Dividend Tax Calculator — Polish Belka tax 2026

The Belka tax is the colloquial name for the 19% capital-gains tax on investment income (Art. 30a of the PIT Act). It applies to dividends from domestic and foreign companies, savings deposit interest, bond yields and investment fund profits. It was introduced in 2002 by Finance Minister Marek Belka.

No. The Polish company acts as tax withholding agent and deducts 19% at source. The shareholder receives the net amount and does not need to report this dividend in PIT-38 — unless they are a company or business using an exemption.

Foreign dividends must be reported in PIT-38 (deadline: 30 April of the following year). Polish tax is 19% of the gross amount. If the foreign payer withheld WHT, it can be credited against Polish tax — up to the Polish tax amount and only under a double-taxation treaty.

WHT is the tax deducted by the paying country before the dividend reaches you. You credit the withheld WHT against Polish tax: top-up = 19% - WHT (cannot be negative). Example: dividend 10,000 PLN, WHT 15% = 1,500 PLN paid abroad, in Poland you pay a top-up of 400 PLN.

Yes, dividends paid by distributing ETFs (ausschüttend) are subject to the 19% Belka tax. An alternative is accumulating ETFs that reinvest dividends — tax is only due when you sell the units, deferring the tax liability.

In PIT-38 you declare: income (gross dividend amount), tax paid abroad (WHT) and computed Polish tax. The top-up is due by 30 April. Brokers such as IBKR or XTB provide annual statements with WHT figures.

No. Dividends from shares and ETFs are capital income and are not included in the health contribution base. The situation may differ for dividends from companies whose shareholders are also ZUS payers.

The rate has been 19% (Belka tax) since 2004, with no tax-free allowance and no deductible costs. There is no progressive scale — you pay 19% regardless of the dividend amount.

No. Every dividend received is taxed at the moment of receipt, regardless of what you do with the money. The only legal way to defer the tax is to choose accumulating ETFs or companies that retain earnings rather than paying dividends.

This dividend tax calculator focuses on share and ETF dividends, accounting for the source (Poland, EU, non-EU) and WHT. The general Belka tax calculator covers a broader range of capital income: deposits, bonds, investment funds. Both apply the same 19% rate.