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Tax year 2026

Box 2 (substantial interest) calculator

Tax on dividends and realised capital gains from a ≥5% stake in a company you control. Two-tier in 2026: 24,5% up to €67,804, 31% above.

Box 2 only applies if you hold ≥5% of a company you control. For ordinary stock or ETF holdings (no control), use the Box 3 calculator instead.

Box 2 tax payable
€0
Effective rate: 0%
Total Box 2 income€0
Lower bracket (≤ €67,804)(24,5%)€0
Tax in lower bracket€0
Upper bracket (> €67,804)(31%)€0
Tax in upper bracket€0
Total tax€0

This isn't for ordinary share investors

If you own ETFs, individual stocks below 5% of any single issuer, or vested RSUs in a public company, your holdings are in Box 3, not Box 2. Use the Box 3 calculator instead. Box 2 only applies to controlling shareholders of a company they direct.

What counts as a substantial interest

You have an aanmerkelijk belang (substantial interest) when you, alone or together with a fiscal partner, own at least 5% of:

  • The issued share capital of a company (per share class).
  • The voting rights of a company.
  • The profit-sharing rights of a company.
  • Options or warrants that, if exercised, would put you above 5%.

This catches Dutch BVs you own, foreign companies you control (including foreign holdcos used to hold private investments), and some single-class ETFs of small private companies. It does not catch retail holdings of public-company shares unless you cross 5% of the same class — extraordinarily rare.

How the tax is computed

Two events trigger Box 2 tax: a dividend distribution to you, and a sale of substantial-interest shares for more than your acquisition cost. Both flow into your annual aangifte. The Belastingdienst applies the 24,5% rate to the first €67,804 of Box 2 income for the year, and 31% to anything above.

Realised losses can be netted against same-year gains. Unrelieved losses may be carried forward, but the rules have tightened over the years; specialist advice is worth it for material amounts.

Cross-border traps

On emigration, a conserverende aanslagfreezes the latent Dutch tax on unrealised gains in your substantial- interest holdings. The Belastingdienst doesn't collect immediately; collection can be triggered later by a taxable event abroad. The 10-year reach-back is a known consequence of leaving with a substantial interest still on the books. See the leaving-NL guide.

Frequently asked questions

Who falls under Box 2?
If you own at least 5% of the shares (or profit-sharing rights) in a company you control, dividends and realised gains on those shares are taxed in Box 2 instead of Box 1 or Box 3. The threshold is per-class of share, with quirks for partner attribution. Founders and senior executives with vested equity often cross 5%; ordinary employees with RSUs almost never do.
What are the 2026 Box 2 rates?
Two-tier: 24,5% on the first €67,804 of Box 2 income per year, 31% on the surplus. The cap is per taxpayer; fiscal partners can attribute the income between them to use both lower-bracket caps.
What income is taxed?
Two streams: ordinary dividends paid out to you in the year, and realised capital gains when you sell substantial-interest shares. Unrealised appreciation is not taxed (Box 2 isn't an annual mark-to-market like Box 3). Liquidating dividends, share-buyback distributions, and inkoop van eigen aandelen also count.
What if I leave the Netherlands?
The Belastingdienst issues a conserverende aanslag (preserving assessment) when a substantial-interest shareholder emigrates, freezing the latent Dutch tax liability for up to 10 years. A taxable event abroad (taking the dividend, selling the shares) can re-trigger collection. Get cross-border advice before booking the flight; see the leaving-NL guide.
How does the 30% ruling interact?
Pre-2024 ruling holders could elect partial-non-resident status, which kept Box 2 income on substantial interests in non-Dutch companies outside the Dutch system. That election was abolished from 1 January 2025 for new ruling holders; transitional rules ran through end-2026 for legacy holders. New arrivals can no longer make the election.
Can I deduct losses?
Realised losses on substantial-interest holdings can be netted against same-year Box 2 gains. Net losses can be carried forward (for now); rules around loss-carryforward in Box 2 have been tightened repeatedly. Talk to a Dutch tax adviser before relying on a carryforward when planning a sale.

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