A Home in Morocco Could Cost Up to 3,223 Euros in Benefits in the Netherlands from 2027

The change is due to take effect on January 1 next year. For a single person, the assets threshold would fall from 146,011 euros in 2026 to 119,122 euros in 2027. For a couple, it would drop from 184,633 to 158,748 euros.

Around 40,000 households are expected to lose their “zorgtoeslag” entirely, the Dutch allowance intended to help pay for health insurance. According to calculations by Zorgwijzer, the loss could amount to approximately 1,680 euros per year for a single person and 3,223 euros for a couple.

The measure directly affects Moroccans in the Netherlands who own property in the kingdom. The Dutch tax authorities do not only take money held in bank accounts in the Netherlands into consideration: a second home, apartment, plot of land or share in a family property located in Morocco may also be included in the calculation.

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The Dutch benefits service specifies that assets correspond to the value of property, minus eligible debts. Savings, shares and second homes located in the Netherlands or abroad are taken into account. The main residence occupied in the Netherlands and the car are excluded, however.

The situation on January 1 will be decisive

The value of the Moroccan property will therefore not automatically result in the allowance being cancelled. However, it could push the total over the new threshold when added to the household’s savings, investments and other assets.

The determining date will be January 1, 2027. A household whose assets exceed the threshold on that date will lose its healthcare allowance for the entire year, even if its situation subsequently changes. Income is not the only criterion: a person with modest resources may therefore stop receiving the benefit because of their assets.

For MREs, the difficulty may also arise from property owned by several people. A share in a family home or plot of land in Morocco may be included in the assets when it has a value attributable to its owner. The Dutch authorities also have procedures for investigating property held in Morocco.

The government is legally providing for a reduction of 29,908 euros in the threshold. The actual effect compared with the 2026 thresholds will be slightly lower because of their prior indexation: 26,889 euros for a single person and 25,885 euros for a couple.

On Bladi.net : article 122942

Overall, around 50,000 households are expected to lose at least one benefit under the reform. However, this figure covers two schemes: nearly 40,000 households would be deprived of the healthcare allowance, while 8,000 to 13,000 could lose the budget linked to children.

The bill passed the lower house of the Dutch Parliament on September 17 without prompting a request for debate. It still needs to be approved by the Senate before it can enter into force. If definitively adopted, the MREs concerned will need to know the value assigned to their property in Morocco before January 1 in order to avoid receiving a benefit that they might subsequently have to repay.