With new entrepreneurs, we keep seeing the same mistakes. Not because starters are careless, but because nobody tells them what to watch out for. So here is our top 5.
Mistake #1: Using your private account for business expenses
The classic. You are just starting, you do not have a business account yet, so you simply pay business costs from your private account. "I'll sort it out later."
The problem: at the end of the year you have 1,200 transactions on your private account, and about 300 of them are business. Which 300? No idea. Your accountant has to sort through them — that takes hours. Or you get a cautious estimate from the Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) and miss out on deductions.
Solution: Open a business account on day one (costs about € 10 per month). Use it for everything related to your business. Full stop.
Mistake #2: Collecting receipts in a shoebox
You have a perfectly good business account, but you still get paper receipts. You stick them in a notebook. Or you keep them in your wallet. Or you leave them on the kitchen table. The result: at the end of the year a large part of your receipts is missing.
Solution: Scan every receipt straight away with the app of your accounting software. At Boekhoudlive, that is the e-Boekhouden or Moneybird app. Take a photo, done. Time: 10 seconds per receipt. It saves you half a day at the end of the year.
Questions about keeping track of receipts?
At Boekhoudlive you work in e-Boekhouden or Moneybird and upload receipts through the app. Not sure how to handle it smartly? Ask Fenna, on the right of this page, for an instant answer.
Mistake #3: Registering with the KVK too late
Some starters think they only need to register once they "really" earn money. Not true. You register with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) no later than 1 week after you start (earlier is also fine). The KVK passes your details on to the Tax Administration, which decides whether you are a VAT entrepreneur and sends you your VAT numbers. Check that this letter arrives.
Registering too late means your VAT identification number arrives later, while it must be on your invoices. If you have already sent invoices without a VAT ID, you have to correct them. And you risk a fine.
Mistake #4: Not setting money aside for taxes
This month you invoice € 12,100. It feels like € 12,100. But € 2,100 of that is VAT: that money belongs to the Tax Administration. And on the € 10,000 that is left, you will later pay income tax and the Health Insurance Act contribution (Zvw). So you have earned quite a bit less than it seems.
Month 1: fine. Month 2: fine. Month 4: the VAT for the whole first quarter has to be paid, well over € 6,000. And after that comes the income tax assessment. No money. Panic. Loan.
Solution: Open a second business savings account. With every invoice, set the VAT aside straight away, plus part of your profit for income tax (many entrepreneurs keep 25 to 35%). Then the money is ready when the assessment arrives.
Mistake #5: Never asking for advice until it's too late
Many starters think: "I'll handle it myself, an accountant is for later." That makes sense — money is tight. But the problem is that you make decisions (legal structure, VAT choices, booking costs) without knowing the consequences. And some mistakes are hard to fix afterwards.
An introductory meeting with an accountant often costs nothing (with us it is free) and a good start can save you a lot of hassle and money.
Just started? From € 30 a month in your first year.
VAT returns, income tax return and e-Boekhouden are included. Fenna books every day, an accountant checks. Prices excl. VAT.
Bonus: three more things we often see
Keeping everything on paper. Starters who keep all their papers in folders. Well meant, but usually unnecessary. You may keep your records digitally, as long as they stay complete and readable (the retention period is usually 7 years). Scanning and online storage are then enough.
Invoicing too late. Every week you wait to send an invoice is a week later that you get paid. Invoice as soon as your work is done, agree on a payment term (for example 14 or 30 days) and send automatic reminders.
Not keeping track of your hours. For the self-employed deduction (zelfstandigenaftrek, € 1,200 in 2026) and the starter's deduction (startersaftrek), you must spend at least 1,225 hours a year on your business. Keep track of your hours, in an app or a simple spreadsheet. Otherwise you cannot prove it if you are checked.
Conclusion
None of these mistakes is fatal. But together they cost you time, money and peace of mind. Most of them can be solved with 30 minutes of effort on day one. Do it.