Box 3 in the Netherlands: how the tax on savings and investments works in 2026
Short answer
In 2026 the Netherlands taxes savings and investments in box 3 at 36% of a notional return, not of what you actually earned. The first €59,357 per person is tax-free. On 1 January 2026 the notional return is 1.28% on bank balances and 6.00% on investments, so €40,000 in savings and €80,000 in investments cost you €966.
This is the only page of Investgids in English. The rest of the site, including our calculators, is in Dutch. Each figure here also appears in our Dutch guides, with the sources.
What is box 3?
Dutch income tax has three boxes. Box 1 is income from work and your own home. Box 2 is income from a substantial interest: 5% or more of the shares of a company. Box 3 is your savings and investments. It looks at your assets minus your debts on one day: 1 January.
| Asset or debt on 1 January 2026 | In box 3? |
|---|---|
| Bank balances and savings, at home or abroad | Yes |
| Cash | Yes, above €672 per person |
| Shares, funds, ETFs and crypto | Yes |
| A second home, holiday home or rented property | Yes |
| Money you lent to someone | Yes |
| Debts, such as a personal loan | Yes, above €3,800 per person |
| The home you live in, and its mortgage | No, box 1 |
| Pension savings or an annuity with deductible premiums | No, box 1 |
| Green investments | No, up to €26,715 per person |
| Your car, furniture and other personal belongings | No |
In Dutch: Wat telt mee in box 3?
How the 2026 calculation works
The Belastingdienst, the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, uses these figures for 2026, according to its page on the provisional assessment 2026:
| 2026 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Notional return on bank balances | 1.28% (provisional) |
| Notional return on investments and other assets | 6.00% |
| Notional return on debts | 2.70% (provisional) |
| Debt threshold | €3,800 per person |
| Tax-free allowance | €59,357 per person |
| Tax rate | 36% |
The percentages for bank balances and debts depend on actual interest rates in 2026. The Belastingdienst sets them early 2027. Example: you have no tax partner, €40,000 in a savings account and €80,000 in an index fund on 1 January 2026.
| Step | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Notional return on savings | €40,000 × 1.28% | €512 |
| Notional return on investments | €80,000 × 6.00% | €4,800 |
| Capital yield tax base | €40,000 plus €80,000 | €120,000 |
| Above the tax-free allowance | €120,000 minus €59,357 | €60,643 |
| Share | €60,643 divided by €120,000 | 50.536% |
| Income from savings and investments | €5,312 × 50.536% | €2,684 |
| Box 3 tax | €2,684 × 36% | €966 |
Like the Belastingdienst, we round the income and the tax down. With a tax partner for the whole year you share a tax-free allowance of €118,714. With the same assets you then pay €20. How you divide the base between you does not change the total, because the rate is 36% for everyone.
Expats and the 30% ruling
With the 30% ruling, the Expat Scheme, you could choose to be a partial non-resident taxpayer. You were then treated as a non-resident for box 2 and box 3, so only certain Dutch assets counted. According to the Belastingdienst, that choice ends:
- From your 2025 tax return you can no longer opt for partial foreign tax liability.
- If you used the Expat Scheme before 2024, you can still use it up to and including your 2026 tax return, under transitional law.
After that, box 3 counts your worldwide savings and investments, like for any other resident of the Netherlands.
Moving to or from the Netherlands
If you live in the Netherlands, box 3 counts all your assets, wherever they are. If you live abroad, it only counts certain Dutch assets, mainly Dutch real estate such as a holiday home or a rented apartment, minus the debts on it. Dutch bank savings and shares do not count then. Non-residents also get the tax-free allowance of €59,357.
In the year you move, you have a resident and a non-resident period, and each counts only in whole months. The month you move in or out does not count. Both periods use your assets on 1 January. In Dutch: Emigreren of immigreren en box 3.
Was your actual return lower?
Then you can ask to pay over your actual return instead. For 2021 and later years you use the form Opgaaf werkelijk rendement in Mijn Belastingdienst. Your actual return includes interest, dividends, rent and changes in value, also if you did not sell. You may deduct interest you paid on box 3 debts. There is no tax-free allowance, according to the Belastingdienst.
With savings only, this rarely helps. With investments, it can help in a year with low or negative returns. In Dutch: Tegenbewijs indienen and our counter-evidence calculator.
What changes in 2027 and 2028?
PlanIn a letter of 29 September 2026, the Dutch government proposes to lower the tax-free allowance for 2027 to €30,846 per person and to raise the notional return on investments by 1.5 percentage points. With €40,000 in savings and €80,000 in investments you would then pay €1,741, using the 2026 percentage for savings.
PlanFrom 2028 it wants to tax actual returns: interest and dividends every year, and gains on shares, bonds and options only when you sell. The first €1,000 of return per person would be tax-free. Other assets would follow in 2030. Both plans still need approval from both houses of the Dutch parliament. In Dutch: Box 3 vanaf 2028 and Wat verandert er, our news log.
Using our calculator
Our box 3 calculator is in Dutch, but you only need a few words. It shows 2026, the plan for 2027 and an example for 2028.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Spaargeld | Savings |
| Beleggingen | Investments |
| Alleen / Met partner | Single / With tax partner |
| Schulden | Debts |
| Tweede woning | Second home |
| Heffingsvrij vermogen | Tax-free allowance |
Frequently asked questions
How much is the box 3 tax-free allowance in 2026?
€59,357 per person, or €118,714 together if you have a tax partner for the whole year. Below that amount you pay no box 3 tax. For 2027 the Dutch government plans to lower it to €30,846 per person.
What is the box 3 tax rate in 2026?
36%. You do not pay it over your actual return, but over a notional return: 1.28% on bank balances (provisional), 6.00% on investments and other assets, minus 2.70% (provisional) on debts above the threshold of €3,800.
Do I pay box 3 tax with the 30% ruling?
From your 2025 tax return you can no longer choose partial foreign tax liability. If you used the Expat Scheme before 2024, you can still use it up to and including your 2026 tax return under transitional law. You are then treated as a non-resident taxpayer for box 2 and box 3.
Do non-residents pay box 3 tax in the Netherlands?
Only over certain Dutch assets, mainly real estate in the Netherlands such as a holiday home or a rented apartment, minus the debts on it. Dutch bank savings and shares do not count. Non-residents also get the tax-free allowance of €59,357.
Can I pay box 3 tax over my actual return instead?
Yes, if your actual return was lower than the notional return. For 2021 and later years you can report it with the form Opgaaf werkelijk rendement in Mijn Belastingdienst. Your actual return includes interest, dividends, rent and changes in value, also if you did not sell. There is no tax-free allowance in that calculation.
Sources
- Belastingdienst, How is my Box 3 income calculated on my provisional assessment 2026? Checked on 30 October 2026.
- Belastingdienst, Can I apply for the Expat Scheme (30% facility)? Partial foreign tax liability and the transitional law.
- Belastingdienst, berekening box 3-inkomen 2026 (Dutch).
- Belastingdienst, Wat is mijn werkelijk rendement? (Dutch).
- Dutch government, letter on box 3 proposals (Kamerstuk 37020-62), 29 September 2026 (Dutch).
This page is general information, not personal financial or tax advice. Investgids is a Dutch website registered with the Chamber of Commerce. More about us, in Dutch, on Over ons.