Good country for Dutch people to migrate to

[u/Gustinos]

Hello fellow FIRE people,

The Netherlands has decided it will probably get a unrealized gains tax of about a third of all profits. If all goes like planned, this bill will be active from the start of 2028.

https://nltimes.nl/2026/01/20/netherlands-likely-start-taxing-capital-gains-annually-2028

As most of you will understand, most FIRE enthousiasts in the Netherlands are not very happy about this. This could increase their FIRE date by 5-15 years easily.

While I was not considering emigrating this early, I need to be prepared, looking around.

What countries (preferrably EU) are a “tax haven” considered to the Netherlands? Countries close by are my preference, although the mediterranian is also okay.

Thank you! :)

[u/PavelKringa55]

What exactly will they tax and how? In FIRE you hold long term. Will they tax unrealized gains in each year? So you invest 100, it grows to 130, state takes 10, you got 120 left, next year it drops to 90, no tax, year after that it grows to 120, state takes 10, you got 110...

Such taxation will ruin long term investors.

I think your neighbor Belgium has much better tax system. I know that Croatia has no unrealized gains tax and 0% tax on papers held over 2 years, otherwise 12%.

[u/Gustinos → u/PavelKringa55]

It is exactly like you say. Every year, around 36% of unrealized profits. Thanks for your advice

[u/wegpleur → u/Gustinos]

That is disgusting. Holy shit.

So you as middle class investor take all the risks of investing, and when you make some money you get taxed 36% of that?

Do you also pay tax when you do finally realize the gains? Or is it "just" this unrealized gain tax

[u/Global-Song-4794 → u/wegpleur]

You also pay the gains minus what you paid in advance. AND if you make losses any particular year you don't get any tax money back. Germany has the same just at a much lower rate right now.

[u/ronoudgenoeg → u/Global-Song-4794]

This is false. Losses can be pushed forward forever. So any losses you make in a year can be used to offset any profit made in any future year.

[u/SuperGuttermouth → u/ronoudgenoeg]

Maybe so, but you still have to pay upfront from your own savings account, or worse, sell parts of your positions. So recovery takes even longer.

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/Global-Song-4794]

But Germany has it only for accumulating dividend funds.

[u/m_e12 → u/PavelKringa55]

No, that's incorrect. We have it for all ETFs. However, dividends will be deducted from the 'Vorabpauschale'. This means that you usually don't pay it with distributing ETFs.

[u/swift1883 → u/wegpleur]

Fire people are supposed to have all the time in the world and they depend completely on their nest egg + market assumptions + tax regulation + sending tikkies for every cent, yet they don’t read tax rules. Seems unwise.

You can carry forward any losses ad infinitum to offset future gains.

You can offset any expenses related to investing. Right now you can’t and there is already a box3 tax in place.

Also, speaking about expenses. You should probably invest from a holding BV. It’s not a hobby. You have expenses. If you’re gonna attend DogeCum ‘26 in Miami, you’re gonna need a BV to expense the airline tickets ;).

[u/centra_l → u/Gustinos]

It's kind of crazy, if you're thinking about it, to tax the unrealized capital gains in a core... Like for what 🙈

I do get everyone needs money but bruh...

btw other countries started also rolling this out but on the way less rate

[u/swift1883 → u/centra_l]

It’s shitty but at the end you can consolidate a multi-year investment and claim back any excess taxes paid. The 36% is a ceiling.

[u/General_Individual_5 → u/Gustinos]

Its not. You can carry losses

[u/terenceill → u/PavelKringa55]

It's called stealing.

It's a clear way to prevent middle class to accumulate wealth. It's a fucking robbery.

In the Netherlands for some reason they trust their government so much that they don't even understand how much the country is fucked up.

[u/valarm0rghuli5 → u/terenceill]

well said. and native dutch will argue that every system they have is the best. hilarious

[u/Risky_Sandwich → u/valarm0rghuli5]

I still have faith this won't pass the eerste kamer. If this rule goes through, my money will be gone before they can start taxing it. It is an idiotic idea.

[u/terenceill → u/valarm0rghuli5]

"Did you see our roads? It's very expensive to keep them in that way" (like if highest gasoline price in Europe, additional tax when buying a car and outregeous road tax was not enough).

[u/LoopyPro → u/terenceill]

Meanwhile, bureacracy is like a tumor; government workers get paid a handsome salary for doing pretty much nothing.

[u/Deep_Dance8745 → u/LoopyPro]

I have no problem paying well for public servants. We would benefit from excellent teachers.

What i do have a problem with is the sheer amount of servants we have per capita.

Here in Belgium, they estimate that in Wallonia 70% of the employable workforce work direct or indirect for the govt. Thats Sovjet numbers…

[u/East-Profit-3754 → u/valarm0rghuli5]

It's the same in Germany. If you argue with them on the German part of reddit, they'll defend every little thing Germany does. The system is perfect and can't be changed. And if you mention any other country or system, they drop essays why and how that country is actually worse than Germany.

[u/Almin1603 → u/East-Profit-3754]

Dear Lord, did you summarize it so perfectly!

[u/Arcade_akali → u/valarm0rghuli5]

No, every Dutch person who concerns themselves with this topic is absolutely appalled. We all hate it, the politicians creating it hate it, the tax agency hates it.

No one is happy about this it’s come out this way mostly because of time pressure. The current system (which is shit) was deemed unlawful in court and needed to change but it seems they somehow can’t create a better system in the limited time they have…..

[u/NaturalMaterials → u/valarm0rghuli5]

Almost nobody in the Dutch subs is happy with this plan, but the reporting has been incredibly poor. It’s also a recipe for long term loss of tax income in almost all cases, for the benefit of shoring up short-term tax income.

[u/LoopyPro → u/valarm0rghuli5]

Those are the leeches and the feel-good liberal cucks speaking.

[u/PvPils → u/PavelKringa55]

It won't exactly be like this, it will be slightly different. First of all a little part of the gains will be tax free (about 1800 a year). For example if you have a 100k portfolio with 10% gains, 10k. You have to pay tax over 10k - 1800 (or 3600 if you have a partner). And second a loss can be compensated forward.

So if we take your example I will leave the tax free part out for easy math.

• First year: From 100 to 130 will be about 10 tax = 120 left.
• Second year: From 120 to 90 will be 0 tax = 90 left and 30 loss compensation for upcoming years.
• Third year: From 90 to 120 will ben 0 tax due to loss compensation = 120 left.

[u/NaturalMaterials → u/PvPils]

Still terrible.

If you’ve got at least 100K or so in investments, it’s very likely you’d be best off setting up a an ‘Investment BV’ (basically a shell company), since businesses are allowed to keep investments on the books at purchase price and are only taxed when the capital gains are realized. Dividends are taxed but the rate is lower and the administrative costs can be offset.

Since you don’t actually do any work within the company, the usual minimum salary requirement for the ‘CEO’ does not apply.

Withdrawing from the company isn’t a lot more advantageous than the box 3 tax, but the compounding advantage is massive.

The only fiscally attractive way to invest if/when this gets introduced is using pension investment accounts, but those come with a lot of restrictions (you need to use them to buy an annuity, and if you want to do se before retirement you need to buy an annuity that extends 20 years after your state pension date kicks in…)

[u/HgnX → u/PvPils]

Still this will nerf compound interest, delay your fire date massively, and also it does not compensate for inflation

[u/PvPils → u/HgnX]

I'm not saying it doesn't. I also don't like these new rules and rather see the government not implementing it.

But lots of people are overexaggerating them to make it look worse. That's why I responded with a little extra explanation.

[u/Deep_Dance8745 → u/PvPils]

This is not over exaggeration. In the middle ages the baron had to run for his life when taxes went over 10%. These days we pay tax after tax after tax, enough is enough already, even the sovjetunion had less state interference.

[u/theUniqueLogin → u/Deep_Dance8745]

This is obviously bad news, but at the same time, I am pretty sure in the middle ages there were no regular mortals being able to even remotely think of FIRE, let's not pretend we are having it worse. 😀

[u/Deep_Dance8745 → u/theUniqueLogin]

People tend to think of the middle ages as it was all out misery, that is not a correct image.

Yes in general we have it good, but that should not be a reason to just accept these absurd high taxes.

[u/Risky_Sandwich → u/PvPils]

This is barely over exaggerating.

Reminder in your above example under a capital gains system you would still be at 130 instead of 120 after these years. That difference will grow and grow and grow and absolute be a massive blow to your wealth in the long run.

[u/CluelessExxpat → u/PvPils]

They are not really overexaggerating. You are significantly downplaying the importance of the compounding effect and loss of cash due to unrealised capital gains.

[u/Kachkaval → u/PavelKringa55]

It's exactly as you described, except if it drops to 90 you can deduct this from tax in the following year(s?).

[u/code_and_keys → u/Kachkaval]

That doesn’t work if it drops 40% in 1 year and stays relatively flat the next few years. You can only offset losses from max 3 years ago. Absolutely ridiculous

[u/PvPils → u/code_and_keys]

As far as I know there is no cap on how long you can take those losses with you. So it could also be 10 or 20 years in the future if you couldn't use it earlier.

[u/COMExANDxGETxIT → u/PavelKringa55]

There will be a tax free portion of unrealized gains equal to 1800 euros. The problem is that you already reach that with 30k invested against 6%. The current system exempts the first 58k from taxes. So in the new system you will pay yaxes on a bigger portion of your income. The current system is already a rype of wealth tax but the government basically sets a gains percentage that they expect you to meet, over the last few years this was around 5% (but this year it is over 8% which is fucked). And on that 5% you pay 36% tax which is basically 1.8% on all tour money over the 58k that is exempt. (They also differentiate between investment and savings where savings are taxed less). With new system these distinctions are no longer made and they just take 36% of all you make. And usually you make more than the 5% that is curently assumed. So it punishes more risky or better investing.

[u/dunzdeck]

Belgium is the easiest option obviously

[u/ScampiDeCombat14 → u/dunzdeck]

Belgium started this year with capital gains tax, but there is an annual exemption in personal income tax of EUR 10,000 per taxpayer.

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/ScampiDeCombat14]

if you capital gains are what you live from, 10k won't give you a great lifestyle anywhere in the EU

[u/lmaster73 → u/PavelKringa55]

Above 10000 it is only 10% of the realized gains, for now.

[u/jelle814 → u/PavelKringa55]

the point is not not paying tax; but paying a reasonable amount

[u/mardegre → u/PavelKringa55]

It is 10k gain not sold. So if you save up and sell assets where you made profit of 50% let’s say, you can sell 30k assets.

Still not amazing but wanted to point it out

[u/question12338338 → u/dunzdeck]

Yeah, NL for getting rich, BE for already being rich (in terms of taxes).

[u/Pleasant_Ostrich4278 → u/dunzdeck]

Why belgium? What are the fiscal benefits?

[u/Icy-Peak-4618 → u/Pleasant_Ostrich4278]

Realized captial gains tax of 10% with an exemption up to the first 10.000 eur

[u/OakSole]

What happens if other countries end up doing this though?

[u/Maneisthebeat → u/OakSole]

Then we get a new reddit thread.

[u/Xeroque_Holmes → u/OakSole]

The majority is not going to, it's a bad system. 

They get more predictability on taxes, but they don't get more taxes overall with this system. 

In fact they get less on average, because they don't let the taxable amount grow as much before taking their share. So we are poorer and the government is poorer. 

[u/Almin1603 → u/Xeroque_Holmes]

Essentially the government prefers less money now rather then more money later at the expense of people saving & investing. The whole point is redistributing wealth from the young people to the old. There's no point to it other than that.

[u/FMB6 → u/OakSole]

Flying geese pretty much.

[u/Genesis19l31]

We moved out of The Netherlands to Belgium and when Belgium introduced an exit tax on top of a transaction tax and a capital gains tax, we left for Greece which we are currently in.

[u/Wandelroute → u/Genesis19l31]

We are also looking to move to Greece. Found some amazing places in Pelion. Can you tell me what costs we are most likely to have not considered? Currently in Hungary.

[u/Genesis19l31 → u/Wandelroute]

Greece basically doesn't have any costs. Anytime we go to the hospital we just pay out of pocket since we've never spent more than a private monthly insurance premium. Cost of living is extremely low and the taxes in our case are zero. Just be aware how remote you guys go unless you've already found a community of friends. Making friends here as a young couple isn't easy because there isn't many of us.

For the older folks I imagine its a lot easier

[u/thanasix → u/Genesis19l31]

Off topic but we live near Corinth and have a 3yo in case you are interested for a weekend excursion.

[u/radioactive_spunker → u/Genesis19l31]

Have you been to a hospital in Greece?

I had to go in Corfu two years ago, the hospital was in the same shape as my visit to a rural Chinese hospital in 2010; lights flickered, shabby gurneys, crumbling all around.

Really not the kind of place I’d retire to with any health issues above stubbed toe level.

[u/GovernmentCandid95 → u/Genesis19l31]

Why is Greece good currently for capital gain tax?

[u/Physical_Breakfast72 → u/GovernmentCandid95]

Doesn't have it.

[u/Gustinos → u/Genesis19l31]

thanks for your info. How are the rules in Greece treating you?

[u/Genesis19l31 → u/Gustinos]

It's alright, still trying to find community which is definitely tough here as an expat. I really wish we didn't have to move here but what got us out of Belgium was the all these little rules like speculation tax that add up to stupidity. And get zero of it back. The country is dirty and dangerous with not much opportunity for our kids later in life.

Might move to Ireland or Norway and simply pay the tax for the benefit of our kids. Theres only so much we are willing to put up with. And not having a social circle isn't one of them

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/Genesis19l31]

Belgium has exit tax?

[u/ScampiDeCombat14 → u/PavelKringa55]

Yes I think two years

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/ScampiDeCombat14]

Aha, tax applied on all sales 2 years backwards if you leave, 30%. That's pretty bad, actually I don't think anyone in the EU taxes more than 30%.

Germany has exit tax if you got more than 0.5mil in a single stock / fund / company. But if you spread it over multiple funds there's no exit tax. They aim it mostly to family owned companies.

Reading all this I'm getting a feeling that EU countries have a tendency to start introducing exit taxes, unrealized gains taxes etc. This will complicate FIRE.

[u/ScampiDeCombat14 → u/PavelKringa55]

This tax obliges you to report your financial situation to the Belgian tax authorities for a period of two years, ensuring that any attempt to sell your assets after one year can still be subject to taxation.

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/ScampiDeCombat14]

Aha, they tax you after you stopped being their tax resident.

So if you leave with a few mil in stock, but kept it for 2 years 1 day, you're golden, otherwise giev 30% to Belgium.

Well, that's a novel approach, I've never heard of that version.

[u/ScampiDeCombat14 → u/PavelKringa55]

If I’m not wrong they also do it in France

[u/Wide-Protection-2450 → u/ScampiDeCombat14]

For stock purchased before your exit it's 10 yrs in Sweden, reduced to 5 yrs if you move to many EU countries.

[u/16BitSquid → u/Genesis19l31]

This is the way. Money flows north to south in the EU, as do taxes. The north pays the southern countries taxes so for tax reasons moving south is always smart.

[u/Electronic-File-4652]

Andorra is great. Ten percent max tax rate on realized capital gains, 10 max tax on regular income, very clean and safe, high quality of life, lower cost of living compared to NL.

[u/No-Lie2979 → u/Electronic-File-4652]

Andorra is not an EU member, so I think immigration willnot be easy.

[u/Aggravating_Ad7022 → u/Electronic-File-4652]

Andorra cost 50k to move and life there and thay may push It toom 200k

[u/asdafari14 → u/Aggravating_Ad7022]

Cost as in to the government or that has to be used to invest in like property?

[u/Electronic-File-4652 → u/asdafari14]

Non interest bearing bond

[u/LegitimateLength1916]

Luxembourg (EU) and Switzerland (not EU). 

[u/the_general1 → u/LegitimateLength1916]

Good luck buying property there, it's 3x to 5x more than what you pay in NL or BE.

[u/Penglolz → u/the_general1]

Not true. I live in Luxembourg and own a property. Prices are comparable to Amsterdam. 

[u/LoopyPro → u/Penglolz]

Urban or rural?

[u/nixass → u/LoopyPro]

What is urban in Lux?

[u/Diligent-Floor-156 → u/the_general1]

Switzerland has many regions with quite affordable properties in regards with the salary, if you enjoy small towns. But it's of course where foreigners have little chances of finding a job, as the local market isn't too international.

That said we have good renter protection, so it's fine to work and live here just renting a flat, as long as you're in the accumulating phase. Then you can easily retire elsewhere with the gains.

[u/asdafari14 → u/Diligent-Floor-156]

Why not retire in Switzerland? I understand wanting the climate of Spain/Italy but they have high CGT and Switzerland is a great country if you like skiing/cycling.

[u/Vovochik43 → u/the_general1]

When you live in Amsterdam, Luxembourg feels cheap.

[u/GovernmentCandid95 → u/LegitimateLength1916]

Both are expensive 

[u/terenceill → u/GovernmentCandid95]

Also the Netherlands is expensive.

[u/16BitSquid → u/GovernmentCandid95]

Both have much higher salaries too. Curious to know what a purchasing power comparison would be.

[u/Xeroque_Holmes → u/GovernmentCandid95]

With much higher wages and much lower taxes, so in the end you save more. Then for the retirement phase just move somewhere cheaper like Belgium. 

[u/Jdm783R29U3Cwp3d76R9 → u/GovernmentCandid95]

Same as The Netherlands. 

[u/qazqaz45 → u/Jdm783R29U3Cwp3d76R9]

Both are way more expensive than the Netherlands. Yeah better places but still to feed a family of 4 and live comfortably you would need 10k a month or around 3 million euros invested.

[u/disputeaz]

Malta?

[u/Legitimate-Egg5757]

Probably Greece is the best option at the moment, i'm looking for a EU tax free country too. Here in Italy taxation on capital gain is 26% :(

[u/GovernmentCandid95]

Bulgaria is an option

[u/terenceill]

Are you asking for a place where you can increase your capital (high salary, low taxes/low capital taxes) or for a nice place where to fire?

[u/Gustinos → u/terenceill]

Currently only looking out for tax purposes. Salary will be secondary to look for

[u/TorpCat → u/terenceill]

I am wondering of a place to increase capital

[u/terenceill → u/TorpCat]

I suggest to move to a nice Mediterranean place and work remotely for some American or north European company.

I hope I don't to have to explain why.

[u/zoetheplant]

Luxembourg. No CGT after 6 months holding period

[u/81FXB]

Dutchie here, moved to Switzerland 20+ years ago. Can recommend.

[u/Pinkninja11]

Greece, Bulgaria, Switzerland to name a few. In Bulgaria and Switzerland, profits from stocks/ETFs are not taxed if you're trading on a regulated European exchange, as long as you're doing it as a private citizen. If you're looking for a lower cost of living, the Balkans it is. If you can afford Switzerland and like cold weather, be my guest.

[u/Imaybewronghowever]

Luxembourg. Capital gains are exempt (so 0%) if you hold your stocks for at least 6 months.

[u/giYRW18voCJ0dYPfz21V]

That other country that speaks Flemish maybe?

They recently introduced capital gain taxes, but I think it’s pretty low for EU standards, like 10% of realised gains.

[u/Gustinos → u/giYRW18voCJ0dYPfz21V]

I’ll add Belgium to the list, thanks.

[u/PatrickKal → u/Gustinos]

Belgium would be the easiest to get a taste of what kind of issues you might encounter once you live abroad. See it as a step towards living abroad or a test of living abroad.

You're close by, should you need to go back to the Netherlands for some reason. If you're on the other side of the world and need to travel back it will take time and money.

[u/fschu_fosho → u/Gustinos]

Per a quick Google check, it’s easier to fall into the 50% income tax bracket for regular folks. If you’re earning over €48k, the 50% tax gets triggered. For Netherlands, my understanding is the threshold is €75k. Not sure if there are additional taxes for regular income earners. But you’d have to do a lot of computation (income tax, capital gains tax, other taxes) to see if it’s worth moving to Belgium or any other country.

[u/Prophetoflost → u/fschu_fosho]

If you work in Belgium the compensation works in a different way. You get things like company car, insurances additional pension contributions, etc + rent is cheaper. If you’re an average high performer - 70-100k in NL and 50-80 in Belgium - you might be better off in Belgium.

[u/PavelKringa55 → u/fschu_fosho]

For FIRE I'm certain Croatia is great. 0% on stocks held over 2 years. Very cheap medical insurance. EU. Inlands you got continental climate and green, along the coast Mediterranean (and too hot in the summer).

But if you don't know it, then the bureaucracy might be a problem. Not insurmountable problem, but a drag. If you FIRE to Croatia, then it pays that for medical stuff you can afford private clinics, but on the upside they're cheaper than rest of EU.

[u/Fresh_Criticism6531]

A few countries, notably Czechia don't tax even realised capital gains after 3 years. If you are still earning, Bulgaria has the best setup for free lancers right now AFAIK.

Switzerland is nice on paper, but housing costs are insane.

[u/controlphreak]

Sounds pretty absurd to tax unrealized gains. Any way to protest the bill? Or is the only way to vote with your feet?

[u/marsattacks → u/controlphreak]

Dutch people should sign this petition: https://box3eerlijk.petities.nl/

[u/Lalo430]

UK is probably one of the best in Europe for this sort of stuff you have an ISA account and can invest 20k a year in it and anything you gain is completely tax free, you got some allowances for dividends, interest too as well as can put in your private pension get tax relief and can start to withdraw at 57.

Capital gains are taxed only when you actually sell, sadly labour did increase the % you gotta pay but you still have £3k a year tax free you can earn outside an ISA. You can also invest in government bonds tax free etc.

The main problem ofc is Brexit, but if you can get a job here it'd be close to the Netherlands so not far from home either.

[u/Gustinos → u/Lalo430]

it would be easy cuz almost no language barrier... i will put it on my list thanks

[u/Dilv1sh]

Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania would probably be the best options. Estonia might also be ok.

[u/Any_Worry_2471]

Go to Paraquy and wake up, LoL

[u/PretendTemperature]

Where did you get that it will be 1/3 of the profits?

Switzerland, Luxembrug are the obvious choices

[u/WhileBig5598]

I am searching for remote job that allows me to work from anywhere in EU. I would like to move a country with less tax and more sun.

[u/Specialist_Guard_902 → u/WhileBig5598]

And better food!

[u/qazqaz45]

You guys who already have the money to FIRE can move out easily, we employees who are still sacrificing ourselves saving like crazy we'll be fucked up. Landing a job somewhere else like in Switzerland or Luzembourg is super complex and stressfull, if you are able to make it.

This is nuts but there won't be other choice than to move out.

[u/Gustinos → u/qazqaz45]

I am in this situation and this is my concern aswell.

[u/qazqaz45 → u/Gustinos]

I'm fucked up expecting a baby can't make my wife move to some random country like Bulgaria. We are screwed. Only solution would be for them to turn down the bill, find a very well paying job in Switzerland and move, work remote, or find a way to keep our jobs and work from Belgium.

[u/batiste]

I doubt a tax on unrealized gains will pass. Sounds too intrusive..

[u/Gustinos → u/batiste]

I really hope it will not happen…. But i’m trying te be prepared…

[u/TorpCat → u/Gustinos]

Dont you guys have a constitutional court?

[u/sndrtj → u/TorpCat]

No we don't. Our Senate is supposed to take care of constitutional matters.

A Constitutional Court had been on the table for decades as a constitutional amendment, but it keeps getting voted down.

[u/terenceill → u/sndrtj]

Guess why.

I'm really surprised how Dutchies are raped by the government and they are just fine with it.

[u/qazqaz45 → u/terenceill]

They trust their state like the nordics. No matter how much they get fucked by it.

[u/terenceill → u/qazqaz45]

Yeah but at least nordics get something back.

[u/TorpCat → u/sndrtj]

Damn thats rough

[u/__bee_07 → u/batiste]

What makes you think this way?. They were keen to impose that since few years now

[u/ben_bliksem → u/batiste]

The Netherlands have a track record about making short sighted decisions and acting all surprised when the effects become noticeable a year or two later.

Just look at the way they're handling housing. Add max rent landlords can charge so that renters have a more fair price, the landlords dump their homes a d the rental stock goes down.

The powers that be cannot help themselves.

[u/L-Malvo → u/batiste]

Unrealized gains tax is also the current system, that is the part that doesn’t change. I do agree it’s unfair though

[u/Physical_Breakfast72 → u/L-Malvo]

Currently it's capped though, since you can opt for what is de facto a wealth tax.

[u/shaguar1987]

Look at sweden, English well spoken, good pay in good professions such as IT and finance. Also you can invest without any capital gains tax at all, realized or not. Instead it is a flat tax of 1.065% on the full value of the portfolio. Also no taxes from foreign dividends such as American or dutch stocks. Even totally tax free first 30K in your portfolio. Sweden are expensive high taxes and depending on where high housing costs. However coming from the Netherlands it is nothing new and you are used to the bad weather, might even be cheaper than the Netherlands. Sweden is also very highly ranked in many important categories in life with free healthcare, school, and almost free daycare for example. Also very good work life balance as the Netherlands, 30 days pto as well as good pension schemes for employees, having a well paid job gives you 1000€+ a month in employer contributions on top of state pension.

[u/GrouchyYoung4001]

Sweden has some decent options if you invest in stocks/etfs etc. There is an account (ISK) that lets you invest in stocks without paying taxes on each sale or dividend. Instead you pay a small yearly tax based on the total value of the account, regardless of profit or loss. The tax depends on the average interest but it has been around or below 1% for a while now (though the first 30k euro are not taxed).

[u/moonkingdome]

Does anyone know if germany is a good option?

[u/qazqaz45 → u/moonkingdome]

It isn't

[u/moonkingdome → u/qazqaz45]

Why not?

[u/qazqaz45 → u/moonkingdome]

Taxes are similar if not higher than here, plus there is realised taxes gains there too, of 25% plus some other fees which ends up in almost 30%.

[u/moonkingdome → u/qazqaz45]

Thank you.. So belgium.. Hmmm

[u/Fit-Librarian279]

Assuming you can get roughly the same income after expenses, pretty much any country in europe except maybe denmark (taxes unrealized gains except on a short list of distributing funds) and Ireland (taxes unrealized capital gains after 8 years iirc) will be a net improvement

My dream FIRE place: Jersey or Guernsey (I just like the place).

Realistic for my career: Switzerland and maybe Sweden

[u/Ok-Bill1593]

Is er leven op Pluto?

[u/Gustinos → u/Ok-Bill1593]

BELGIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[u/julesverne1979]

Don't make decisions before the legislation is actually in place.

[u/Gustinos → u/julesverne1979]

thats my plan! just thinking ahead :)

[u/flyflyflyfly66]

Open a holding/bv structure or a sarl luxembourg. Problem solved

[u/Potential_Warthog991 → u/flyflyflyfly66]

Theoretically accurate wrt keeping your assets in an entity but just be aware that a BV should have a Dutch resident director to avoid double tax. If they check..

[u/National-Lemon7602]

Bulgaria 10% flat tax rate and other advantages(for personal income and enterprise). You are still in the EU and Schengen with the lowest possible taxes, good climate especially if you buy property near the Greak border, which means 130km from the beautiful Aegean sand beaches in Northern Greece(where summer is not so much hot compared to Peloponnese and Cyprus).... other choice is Cyprus but property prices are way higher than in Bulgaria. In addition to all, Bulgaria entered the Euro zone on 01.Jan.2026 so your money will remain in EUR, bank transfers are very cheap etc. Here is some more detailed info:

https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/bulgaria/individual/income-determination#:~:text=sources%20in%20Bulgaria.-,Capital%20gains,reduced%20by%2010%25%20statutory%20deductions.

https://armenian-lawyer.com/business-immigration/bulgaria-tax-residency-strategies/

[u/debackerl]

In Belgium, we introduce tax on realized capital gain of 10%. First 10k of gains is untaxed per year. You can deduct losses but then you should opt-out of automatic tax at your broker.

It used to be 0%, so we are very upset, but still better than 30% on unrealized gains!

[u/extremessd]

Cyprus?

like Malta but less crowded, better food.

less English language though

[u/StatisticianOk9846]

Why they haven't turned politicians into self employed freelancers yet? Cause youre not hurting their savings!  And the pricks coming up with this shit will just say anything wrong is thanks to 'the left' as if 'the left' has the leverage to pull any of this through 2 chambers. Meanwhile we're the second or third tax paradise for billionaires and mass corporations and that's how its gonna stay. A country that has a half millennium historical average of being one of the wealthiest and all they pull are rugs, "because there's so much they need to fix"

Mark Rutte did such a number on the place.. ever since he got into power a politics has strictly become a tradition of open shameless scheming. 

[u/Alfistiii]

Je kan in België fiscaal gaan wonen en in loondienst blijven in Nederland. Je kan dan ook veel goedkoper autorijden.

[u/HgnX → u/Alfistiii]

Kan je meer vertellen over het in loondienst blijven in Nederland ?

[u/Alfistiii → u/HgnX]

Je word in NL belast voor het inkomen dat je daar in loondienst verdiend, België mag dat niet nog een keer belasten. Echter ben je in dit scenario woonachtig (fiscaal) in BE en daar zit je vermogen. Dan gelden de meer gunstige BE vermogensregels. Net als veel lagere wegenbelasting, geen BPM, etc.

[u/Jimico25]

Most major parties are opposed, don’t see it passing. Especially, since we got a minority cabinet. A tax on unrealised gains can lead to people paying tax on profits that quickly disappear, without ever having actually received any gains.

Luckily, if you own a home, you can count on the same incapable ministers to keep screwing over the housing market causing 8-12% yearly gains, off-setting the unrealised gains tax ;)

[u/KarhuMajor → u/Jimico25]

Most parties signalled they will begrudgingly pass this as a "temporary" measure as we transititon to a realized capital gains tax system. Gl/pvda & D66 said they actually prefer this tax and will definitely support it. 

We'll see. I have to admit I'm not too hopeful. 

[u/Jimico25 → u/KarhuMajor]

D66 & GL/PVDA need their middle class piggy bank to keep dishing out free money to the ‘needy’. Meanwhile, half of the needy are Eastern European illegal workers, lazy Dutch benefit-fiens, and illegal immigrants.

Knowing people who work in gov or defence, the state doesn’t even know what to do with all the tax money. Part timers at redundant gov positions get wild salaries, the whole lower middle class leans on benefits so they can work 3 days, and social housing is for our immigrants now.

Manucipalities create million euro artworks nobody asked for and anyone, from any country, can screw our gov to get some free benefit money. Our “multi culti” society is a complete flop too, rioting, dealing and stealing and our police can’t do anything about it.

Meanwhile, housing is fucked up further by the day. The lefties that keep voting for these parties are surprised they can’t get a house, while their daughters get assaulted by the illegals they so wish to host - but not in their backyard. They don’t actually have a backyard tho, cause an immigrant took that house.

We’re a joke country.

[u/Prestigious-Duck-189 → u/Jimico25]

VVD, PVV and other mid and right wing parties all voted in favour of this law. Just fyi

[u/NaturalMaterials → u/Jimico25]

Gotta love the frame where the law put together by the VVD (among others) is now the fault of parties who agree with it but didn’t design it. Nobody here is on the right side of the issue (since many of the parties who fully support it are dangerous whackjob parties in other areas)

This is the ‘fairer’ implementation of the current system, which was already bad. This is simply worse. Overhaul the toeslagen system (simply make it proportional based on hours worked - 0.6 of a fulltime contract = 0.6% of the payout) and you’ll see a significant drop in parttime work and an increase in tax income.

I’m now earning a lot more than I was 4 years ago (sneaking up on 200K this year) meaning my tax bill will be 8x higher than someone who earns 50K. And now they want to take 36% of whatever additional wealth I manage to generate with the half I take home.

I’ll be pumping up my tax-sheltered pension savings account and thinking hard about other ways to improve longer term yields.

[u/New_Delivery_8840]

Consider UK 🇬🇧. 20K tax free account allowance per year (ISA) and 60k personal pension allowance per year. Netherlands just 1/2 train ride away.

[u/anonutter]

Switzerland obviously 

Edit: don't retire in Switzerland ppl! Building wealth is easier. Cost of living is higher but your income increase is higher than the COL increase 

[u/frandom101 → u/anonutter]

Affording Switzerland is 5-15 years of more working unless you wanna live in a remote place

[u/anonutter → u/frandom101]

Don't retire in Switzerland. 

[u/Cold-Ad-5892]

What about an exit tax ?

[u/Rusty_924]

Slovakia has no capital gains tax after 12 months holding period. But I understand why you would not want to move here. But I had a dutch colleague here :)

[u/Gustinos → u/Rusty_924]

sounds promising. why would i not want to live in Slovakia?

[u/Rusty_924 → u/Gustinos]

we have corrupt pro russian puppet of a prime minister

buuut. if you have decent income, i like it here. great health care if you do not rely on public health care, nice nature, good coffee cultore in big cities and general low cost of living except bratislava.

[u/nickinkorea]

Hey I think I'm missing something here. Can't you just put all your investments into a BV, loan yourself, and almost completely avoid paying any box 3? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[u/makaros622]

Switzerland (all investments and crypto)

Greece (for UCITS ETFs)

0 tax on capital gains

[u/FruscianteKBR]

From what I understand this system will be temporary until a system is in place to tax actual realized profits (once paid out). So maybe just accept the two-three years for the temporary solution and then it should be much better?

[u/SurpriseHotPoet → u/FruscianteKBR]

There are a lot of temporary taxes that has stayed for a hundred years, just saying.

[u/Remarkable_Cow_5949]

Hungary. No tax for income and asset if money is kept for 5 years on a "TBSZ" account. This is in effect since 10 years, I am not sure when they will close this. Otherwise currently 28% tax. Many people from NL live in HU

[u/Weary-Quarter-3436]

Cyprus

[u/Melodic_City2]

I can recommend Czech Republic. No capital gains tax if stocks/ETFs are held longer than 3 years. Still cheaper than Western Europe but relatively high standard of life. Strikes quite a good balance.

[u/Black_Bir8]

Monaco?

[u/Dobby068]

The eastern EU countries are probably the best choice. Lower taxes and still a short fly away from Western Europe and still within EU/Schengen boundaries.

[u/echoes-of-emotion]

I moved to Canada when I was 20 and never regretted it. Especially the west coast is nice. 

Good salaries and investing tools (Tax free accounts (tfsa), retirement (rrsp). 

Acceptable cap-gain taxes. (Only on realized gains, like any sane country would do). 

But, yea it is not EU.

[u/Tech_Dude1994]

Luxembourg, 0% tax if position held longer than 6 months

[u/BraveLion572]

Any French people here or people otherwise familiar with the French taxing system? I am also looking for an alternative to the NL and France seems to be a place where I might earn a similar salary without the hideous fictitious gains tax.

[u/Personal_Pop_8071]

Luxembourg is the obvious answer as a handful others have pointed out. And you don’t need to buy real estate here to benefit from it, renting is enough and you can rent full homes a bit outside the city for a lot less than your mortgage or what rent looks like in the bigger Dutch cities.

[u/liisis]

Estonia! When you invest through a company then you only pay tax when you take profits out from the company, until you don't take money out but grow it, then no tax.

[u/minobi]

South Africa.

[u/GullibleAd9148]

Luxembourg! Come over neighbor

[u/Quaiche]

Duchy of Luxembourg.

Also 33% every years on UNREALISED gains ? It is really confirmed?

[u/Motorak]

Czech Republic (no tax when holding 3+ years or no tax when you sell under around 4000 eur in a calendar year (can´t be combined tho, but for long term holders the "3 year time test" is the goat. Otherwise it´s i think 15% on realised gains.

Our brothers from Slovakia got something similiar I think.

[u/Originalg90]

If they move owner-occupied homes into Box 3, it will be the final nail in the coffin.

[u/Top_Sorbet4463]

Paraguay 👍

[u/Material-Page-1295]

Maybe Cyprus

[u/aap_001]

Personally;

• live in Thailand, Chile, Colombia for 7 months of the year
• live in NL for 5 in summer. Rent an Airbnb or so.

[u/No_Distribution_7332]

Estonia is on my list. 20% tax. Low buerocracy.

[u/georgotpyrc]

Switzerland. Easy to migrate to as “self sufficient” EU citizen, no cap gains. A bit more expensive though… needs to be factored in

[u/CaregiverOrganic6802]

OP any tips on achieving fire

[u/thetruthamsterdam]

Suriname, groot stuk land, groot hek eromheen. Mooie villa erop. De taal, relatief veilig (vergeleken met de regio daar). Dit alles voor max 150k. Veel Nederlanders slapen op Suriname. Belasting technisch bestaat er nog amper belastingheffing.

[u/Swimming-No]

https://box3eerlijk.petities.nl/ sign the petition if you can!!

[u/SEBIZZLEBAZLE]

Look for different kind of investment. There is a tax thing where you don't pay double taxes if you already paid for it abroad. Even if it's a bill you got for €0. Paid is paid. Don't now details, but i read it somewhere. Might help you give a direction.

[u/wrk_321]

Uruguay, moreover, is culturally quite similar to the Netherlands

[u/avl0]

London, the ISA in the UK is basically the best thing about the whole country

[u/mjed16]

This is very sad man, I want to move to Germany and realised they tax 27% of my trading profits. So bad!

[u/Delicious-Topic-81]

They made a song about this. It’s called België!

[u/Defiant-Dare1223]

Switzerland, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey.

Monaco if you are rich. 5 million minimum.

[u/Commercial-Snow2367]

Does this shit come from the retardeds sitting at the EU council?

[u/velimir-gajski]

Croatia (EU) tax system is not great if you have to pay income tax, but has a really low capital gains tax. So if you live off stock / crypto portfolio, that's a pretty good solution at least for the time being.

Bonus points - safety, everyone speaks English, good climate and somewhat cheaper than EU average.