How we calculate

How we calculate

Each country's calculators apply that country's official progressive tax brackets, allowances and rates for the stated tax year. We model income tax, social contributions, VAT/GST, capital gains, crypto and self-employment using the rules published by the national tax authority.

Official sources

Every country page links to its authority. Primary sources include:

Full source links appear in the "Official sources" section of each country page.

What is exact, and what is an estimate

We are deliberately honest about this, because it's your money:

• Exact: statutory tax brackets, standard rates, VAT/GST, and headline thresholds.
• Estimated (clearly labelled): take-home figures before every personal credit, and systems that vary by region — for example Switzerland, where tax depends heavily on canton and municipality, is shown as a clearly-labelled estimate with a link to the official ESTV calculator.
• Personal circumstances (dependants, special reliefs, regional surcharges) can change your real figure. Always confirm against the official notes before filing.

Crypto & self-employed rules

Crypto and freelancer tax differ sharply by country, and most generic calculators get them wrong. We encode each country's actual rule — for example Germany's 1-year holding exemption, Switzerland and Singapore treating private capital gains as tax-free, Portugal's 365-day rule, South Korea's deferral, and the US 15.3% self-employment tax. Each is shown with its own explanation.

How often we update

Tax rates change every year. We review rates for each country at least annually and after major in-year reforms, and record changes in our changelog. Each country page shows a "verified" date.

Last updated: 22 June 2026 · Current tax years modelled: 2025 / 2025–26.