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Inheritance tax for other heirs

Heirs who are not partner, child, grandchild or parent fall in group 2: the highest brackets in Dutch inheritance tax. This surprises many people inheriting from an aunt or friend.

By Laurens De Leeuw3 min readPublished on 9 April 2026

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Who is in group 2?

Group 2 covers heirs who are not partner, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent. Specifically:

  • siblings;
  • aunts and uncles;
  • nephews, nieces and cousins;
  • friends, acquaintances, neighbours;
  • colleagues;
  • charities without ANBI status.

Exemption and rate

  • Exemption: 2,500 EUR;
  • Bracket 1 rate (up to ~158,000 EUR): 30 %;
  • Bracket 2 rate (above ~158,000 EUR): 40 %.

Worked example

An aunt leaves 50,000 EUR to a niece.

  • Exemption: 2,500 EUR
  • Taxable: 47,500 EUR
  • Tax 30 % = 14,250 EUR

The niece receives 35,750 EUR net.

ANBI: fully exempt

An ANBI (public benefit institution) is fully exempt from gift and inheritance tax. Leaving wealth to an ANBI charity transfers without tax. Check on belastingdienst.nl whether a charity has the ANBI status.

Receipts under 2,500 EUR

If you receive a legacy under the exemption, you have nothing to declare yourself. The estate is still filed in full but your receipt remains untaxed.

Tip: consider a will

If you intend to leave wealth to someone outside the direct family, account for the 30 or 40 percent rate. A notary can help with a legacy with set-off or a partner arrangement via a cohabitation agreement when the heir meets the conditions.

For charities you can also gift during life or commit to a periodic donation, both with tax advantages.

Frequently asked questions

Do I qualify for a higher exemption as a former carer?

Not automatically. A carer can sometimes qualify for the partner exemption when the strict conditions of mantelzorgcompliment and a shared household are met. Ask specifically.

What if I lived with the deceased without a contract?

If you continuously shared the same registered address for at least 5 years you can still qualify as a partner. Less than that and you fall in group 2.

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