Cabinet wants to spare small savers and investors after all, plans adjusted again

Finance Minister Eelco Heinen is revising government proposals for wealth tax after facing significant criticism from opposition parties in the House of Representatives. The proposed changes were intended to shift toward taxing actual capital gains, but the plan faced backlash for unfairly burdening 850,000 small savers and investors. Concerns were particularly raised regarding an interim measure for 2027 that would levy taxes on individuals with 30,000 euros in savings, as well as the impact on private landlords.

Heinen acknowledged that the current thresholds are problematic and expressed a commitment to protecting smaller savers from these tax consequences. While specific adjustments have not yet been detailed, the minister has confirmed that the cabinet supports revisiting the policy. He is now tasked with developing a revised system before the parliamentary vote scheduled for November 12. The government must find a compromise to address these concerns while ensuring the long-term feasibility of the tax reform in box 3.