Tim Roovers

Overview & Private‑Client Lawyer in BelgiumTim Roovers is a partner at Sansen International Tax Lawyers and a recognised private-client lawyer in Belgium, advising entrepreneurs, family offices and high‑net‑worth individuals on wealth structuring, succession and cross‑border tax matters. He brings close to two decades of practical experience across financial services, consultancy and private‑client practice, combined with an active academic role. Tim Roovers is a trusted adviser on technically complex and emotionally sensitive matters. His focus is on pragmatic, tax‑efficient solutions that preserve family continuity and protect personal wealth across jurisdictions.Areas Of ExpertiseTim Roovers specialises in estate & wealth planning, family business transfers, matrimonial property questions and tax litigation arising from private‑client structures. He regularly advises on the structuring and transfer of privately‑owned companies, the interaction between corporate and matrimonial regimes, the use of insurance and holding structures in succession planning, and on litigation tied to inheritance, divorce and tax disputes. His work often requires coordinating notarial, tax and corporate steps to deliver implementable solutions for high‑net‑worth clients. Tim Roovers collaborates with notaries, tax advisers and wealth managers to ensure legally secure and tax‑efficient outcomes.Professional Background & CredentialsTim Roovers became a partner at Sansen International Tax Lawyers in 2024 and leads the firm’s estate‑planning practice, a role built on merging his earlier niche practice with Sansen in 2022. He has close to twenty years’ experience in wealth planning and cross‑border private‑client work, including prior roles in the financial sector and advisory firms. Tim Roovers is admitted to practice at the Belgian bar and is active in the Antwerp/Brussels legal community. He remains at the forefront of private‑client law in Belgium.Recent Developments & Selected Contributions (Past 12 Months)Over the past year, Tim Roovers has taken a more public role explaining the practical effects of Belgium’s 2026 private‑client tax reforms and advising international advisers and family offices on transitional planning. He was appointed as the Belgium expert in the Global Law Experts network and has contributed practitioner guides on Belgium’s 2026 capital‑gains and exit‑tax reforms aimed at high‑net‑worth individuals and their advisers. These contributions position him as a primary contact for complex cross‑border private‑client enquiries arising from the new rules. Tim Roovers’s activities have reinforced his profile as a leading private‑client adviser in Belgium.Tim Roovers continued an active programme of professional training and events in 2026, speaking on the practicalities of post‑divorce asset division in a two‑day course for notarial and legal practitioners, and joining webinars on the interaction between maatschappen (partnerships) and life insurance in wealth planning. These engagements reflect his technical depth and commitment to building practical skills among advisers. He demonstrates ongoing involvement in knowledge transfer across Belgium’s private‑client community. This work highlights his role in shaping practical approaches to wealth management within the private client framework.At firm level, Sansen has strengthened its private‑client bench during the past year, a development led centrally by Tim Roovers as part of the estate planning leadership. The firm’s growth and external rankings reinforce its standing as a go‑to practice for internationally connected private clients in Belgium. Tim Roovers helps coordinate interdisciplinary teams of notaries, tax advisers and wealth managers to deliver legally secure and tax‑efficient outcomes. These efforts have enhanced client service and cross‑border capabilities.Representative Matters & Client SectorsTim Roovers acts for family‑owned businesses on inter‑generational transfers, advises family offices and UHNWI on portfolio restructuring in light of the new capital‑gains rules, and represents clients in succession‑related litigation and tax disputes. His clients typically include entrepreneur families, owners of privately held groups, family offices and trustees with cross‑border exposure. He is experienced in matters that require co‑operation with notaries, tax advisers and wealth managers to ensure legally secure and tax‑efficient outcomes. Tim Roovers frequently coordinates with external advisers to optimise cross‑border wealth planning.Academic Work, Training & PublicationsTim Roovers holds an academic affiliation with the ManaMa Notariaat (Master of Notarial Law) programme at the VUB, where he contributes to specialised teaching and practitioner education. He is an active speaker and trainer for continuing professional education courses aimed at notaries, lawyers and tax advisers, and has authored practitioner guidance on the 2026 reforms for international adviser networks. These activities underline his role as both a practitioner and a teacher in private‑client law. He also mentors younger lawyers pursuing cross‑border private‑client careers.Why Specialist Private‑Client Advice Matters In BelgiumBelgium’s private‑client landscape has undergone major change with the 2026 introduction of a 10% capital‑gains tax on qualifying financial assets and related exit/residency rules. These reforms materially affect asset transfers, relocation planning and the structuring of family portfolios. Specialist advice from a private‑client lawyer in Belgium is essential to navigate transitional mechanics (notably the 31 December 2025 snapshot), to align civil succession instruments with the new tax regime, and to minimise unintended tax exposure while maintaining family objectives. Tim Roovers offers tailored strategies to align civil and tax objectives with family goals.Approach & What Sets Tim ApartTim Roovers combines technical tax and civil‑law knowledge with a practical, client‑centred approach: he focuses on translating legal complexity into clear, implementable plans that protect both wealth and family continuity. Colleagues and clients value his ability to coordinate multi‑disciplinary teams, to anticipate behavioural and tax consequences of restructuring steps, and to handle contentious matters when preventive planning falls short. He emphasizes proactive risk evaluation and clear client communications. Tim Roovers' practice integrates cross‑border awareness with local Belgian practice to deliver robust, enduring solutions.Professional Recognition & MembershipsTim Roovers is listed among Sansen International Tax Lawyers’ private‑client contacts in leading directories and participates in international adviser networks that serve HNWI and family offices. The firm’s private‑client practice appears in global rankings for private wealth work, reflecting the market recognition of the team he helps lead. He remains active in national continuing‑education programmes for notaries and lawyers. Tim Roovers also shares insights as a speaker at industry events and practitioner networks to advance cross‑border private‑client practice.SummaryAs a partner leading the estate planning practice at Sansen International Tax Lawyers and as the Belgium expert for international adviser networks, Tim Roovers is a seasoned private‑client lawyer in Belgium who combines litigation capability, transactional experience and academic engagement. Over the past year he has amplified his public and practitioner‑facing work on the 2026 private‑client tax reforms, while continuing to lead complex wealth, succession and family‑business matters for entrepreneurs and family offices. For advisers and wealthy families grappling with the new Belgian rules, Tim Roovers provides pragmatic, technically robust guidance shaped by long experience in cross‑border private‑client work. He continues to drive practical, principled advice that preserves family wealth and mission across borders.