22 December 2017

Compensation in kind: an alternative with tax benefits

compensation in kind

During contract negotiations, the possibility of paying part of the salary in a form other than money is often raised. This is the compensation in kind (Article 26 The new system of monetary payments is increasingly gaining support, both from employers and from workers.

In fact, those who know the benefits of payment in kind Is this the case for you? Do you know how you could help your employees by giving them this possibility? As an employee, do you know why you might be interested in payment in kind?

Table of contents

Questions and answers about benefits in kind

1. Who are the benefits in kind for?

Benefits in kind are not a territory reserved for managers and senior executives, although it's true that at these levels it tends to be more common. This type of perception is not yet offered by all companies, even though is a system that brings benefits  for both the employee and the employer; and, as a result, some workers They should be interested in them if the possibility is not mentioned during the negotiation of their contract and if the applicable Collective Agreement also does not establish specific options..

2. What percentage of salary can benefits in kind cost?

The Workers' Statute sets the maximum of remuneration in kind at 30% of the total salary. This does not mean that one must choose between receiving the entire salary in cash or adapting to this percentage, but rather that it leaves the employee completely free, when offered the option of receiving part of their salary in kind, to configure it to their needs, as far as:

  • The proportion of salary in kind that you wish to receive (always not exceeding the maximum amount set by the ET)
  • The type of products and services you could benefit from through a flexible remuneration scheme.

What motivates payment in kind?

The causes that lead companies and workers to decide on the Benefits in kind have to do with the tax savings that such measures guarantee.

4. What should benefit in kind not be confused with?

When considering this alternative form of salary perception, it is important to take into account that not everything can be classified as Benefits in kind. In fact, all too often, it is confused with other concepts that are not equivalent, such as:

  • Advantage or benefit: although this type of remuneration involves many things, including fiscal ones, they cannot be classified as advantages in themselves, since the latter They are something related to a role or a position in the company, something that doesn't necessarily happen with payment in kind..
  • Donation: A donation is an altruistic act, and this motivation differentiates it from a payment in kind, which is a consideration..

Qué tipos de retribución en especie existen

The company benefits available to choose from will depend on each individual company., although the most requested ones tend to be those related to products such as:

Show your employees how much you care by offering them flexible remuneration that increases their spending power. through the associated tax incentives and allows the individual wage to be tailored to the needs and interests of each worker.

Edenred Spain

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