Question 1

How does Box 3 tax work in 2025?

Accepted Answer

In 2025, the bridging system with fictitious returns per asset category still applies. The Dutch Tax Authority calculates a fictitious return on your wealth above the tax-free allowance of €57.684 per person (€115.368 for fiscal partners). You pay 36% tax on that fictitious return. Definitive rates for 2025 tax return: Bank savings: 1,37% Other assets (shares, funds, crypto, real estate): 5,88% Debts (deductible): 2,7%

Question 2

What are the Box 3 rates for 2026?

Accepted Answer

The 2026 fictitious return rates are preliminary. The definitive savings rate is set retroactively after the end of the year. Preliminary 2026 rates: Bank savings: 1,28% (preliminary) Other assets: 6% Debts: 2,7% The tax rate remains 36%. The tax-free allowance rises to approx. €59.357 (single) / €118.714 (fiscal partners).

Question 3

What is the tax-free allowance and does it apply to everyone?

Accepted Answer

The tax-free allowance (heffingsvrij vermogen) is the threshold below which you pay no Box 3 tax. For 2025 it is €57.684 per person. Fiscal partners can combine allowances, bringing the total to €115.368. From 2028, the wealth-based allowance is replaced by a return exemption of €1.800 per person per year (€3.600 for fiscal partners), applied to actual returns rather than to the wealth itself.

Question 4

What wealth falls into Box 3?

Accepted Answer

Box 3 covers all assets outside Box 1 (employment income, primary home) and Box 2 (substantial interest in a company): Savings accounts and deposits Investments (shares, bonds, ETFs, funds) Cryptocurrency Second homes or rental properties Loans receivable and other assets Your primary home (and its mortgage) falls in Box 1, not Box 3. Wealth held inside a BV falls in Box 2.

Question 5

Will the 36% tax rate change under the new system?

Accepted Answer

No. The 36% rate stays unchanged in the new system from 2028. What changes is the base : instead of a fictitious return, you are taxed on your actual return.

Question 6

What is the Wet Werkelijk Rendement Box 3?

Accepted Answer

The Wet Werkelijk Rendement replaces the current fictitious return system from 1 January 2028. You will then pay tax on your actual return : interest, dividends, rental income and, for most assets, unrealised capital gains as well. It is a hybrid system: for investments, mark-to-market taxation applies (annual levy on paper gains too); for real estate, capital gains tax applies (only taxed on sale).

Question 7

Has the law been formally enacted?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. The Tweede Kamer (Lower House) approved the law on 12 February 2026 with a broad majority. The Eerste Kamer (Senate) must still give its approval. Until then, the law can still be rejected, amended, or postponed. Box3Exit tracks the progress on the updates page .

Question 8

When exactly does the new law take effect?

Accepted Answer

The intended effective date is 1 January 2028 . The current bridging system with fictitious returns continues for tax years 2025, 2026, and 2027.

Question 9

What changes for investors in shares and ETFs?

Accepted Answer

Your annual price appreciation will be taxed, even if you sell nothing. This is called mark-to-market taxation . If your portfolio rises by €15,000 this year, you pay 36% on that increase, regardless of whether you sold any shares. Rule of thumb: you pay more than now if your actual investment return exceeds approx. 6% (the 2026 fictitious rate for investments). Consistent outperformers are hit hardest. Use our calculator to estimate your personal impact.

Question 10

What changes for savers?

Accepted Answer

Relatively little. Interest on savings is realised income and was already captured under the current system. If your actual savings rate is lower than the fictitious rate (1,37% in 2025), you can already use the rebuttal procedure to declare your actual return.

Question 11

How does loss carry-forward work in the new system?

Accepted Answer

If your actual return in a year is negative (e.g. due to market losses), you can carry that loss forward to offset positive returns in future years . There is no carry-back to prior years. The exact loss threshold is still subject to interpretation of the bill's text.

Question 12

What is the return exemption in 2028?

Accepted Answer

From 2028, the wealth-based tax-free allowance is replaced by a return exemption of €1.800 per person per year (€3.600 for fiscal partners). You only pay tax on your actual return above that exemption.

Question 13

What changes for real estate owners?

Accepted Answer

For real estate, the realisation basis applies: value increases are only taxed upon sale or transfer. Annual paper appreciation is not taxed annually. Rental income is still taxed each year as realised income. This is a significant exception compared to the treatment of investment portfolios and an important advantage for property holders.

Question 14

What is the difference between mark-to-market and capital gains tax?

Accepted Answer

Mark-to-market (vermogensaanwasbelasting): you pay tax each year on the increase in value, even if you haven't sold. This is what the new law introduces for shares and ETFs. Capital gains tax (vermogenswinstbelasting): you only pay tax when you actually sell. This applies under the new law to real estate and start-up shares. The practical difference: with mark-to-market taxation, you must free up cash each year for the tax bill, even if your portfolio only rose on paper.

Question 15

I've heard unrealised gains won't be taxed after all. Is that true?

Accepted Answer

No. Under the Wet Werkelijk Rendement taking effect on 1 January 2028, unrealised capital gains on shares and ETFs will be taxed annually. There is a political ambition to change that, but no law currently exists to do so.

Question 16

What exactly is the motion about capital gains tax?

Accepted Answer

At the same time the law was passed on 12 February 2026, a parliamentary majority adopted a motion asking the cabinet to submit a separate bill for a capital gains tax (excluding unrealised gains) by Budget Day (Prinsjesdag) 2028. A motion is a request to the cabinet, not a law. The cabinet is not obliged to honour it.

Question 17

Why is it uncertain that a capital gains tax will actually be introduced?

Accepted Answer

Three concrete obstacles: Budget: the government is already missing ~€2.4 billion per year from Box 3 issues. Capital gains tax shifts revenues further into the future. Capacity: the Tax Authority is overstretched with IT projects and processing millions of legacy Box 3 objections. Deferral incentive: investors who never sell pay nothing, which structurally undermines revenues and requires additional rules (e.g. deemed disposal at death or emigration).

Question 18

What should I base my financial planning on?

Accepted Answer

Plan on the system that has been passed: annual taxation on actual returns including unrealised gains on investments from 2028. If a more favourable law is introduced later, treat it as a bonus, not a certainty.

Question 19

What is a Beleggings-BV?

Accepted Answer

A besloten vennootschap (BV) , the Dutch private limited company, is the vehicle used for investing. The BV pays corporate tax (VPB) on its profits: 19% on the first €200.000, 25,8% above that. Unrealised capital gains are not taxed annually: the BV uses the realisation basis. When you take money out as a dividend, you pay Box 2 tax: 24,5% on the first €68.843, 31% above.

Question 20

When does a BV make financial sense?

Accepted Answer

Broadly, when you have €200,000–300,000 or more in investment assets and a long time horizon (10+ years). Fixed annual costs (accountant, administration, approx. €2,000–4,000/year) only pay off at sufficient scale. The BV is most advantageous for investors in accumulating funds (ETFs that reinvest dividends) or in shares with low dividends, because VPB on dividend income erodes the compounding advantage. Use our BV break-even calculator for an indication.

Question 21

What are the tax rates inside a BV?

Accepted Answer

Corporate tax (VPB): 19% on the first €200.000 profit per year 25,8% on the remainder Box 2 (dividend tax on distribution): 24,5% on the first €68.843 per person per year 31% on the remainder Note: the low VPB rate is 19%, not 15%, which only applied through 2022.

Question 22

What are the costs of setting up and running a BV?

Accepted Answer

One-time setup costs (indicative): Notary fees: €500–€1,200 KvK registration: €82.25 Shareholders' agreement (optional): €300–€800 Total one-time: approx. €882–€2,232 Annual recurring costs: Accountant/administration: €1,500–€3,500 Annual accounts filing: €50–€200

Question 23

What are the drawbacks of a Beleggings-BV?

Accepted Answer

Locked-in capital: to spend money privately, you must pay Box 2 tax on any distribution. Higher administrative burden: bookkeeping, corporate tax return, annual accounts. Transfer costs: moving existing assets into a BV may have tax consequences. DGA obligation: if you perform active work for the BV, a minimum salary applies (~€58,000 in 2026). Law may still change: the Eerste Kamer has not yet approved the Wet Werkelijk Rendement.

Question 24

What is the rebuttal procedure?

Accepted Answer

Since July 2025 , you can declare your actual return for tax years 2023–2027 using the OWR form (Opgave Werkelijk Rendement). If your actual return is lower than the fictitious return, you only pay tax on the actual amount.

Question 25

What income counts towards the rebuttal procedure?

Accepted Answer

Only realised income: interest, dividends, rental income, and capital gains upon sale. Unrealised capital gains do not count here: that changes only in the new 2028 system, where they will be included.

Question 26

When is the rebuttal procedure beneficial?

Accepted Answer

When your actual return is demonstrably lower than the fictitious rate. This applies particularly to: Savers with a savings rate below 1,37% (2025) Investors with a negative or low return in a poor year Property owners where value appreciation was lower than the fictitious rate Keep all bank statements, dividend slips, and annual statements as evidence.

Question 27

Do I need to act now?

Accepted Answer

You have until 1 January 2028. That said, it is wise to start exploring your options now: What will your tax burden be under the new system? Is a BV financially viable for your situation? What asset structure fits your time horizon and spending needs? Setting up a BV takes 2–4 months. Wait for the Eerste Kamer's decision before making major structural changes, but do your homework now.

Question 28

How do I use the Box3Exit calculators?

Accepted Answer

The tools page has two tools: Box 3 Impact Calculator: compares your tax burden under the current and new 2028 systems, based on your wealth and return. BV Break-even Calculator: shows at what wealth and return a Beleggings-BV becomes more advantageous than Box 3, including BV costs. Calculations are indicative. Consult a tax adviser for your personal situation.

Question 29

Can I already declare my actual return?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The OWR form (Opgave Werkelijk Rendement) at the Dutch Tax Authority lets you declare your actual return for tax years 2023–2027, if it is lower than the fictitious return. See also the rebuttal procedure section above.

Question 30

Where can I read the law itself?

Accepted Answer

The bill is filed under parliamentary dossier 36 748 at tweedekamer.nl . It has been passed by the Lower House. The Senate began its review on 24 February 2026; no vote has taken place yet.

Question 31

How do I stay up to date on new developments?

Accepted Answer

The updates page on Box3Exit publishes news whenever there are legislative developments. You can also subscribe to the newsletter on the updates page.

Frequently asked questions about Box 3

1. The current Box 3 system

2. The Wet Werkelijk Rendement (2028)

3. Capital gains tax: fact or fiction?

4. The investment holding company (BV) as an alternative

5. Rebuttal procedure (already relevant now)

6. Practical: what can you do now?