perintövero

Perintövero is a tax imposed on the transfer of assets through inheritance and on certain gifts in Finland. The tax is paid by the recipients and is administered by the Finnish Tax Administration (Verohallinto). Inheritance and gift taxation share a common framework, with separate declarations and tax calculations for each receiver, and are subject to the same general rules and exemptions.

The tax base is the value of the inherited assets or gifts, assessed at fair market value at the time of transfer. Deductions may apply, including certain debts of the estate and specific costs associated with the transfer. The resulting net value is used to determine the tax due. In some cases, additional allowances or reductions may reduce the taxable amount, depending on the relationship between giver and recipient and other conditions.

Rates are progressive and depend on the recipient’s relationship to the deceased, divided into two groups. Group I comprises close relatives such as spouses and lineal descendants; Group II includes other heirs such as siblings, more distant relatives, and non-relatives. Each group has its own brackets, with higher amounts taxed at higher rates.

The declaration is prepared by the heirs and filed with Verohallinto, which then issues a tax decision. The beneficiary pays the tax, and in some cases the payment can be arranged in installments. Gifts given during the lifetime of the deceased are taxed under the same framework as inheritance, under a related tax regime. Because the specific rates and exemptions are periodically updated by law, current figures should be checked with Verohallinto.