How inheritance tax works in Sweden
Sweden levies no inheritance, estate or gift tax. Assets passing on death or by lifetime gift reach the recipient with no Swedish succession charge in 2026.
Estates still file a bouppteckning inventory listing assets and debts, but it is a registration document, not a tax return. No tax is assessed on it.
Heirs inherit the donor's cost basis. A later sale is taxed on the gain since the original purchase, with shares at 30% and homes at 22% effective.
Tax rates at a glance
- Estate tax
- 0%Abolished 2005
- Inheritance tax
- 0%
- Gift tax
- 0%
- Later sale of shares
- 30%
Who benefits most
These profiles tend to benefit most when the rules match their real residence, payroll and business setup.
FamiliesInvestorsHigh earnersExpatsFamily offices
Watch out for
- Zero succession tax does not mean zero paperwork. The bouppteckning must be filed within months, and banks freeze accounts until the estate is registered.
- Latent gains travel with the assets. A tax-free inheritance of shares with large embedded gains becomes a 30% bill when the heir sells.
- Cross-border estates can face foreign succession tax. Swedish exemption does not shield assets in countries that still levy inheritance tax.
- Gifts of shares to children use up no allowance but reset nothing. The child's future sale is measured from the parent's purchase price.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sweden have inheritance tax?
No. Sweden abolished inheritance and gift tax in 2005, with spouse relief already from 2004.
Are gifts taxed in Sweden?
No. Lifetime gifts are fully tax-free, though the recipient inherits the donor's cost basis for a later sale.
What tax do heirs pay on inherited shares?
Nothing on receipt. A later sale pays 30% on the gain measured from the original owner's purchase cost.