On a financial lease of a €38,000 vehicle over 60 months at 5.5% with 10% down and a 25% residual value, the payment is roughly €520 per month excluding BTW and about €630 including BTW. The lessor finances the asset and you carry it on your own balance sheet.
What is a financial lease?
In a financial lease (financial lease berekenen is the Dutch search term) the lessor finances the asset, but you are the economic owner. The car, machine or equipment appears on your balance sheet, you depreciate it, and you deduct the interest. At the end you usually pay the residual value, refinance it or sell the asset. It is sometimes called a loan in lease clothing, and the difference with an ordinary loan is mostly in the legal ownership, which stays with the lessor until you pay everything.
Financial lease versus operational lease
With an operational lease, the lessor takes the residual-value risk and usually bundles services. With a financial lease you carry that risk and handle maintenance and insurance yourself, in return for lower monthly payments and the ability to keep the asset. Businesses that keep vehicles for many years often prefer financial leasing for that reason. Use the general lease calculator to compare the two quickly.
BTW on a financial lease
The lessor generally charges 21% BTW on the lease payments, and a business with full BTW deduction can reclaim it. If the vehicle is also used privately, a correction applies. When the lease is for a passenger car with private use, the arrangement is often structured so that BTW is charged on the whole price upfront. Ask your accountant before signing. The calculator shows the payment both ways so you can budget cash flow.
Costs to watch for
- Set-up and administration fees, which add to the effective rate.
- Early termination penalties, often a large share of the remaining payments.
- The residual value risk: if the car is worth less than the residual at the end, you pay the difference.
- Mileage and damage clauses, although these are rarer than in operational lease.
If the vehicle is also used privately by an employee, check the bijtelling calculator, and remember the tax-deductibility of interest and depreciation depends on your legal form. For private buyers, the private lease calculator is the more relevant tool.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the price excluding BTW and your down payment.
- Choose the residual value and term.
- Add the interest rate and any set-up fee.
- Tick the BTW box to see the monthly payment including 21%.
Key figures at a glance
| Ownership | Economic owner: you; legal owner: lessor |
|---|---|
| BTW on payments | 21%, reclaimable for business use |
| Balance sheet | Asset and liability on your books |
| Risk of residual value | On you |
Frequently asked questions
A loan transfers legal ownership at once, a financial lease keeps legal title with the lessor until the contract ends. Economically they work similarly.
Usually it is quoted excluding BTW and 21% is added. A business with full deduction can reclaim it.
Typically yes, but expect an early-settlement amount that covers most of the remaining finance.
Self-employed people, small and medium companies and anyone who wants to keep an asset, such as a van or machine, at the end.
Compare the total of all payments including the residual and fees, then the effective interest rate.