Do you make your decisions based on the past or the future?
3 de May, 2018
The economic system of today’s world is going through a real upheaval. The growth of electronic payments, blockchains and the arrival of fintechs have led to the gradual reduction of paper money. In the past, people used precious metals, goods and other objects as a means of transaction. Although in the discipline of history, everything that has ever happened is part of the past, today and in different circumstances, the use of means of payment that are not based exclusively on paper money has been gaining ground again, particularly in recent years, in the field of social benefits, which are now increasingly granted in the form of securities.
The securitization of social benefits
The securitization of social benefits does reflect a change in the way these benefits are paid. But in the case of meal allowances, this change is more profound for companies, employees and the state.
When a company provides the meal allowance through a voucher, typically granted in the form of an electronic card, it simultaneously increases its tax savings, the well-being and purchasing power of its employees, but also the return capacity of the state through the generation of new jobs and the reduction of the unregistered economy.
The current legislation, supported by a favorable tax environment, has stimulated this increase for everyone involved. The State Budget Law for 2018 introduced a new maximum value for meal allowances, paid through meal vouchers, which is completely tax-free: €7.63/day.
Numerous companies in Portugal have already opted for meal tickets to pay their employees, also motivated by the growing social nature of meal tickets.
In recent years, aspects such as health and well-being have been increasingly valued in food consumption. The meal allowance entitlement allows its holders greater autonomy to choose and adopt healthier food options, since, in the form of a voucher, employees receive the entire amount earmarked for the meal allowance, which must be used exclusively to purchase or consume food.
With the increase in the value of the totally tax-free meal allowance from €7.23 in 2017 to €7.63 in 2018, this investment is reinforced and directly benefits employees who, with the update of this value, get practically one more meal a month (€0.40 x 22 working days x Number of months worked), thus increasing their purchasing power.
For these companies, which make their decisions based on the future, the growing social nature of social benefits, particularly meal allowances, allows them not only to optimize costs due to the tax advantages supported by current legislation, but also to leverage their social benefits policy, which is now indispensable for motivating and retaining talent in companies regardless of their size or sector of activity.
What about you? Do you make your decisions based on the past or the future?
Additional note: Order no. 107-A/2023 of April 18 updated the value of the meal allowance for public sector workers to €6.00/day. As a result, the tax-free meal allowance is now €6.00 in cash and €9.60 in vouchers or cards.
With Orçamento do Estado for 2025, the maximum value of the tax-free meal voucher on a card has risen again, this time to €10.20/day.