17 Holdwise editorial team

A Dutch holding does the same three jobs as a family office. It invests the surplus, protects the assets and plans the handover to the next generation. The cost is one extra BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company). Family offices manage the money of people whose income was once like yours: large, sudden and uncertain. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

Job one: invest the surplus

The operating company pays its profit to the holding tax free, under the participation exemption. The holding invests the money, and the returns are taxed at company tax rates, as described in index investing from your BV. You follow a one-page policy for the monthly amount. The operating company keeps only what it needs. It earns the income, pays your salary and sends the surplus to the holding.

Job two: protect the assets

You keep the two companies separate for protection. Claims from a contract dispute, a copyright case or a platform problem are made against the operating company. The portfolio, the reserves and the intellectual property are in the holding, out of reach of those claims. Put trademarks and the content library in the holding, and license them to the operating company. If the operating company has a serious problem, your wealth in the holding is safe. For the same logic when you sell, see selling your channel or brand.

Job three: plan the handover

The holding also helps you plan big family events. If a partner joins, you can give them shares or set up a second holding. For children later, you arrange gifts and succession through shares, with their own exemptions. If you leave the country one day, you know the rules for a protective tax assessment in advance. See the exit rules.

What it costs

The notary draws up a separate deed of incorporation for each BV. Each year, the holding needs one extra set of accounts. In return, you get tax-free transfers between the companies, protection from liability, and a future sale that is tax free in the holding.

When it is more than you need

If your side income is under roughly €60,000 a year and a sale is outside your plans, a simpler setup is enough. For everyone else, it is better to set up the holding early. If you add it later, when the company already has value, you need a valuation and you pay tax. For the steps, see the start page for creators.

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

Frequently asked questions

What does a holding company do for a creator? +

It does three jobs of a family office. It receives profit tax free from the operating company and invests it. It keeps your wealth apart from business risk. It also makes big events easier to plan, such as a new partner, a sale or emigration.

Where should my trademarks and content library go? +

In the holding, licensed to the operating company. Assets kept in the holding are protected from whatever happens to the operating company.

What does a holding cost per year? +

Roughly the cost of one extra set of annual accounts. In return, you get the participation exemption, protection from liability and a tax-free sale later.