◆ Expat tax guide
Box 3 in 2026: how the Netherlands taxes your savings and investments
Savings, shares, crypto and a second home are taxed in box 3. How the tax is calculated in 2026, what it means for your assets abroad, and the changes planned for 2027 and 2028.
Updated October 2026
In short
- Box 3 taxes your assets on 1 January: savings, investments, a second home, minus debts.
- Tax-free allowance 2026: €59,357 per person (€118,714 with a tax partner).
- The tax is based on a deemed return, taxed at 36%.
- As a Dutch resident your worldwide assets count, including accounts and property abroad.
- Proposal: from 2027 the tax-free allowance drops to €30,846.
What falls under box 3?
Box 3 taxes your wealth, not your income. It covers:
- savings and money in current accounts;
- investments such as shares, bonds, funds and crypto, including vested RSU shares;
- a second home, holiday home or rental property;
- money you lent to others and other assets;
- minus debts, such as a consumer loan.
Your own main home is taxed in box 1, not box 3. A substantial shareholding (5% or more of a company) falls under box 2. The Belastingdienst looks at the value on 1 January of the tax year.
How the tax is calculated
The Belastingdienst does not tax what you actually earned. It assumes a deemed return per type of asset and taxes the return above the tax-free part at 36%. The 2026 figures:
Because investments are taxed on a deemed return of 6%, someone with a large share portfolio pays relatively more than someone who only has savings.
Paying tax on your actual return instead
Was your actual return lower than the deemed return? Then you can prove this through the rebuttal scheme (tegenbewijsregeling) and pay tax on your actual return. Note that unrealised gains also count, for example if your shares or second home went up in value, even if you sold nothing.
This is mainly worthwhile if you hold a lot of savings at a low interest rate, or in a year when your investments returned little or fell in value. We are happy to calculate whether it pays off for you.
Assets abroad
As a Dutch resident taxpayer, your worldwide assets count in box 3: bank accounts, brokerage accounts and property in your home country included. A few points expats often miss:
- Foreign real estate is included in box 3, but a tax treaty usually gives you relief so you are not taxed twice on it.
- Foreign withholding tax on dividends can often be credited against Dutch tax.
- Shares held at a foreign broker, such as shares from an RSU plan, must be reported too. See our guide on RSUs and stock options.
- In the year you move to or from the Netherlands, special rules apply. See The M-form explained.
The 30% ruling and box 3
Until 2025, people with the 30% ruling could choose to be treated as a non-resident for box 3, so that most foreign savings and investments were left out. That option was abolished on 1 January 2025. If the 30% ruling applied to you in the last pay period of 2023, you can keep using it up to and including 2026. From 2027, everyone with the ruling pays box 3 tax on their worldwide assets like any other resident. Read more in The 30% ruling in 2026 and 2027.
Tax partners
With a tax partner you are entitled to two tax-free allowances together, and you can divide your joint assets between you as you like in the return. Assets of minor children are added to the parent who has parental authority.
What is changing in 2027 and 2028
After Prinsjesdag 2026 the Dutch government announced additional plans. These are still proposals that need parliamentary approval.
- 2027: the tax-free allowance drops to €30,846 (the 2020 level) and the deemed return on other assets rises by 1.5 percentage points. The extra exemption for green investments falls to €200 (€400 with a partner).
- 2028: shares, bonds and options move to a capital gains tax: you pay tax on the gain when you sell. There will be a tax-free result of €1,000.
- 2030: the remaining assets, such as a second home, follow.
How we help
We include your Dutch and foreign assets correctly in your return, divide them in the most favourable way between you and your partner, apply treaty relief and check whether the rebuttal scheme gives you a better result. Everything in English. Box 3 is included in our expat income tax return: €375 incl. VAT per tax year. See our pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the box 3 tax-free allowance in 2026?
In 2026 the tax-free allowance is €59,357 per person, or €118,714 for tax partners together. Assets up to that amount are not taxed in box 3.
What is the box 3 tax rate in 2026?
The rate is 36%. It applies to the deemed return on your assets above the tax-free allowance, not to your total assets.
Do I have to declare my foreign bank accounts and property in the Netherlands?
Yes. As a Dutch resident taxpayer your worldwide assets count in box 3, including accounts and property abroad. For foreign real estate a tax treaty usually prevents double taxation.
Does the 30% ruling still exempt foreign assets from box 3?
Only under the transitional rule: if the 30% ruling applied to you in the last pay period of 2023, you can opt for partial non-resident status up to and including 2026. From 2027 everyone with the ruling pays box 3 tax on worldwide assets.
Is box 3 tax going up in 2027?
According to the government's proposals, yes: the tax-free allowance drops to €30,846 in 2027 and the deemed return on investments and other assets rises by 1.5 percentage points. Parliament still has to approve this.
Questions about your own situation?
Book a free introductory call. We will tell you what applies to you and what it costs, before you commit to anything.