Wealth tax on 150,000 euros in Belgium: what you really pay

How much wealth tax do you pay on 150,000 euros in Belgium? Many expats are surprised by the answer: Belgium has no general wealth tax. You pay nothing simply because you own 150,000 euros. You do pay tax on what that money earns, and on certain transactions with it. How much depends on where the money sits: in a savings account, in investments or in property.

This guide sets out the rules that apply in 2026 for each type of asset, with worked examples on 150,000 euros. If you are about to sell your home and the proceeds will land in your account, this is the overview you need.

No wealth tax, but tax on income and transactions

In Belgium, assets are taxed at three points:

• When they earn something: interest, dividends, rent, or the cadastral income of a property.
• When you buy or sell: registration duties on property, the stock exchange tax on securities and, since 2026, a capital gains tax on financial assets.
• When they change hands: inheritance tax and gift tax.

There is also the annual tax on securities accounts. It looks like a wealth tax, but it only applies to securities accounts with an average value above 1 million euros. The rate was doubled from 0.15% to 0.30%. With 150,000 euros you are far below that threshold.

150,000 euros in a savings account

On a regulated savings account, interest is tax-free up to an amount of just over 1,000 euros per person, indexed every year. The exemption doubles if the account is in the names of two spouses or legal cohabitants. Interest above that amount is taxed at 15% withholding tax.

A term deposit or a non-regulated savings account has no such exemption. The bank withholds 30% on all interest.

Example. Suppose 150,000 euros earns 2% interest over one year. That is 3,000 euros gross.

• On a term deposit you pay 30% of 3,000 euros, which is 900 euros.
• On a regulated savings account in one person's name, the first part is exempt. Only the rest is taxed at 15%, which comes to about 300 euros.

The interest rate is an assumption to show the calculation. Check your own bank's current rate for your situation.

150,000 euros in shares, funds or ETFs

Investments are taxed in three ways:

• Stock exchange tax (TOB) on every purchase and sale. The rate depends on the type of security.
• 30% withholding tax on dividends and bond interest.
• A 10% capital gains tax since 1 January 2026. It applies to realised gains on shares, bonds, funds, ETFs and crypto.

This tax comes with an exemption of 10,000 euros of gains per year per taxpayer. If you use little or none of it in a year, you can carry up to 1,000 euros of it over to the next year. You can do that for 5 years, up to a maximum exemption of 15,000 euros. For investments you already held before 2026, the value on 31 December 2025 is the starting point, so gains made before that date are not taxed. Your bank can withhold the tax at source, or you can choose to declare your gains yourself.

Example. You invest 150,000 euros and sell a few years later for 175,000 euros. Your gain is 25,000 euros. After the 10,000 euro exemption, 15,000 euros is taxed at 10%, which is 1,500 euros. If you did not use the exemption in earlier years, the amount is lower.

150,000 euros in property

Property is not subject to an annual wealth tax either. There are, however, four charges to plan for.

Registration duties when you buy

Region	Only own home	Standard rate
Flanders	2%	12%
Wallonia	3%	12.5%
Brussels	12.5%, with an exemption on the first 200,000 euros (price up to 600,000 euros)	12.5%

A 150,000 euro home bought in Flanders as your only own home costs 3,000 euros in registration duties at 2%. Because the price is below 220,000 euros (240,000 euros in the central cities and the Flemish Rand around Brussels), the extra reduction of 1,867 euros for a modest home applies, which brings it to 1,133 euros. Bought as a second home or an investment, it costs 18,000 euros. In Brussels, a buyer of an only own home who meets the conditions of the exemption pays nothing on that amount. For the Flemish 2% rate you must, among other conditions, buy in full ownership. For deeds from 2026 you must also stay registered at the address for at least one year without interruption. More detail in our guide to registration duties in Belgium.

Property tax

Every year you pay property tax (onroerende voorheffing or précompte immobilier) on the indexed cadastral income of your property. The rate varies by municipality, because the municipality and province add their own surcharges (in Brussels, the municipality and the agglomeration).

Rental income

Do you let a home to a private tenant who lives there? Then you are not taxed on the actual rent. The taxable base is the indexed cadastral income plus 40%, added to your personal income tax. For more on the tax side of letting, read taxes on an investment property.

Capital gains when you sell

The new 10% capital gains tax does not apply to property. If you sell your own home, you normally pay no capital gains tax. For a second home or building land sold shortly after purchase, you may. How that works is explained in capital gains tax when selling your home.

Inheriting or gifting 150,000 euros

With an inheritance, the assets themselves are taxed. Rates differ by region. In Flanders, a child in the direct line pays, per heir and calculated separately on the movable and the immovable share:

• 3% on the portion up to 50,000 euros;
• 9% on the portion from 50,000 to 250,000 euros;
• 27% on the portion above 250,000 euros.

If one child inherits 150,000 euros in savings in Flanders, that is 1,500 euros on the first band and 9,000 euros on the second, 10,500 euros in total. The surviving partner is exempt on the family home there. Brussels and Wallonia use different bands. If you are inheriting a house, also read inheriting a property in Belgium.

Summary: what does 150,000 euros cost you?

Where is the money?	What do you pay?
Regulated savings account	Nothing up to the interest exemption, 15% above it
Term deposit	30% on the interest
Shares, funds, ETFs	Stock exchange tax, 30% on dividends, 10% on gains above the exemption
Own home	Registration duties on purchase, property tax every year
Rented-out home	On top of that, income tax on cadastral income plus 40%
Inheritance	Inheritance tax according to your region's bands

Selling your home? Handle the proceeds wisely

For many sellers, a large sum arrives all at once after the deed. That money is not taxed because it sits in your account. What you do with it decides what you pay next. Park it in a term deposit and you pay 30% on the interest. Invest it and the capital gains tax applies. Buy another home and you pay registration duties. Put those choices on paper before you sign.

The biggest lever usually comes earlier: the sale price itself. A few percent more or less on your home outweighs the difference between two savings accounts. Start with a free valuation of your home. Then compare estate agents in your area on fees and approach. You get at most three verified agencies, not six that all call you.

This guide covers the general rules. For a large inheritance or an investment portfolio, have your own situation checked by a tax adviser or your notary, especially if you also have tax obligations in your home country.

Ready to sell? Find the right agent for your home.