Vakantiegeld: the Dutch May paycheck explained

Dutch employers must pay a holiday allowance of at least 8% of your gross salary, normally in one lump in May. On a €60,000 package it is about €4,444 gross. It is taxed in the month it is paid at your highest rate, which is why the May paycheck is bigger but not 8% of a year bigger.

Reading a Dutch salary offer

Offers come in two dialects. "€4,630 per month" usually means 12 payments plus 8% on top. "€60,000 annual including holiday allowance" already contains it. The difference is real money, so always ask which one is meant. Our Netherlands calculator and all our salary pages use the inclusive convention, matching how most Dutch contracts quote the year.

Why May taxes feel heavy

Regular months are withheld as if your salary were steady, so your tax-free credits are already spread across them. The holiday lump arrives on top and is withheld at the special-rate table, effectively your marginal rate, around 50% at this income. Nothing is lost: the annual totals settle close to what our calculator shows, the lump just cannot reuse credits the other months consumed.

The rules in brief

The 8% minimum is statutory (above three times the minimum wage it can be capped by agreement). What has accrued up to 31 May is paid in June; a monthly payout ("vakantiegeld inclusief") is allowed when it is agreed in writing or in the collective agreement. Overtime pay counts towards it, profit sharing and year-end bonuses do not, and the accrued share is paid out pro rata when you leave a job.

Frequently asked questions

Is holiday allowance the same as holiday days?

No. Vakantiegeld is money, the statutory 8%. Vacation days are separate, at least four times your weekly working days per year.

Can I get it monthly instead of in May?

Only if your contract pays it that way. Monthly payout spreads the cash but also the withholding, and the yearly net is the same either way.

Does the 30% ruling apply to vakantiegeld?

Yes. The allowance is ordinary taxable wage, so the ruling's tax-free percentage covers it too; see the 30% ruling guide.

Statutory basis: Wet minimumloon en minimumvakantiebijslag, 8% minimum. Figures computed with our tested 2026 engine. Last updated 2026-11-04.