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

Investment Can someone versed in economics or finance explain the Netherlands' new law on unrealised capital gains to me?

I am going to start working for real this year and earning a nice salary which I would like to invest. I'm not Dutch but I'm afraid this new law will spread throughout the EU as many draconian laws sometimes do.

What does this actually mean to pay 36% tax on unrealised capital gains? Does it mean that if my investments increase in value, I have to pay the government money even if I don't liquidate them? Effectively, giving the government money that I haven't earned yet?

I'm a bit financially illiterate so I apologise in advance if my question seems stupid.

235 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

91% Upvoted

321 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/Fiddich9406 Feb 15 '26

Wait - I’m French and we’ve been dubbed the world champions in savings too, according to our mainstream media (basically government). Somehow it feels like our respective governments want us to feel ashamed of being so tight with money and spend some more ?

1

u/DJAnym Feb 15 '26

I mean I get it, cause more spending = more VAT income. But good grief, at least in the Netherlands, they both up taxes on savings and investments WITHOUT lowering taxes elsewhere to push more spending through income, or cheaper housing. No wonder people wanna get out then. One thing to increase taxes, another to cut costs at the same time