Regulatory Alerts2026-03-19
Caribbean Netherlands: Adjustment of Standard Amounts Effective 1 April 2026
The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) has adjusted the standard amounts used to calculate maximum responsible credit for the Caribbean Netherlands, effective 1 April 2026. These legally mandated figures are annually indexed based on 2025 consumer price increases of 4.3% on Bonaire, 1.8% on Sint Eustatius, and 3.8% on Saba. Credit providers must apply these updated fixed components alongside income-dependent assessments to verify that consumers can responsibly afford mortgage or consumer loan repayments.
News
19/03/26
The standard amounts for determining the maximum credit that may be granted are adjusted and apply from 1 April 2026. These amounts are legally established in the BES Financial Markets Regulation 2012 (Article 2:5) and are indexed annually.
Credit providers may not grant credit if it is not responsible. They must obtain information about the consumer's financial position and assess whether the consumer can and is willing to bear the costs of a mortgage or consumer credit. To determine the costs of a regular standard of living, standard amounts are used that correspond to the household composition and the island.
Determination of Standard Amount Level The standard amounts have been adjusted based on the consumer price index for 2025. In that year, consumer prices rose by 4.3% on Bonaire, 1.8% on Sint Eustatius, and 3.8% on Saba.
This indexation has been incorporated into the new table of standard amounts and standard housing costs as included in the amended regulation .
Maximum Credit to be Granted The AFM has developed a calculation model ('Model for Maximum Credit Granting') to determine the maximum amount of credit that is responsible. The BES Financial Markets Decree (Article 7:17, third paragraph) specifies how the monthly financing capacity must be calculated.
The creditworthiness assessment uses a fixed component ('standard amount') and an income-dependent component. The fixed component covers the locally required expenditures to ensure consumers are provided for at a certain standard of living.
Questions?
If you have questions, please contact ondernemersloket@afm.nl.
Tags
Caribbean Netherlands
Contact regarding this article
Would you like to receive the latest news from the AFM?
Then sign up for our newsletter, and we will keep you informed.