Netherlands: Transition to new Box 3 (“wealth tax”) regime
Upper House of Parliament still has to debate the bill
The Lower House of the Dutch Parliament on February 12, 2026, approved the new Box 3 (“wealth tax”) regime for levying individual (personal) income tax on asset income.
The new regime will become effective on January 1, 2028, replacing the current regime. Until then, the flat-rate regime, with the possibility of rebuttal in the event of a lower actual return, will apply.
As of 2028, taxpayers will pay personal income tax on the income actually realized on their assets. This will be done under two separate regimes:
- The capital growth tax
- The capital gains tax
The main rule is that taxpayers are liable for personal income tax on their realized income, realized capital gains, and unrealized capital gains (i.e., capital growth). In deviation from this, a capital gains tax will apply to immovable property and shares in start-ups. That is, tax will only have to be paid on realized income and capital gains, and thus not on any capital gains not yet realized.
The Upper House of Parliament still has to debate the bill, but will have to adopt the bill this spring, otherwise it will not be possible to have the new rules take effect on January 1, 2028.
Read a February 2026 report prepared by the KPMG member firm in the Netherlands