Poland introduces asset value tax

8 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Poland’s parliament approved an asset value tax on held savings and investments. Learn who pays and why expats should care.

Poland’s parliament approved a new law that creates an asset value tax on certain holdings. Consequently, savers and investors will pay a levy based on the value they keep in accounts, not only on their gains. The asset value tax will shift how many people calculate their yearly tax bills.

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How the asset value tax works

The Sejm passed the bill on Friday 3 July. It introduces a charge on the value of savings and investments above set thresholds. For bank deposits, treasury bills and bonds the exemption stands at PLN 25,000. For capital market assets like shares and mutual funds the exemption is PLN 100,000. However, the law treats those limits as a single combined allowance. Therefore you do not get PLN 125,000 free when you split money across products. Moreover, the new levy applies even when portfolios lose money. That contrasts with Poland’s current capital gains tax known as the Belka tax which taxes only realised profits.

Rates, calculation and timing

In 2027 the law sets the initial rate at 0.85 percent. In addition, lawmakers linked future rates to the central bank rate. Specifically, the rate will equal 19 percent times the National Bank of Poland’s main reference rate on 31 October of the previous year. However, the law guarantees a floor of 0.1 percent so the rate cannot fall below that level. The tax base will use the average daily value of assets across the year. Consequently, you must sum end-of-day valuations and divide by the number of days. In addition, you must include deposits and withdrawals when you calculate the average. Therefore short-lived spikes above the threshold can still trigger a bill for the whole year.

Why this matters to expats and investors

The new measure will not hit small savers. However, many investors will feel the impact. For example, an investor who holds shares averaging PLN 130,000 over the year faces a tax on PLN 30,000. At 0.85 percent that equals PLN 255 annually. Conversely, if that portfolio produced a 15 percent gain the Belka tax on realised profits would exceed PLN 3,700. Nevertheless, when markets fall the asset value tax still applies. Therefore investors must plan for tax costs even in loss years. Moreover, critics warn this creates a new kind of wealth levy and could expand later. The government calls the change a relief because it removes the Belka tax for many. However, the debate will continue in the Senate before the law takes effect on 1 January 2027.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: Check your combined savings and investment balances. In Poland institutions like ZUS (social security) and NFZ (public health fund) often affect payroll taxes, but this new levy targets held assets. Also keep your PESEL (national ID) ready for tax filings. Consequently, expats should track average daily balances, review account types and consult a tax adviser because residency rules may change your liabilities. In addition, follow Senate amendments until the law finalises.

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