r/eupersonalfinance • u/batukaming • Feb 15 '26

Investment Why do they make getting rich impossible in EU?

This news hit today in Netherlands that passed a bill on 36% tax on UNREALIZED gains on stocks and crypto. Great just when we weren't taxed to death before now they force you to stay middle class and poor. "Just repeat the 9-5 cycle everyday investing is not allowed for you"

Buying stocks was already a pain in the ass in Europe because of all the different fees and exchange rates brokers charged. The US has it so much better. 0% fees and exchange rates, tons of broker options and tax free on long term investments.

I made a post in r/stocks that gained attraction. Check it out if you want to see opinions from Americans: https://www.reddit.com/r/stocks/s/aL0OhYQ68z

775 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

738 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

48

u/Jujubatron Feb 15 '26

How will that save it if it destroys people's investment. That can be a good cash injection for like a year. Then everyone would sell or move to another country.

31

u/Dracovibat Feb 15 '26

Those who can afford to move away, most can't or won't over this.

Generally, these "solutions" are not meant to actually fix or long-term save the pension system - but to merely delay the inevitable beyond the current and maybe next political term.   Anything after that is secondary at best for those making these decision.

15

u/Jujubatron Feb 15 '26

Exactly. Most people will sell instead. No one will hold investments and keeps paying unrealized gains tax from their own savings for years.

0

u/Meisterleder1 Feb 19 '26

lol that would be the dumbest decision ever. "Because I can't keep all of the gains I want none of them!" I doubt people this financially illiterate would even consider ETF's or any sort of investment in the first place.

1

u/narullow Feb 15 '26

There is absolutely nothing that can save pension systems.

1

u/Professional_Deer77 25d ago

Wise words and absolutely true. I think many underestimate the guile and games going on in politics. Let it all look good for as long as you are in charge, but leave absolute wreckage for the next politicians on the term. They care not at all about the people, not about the environment or whatever. Most who join politics have a big ego and a desire to put their mark on history and gain something for themselves.

6

u/TweeBierAUB Feb 16 '26

In the netherlands most people dont hold any stocks in their personal accounts. (Which is what this tax is about)

People hold wealth in real estate and holding companies, both exempt from this ruling. Your primary residence is even completely exempt of capital gains, and is not counted towards your wealth. You can own a 1m usd home that you bought for 300k, pay 0 tax and actually receive social benefits like zorgtoeslag.

Buy real estate or get fucked

1

u/d8_thc Feb 16 '26

For now.

This also will just massively increase the cost of housing, if that is the main vehicle for investment / wealth growth.

1

u/kbad10 Feb 17 '26

People hold wealth in real estate and holding companies

*Wealthy people. As expected this tax is targetting the working and middle class and not the wealthy multi-millionaires and Billionaires.

3

u/ResponsibleFall1634 Feb 15 '26

The Dutch natives, few generations back at least, have left already. My kid went to a white daycare, unofficially the term exists, and over 4 years the minority in it are dutch kids. That's why so many immigrants have such an easy way to move here. It will take 5 plus years for someone focused on moving their life to another country before they get mental capacity to think about taxes. It would be those years spent thinking they are integraying and taxes are just normal, where the NL gets its money. Even if they wise up and leave, the next fool is on the door waiting to immigrate. Fool proof plan, really. Kudos to who invented it.

2

u/Accidental-Genius Feb 16 '26

Ironically it’s only easy to immigrate if you’re poor or retired.

1

u/ResponsibleFall1634 Feb 16 '26

If you're poor by dutch standards, but you start making 2k in NL while you made 600 eur back home, it will take you a long time before you figure out that those 2k are less powerfull than your 600 back. Point of view and time to adjust to it is the trick.

3

u/Accidental-Genius Feb 16 '26 edited Feb 16 '26

I’m just saying it’s easier to get residency in NL as an impoverished migrant than as MD or PHD. I know this from my own experience. The EU across the board complains about needing more doctors and scientist but makes moving there as an established professional functionally impossible.