The State's slice of your gains

When an investment is sold for more than it cost, most countries take a share of that gain as tax. The rate and rules vary a lot by country.

Two investors with the same gain can keep very different amounts once tax is counted, simply because they live in different countries or used different kinds of accounts.

A €1,000 gain taxed at 20% leaves €800 in your pocket. The tax rate on gains is a cost just like a fee, and it is worth knowing before you count on a return.

Planning around a return without checking the tax rate on it means planning around a number you will never actually keep in full.

Your country's tax authority publishes the current rate on investment gains. It changes from time to time, so it is worth checking it is current.

Tax on gains is a real cost. Find your country's rate before counting on a return.