Belize

Research notes

Belize — family-office tax dossier

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15 Tax year: 2026 Reviewer: research agent (Claude), unreviewed by a tax adviser

Summary

Belize's income tax now applies only to employed persons, at 25% on income accruing in or derived from Belize (IBTA s. 6 as replaced by Act 40 of 2024). Others pay business tax on gross receipts of a trade, business or profession carried on in Belize. A passive investor living on foreign dividends and gains therefore pays no Belize income tax, and there is no capital gains or wealth tax. No inheritance tax was found (low confidence). The QRP residence programme (age 40+, USD 2,000 a month of foreign income) confirms exemption from tax on foreign income, capital gains and inheritance tax.

US citizens: US citizens remain fully subject to US federal tax; Belize's zero local tax gives no credit to offset it.

Residence and eligibility

Not relevant for a passive investor given the territorial, employment-only income tax; residence is otherwise judged on facts.

• Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) (EU, US, OTHER): Age 40+; foreign retirement income of at least USD 2,000 a month deposited in Belize; dependants include spouse and children under 18; 30 consecutive days a year in Belize. QRP members are exempt from tax on foreign income, capital gains and inheritance tax (Belize Tourism Board). Qualifying nationalities include Commonwealth, US, EU and South American countries.
• Permanent residence (EU, US, OTHER): After one year of continuous residence; not researched.

Capital gains

Standard regime

There is no capital gains tax in the Income and Business Tax Act. From basis year 2020, income tax is charged only on employed persons (s. 6(2)-(3), Act 40 of 2024). Business tax applies to revenue receipts of a person carrying on a trade or business in Belize (Part XI definition of 'receipts' and 'revenue receipts', the latter excluding receipts of a capital nature).

• Tax year / confidence / verification: 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
• JSON numbers: headline 0% (0.0); listed domestic 0% (0.0); listed foreign 0% (0.0); private business sale 0% (0.0); local real estate 0% (0.0); foreign real estate 0% (0.0).
• How derived: IBTA s. 6 (replaced 2024): no income tax on anyone other than employed persons; capital receipts excluded from business tax base. No CGT legislation found.
• Trader recharacterisation: A person carrying on a trade in Belize (e.g. real estate developers, share-transfer sales) pays business tax on gross receipts (1.75% for real estate sales and share transfer sales, Ninth Schedule).

Open points for this tax: Stamp duty on transfers of Belize land and shares (around 5%-8%) not researched.

Dividends

Standard regime

A passive individual is not liable to income tax (employed persons only) and not liable to business tax unless carrying on a business in Belize. Foreign dividends are therefore untaxed. Dividends are listed as business-tax receipts at 15% (Ninth Schedule (h)) for persons carrying on a business in Belize.

• Tax year / confidence / verification: 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
• JSON numbers: headline 15% (0.15); domestic n/a (null); foreign gross 0% (0.0); foreign tax relief: not_applicable.
• How derived: Act 40 of 2024 s. 6(2): no income tax on non-employed persons; business tax only on receipts of a person carrying on trade/business in Belize (IBTA s. 106 and Part XI definitions).
• Outbound withholding: Not researched.
• Treaty network: CARICOM agreement, UK (1947), Austria and a few others.

Open points for this tax: Whether dividends from Belize companies to a passive resident individual attract business tax (15%) was not established; domestic_rate left null.

Inheritance and gifts to children

Standard regime

No inheritance, estate or gift tax was found. The Belize Tourism Board states that QRP members are exempt from inheritance tax, which suggests some estate duty may exist for non-QRP residents; not verified.

• Tax year / confidence / verification: 2026 / low / unverified (checked 2026-10-15)
• JSON numbers: basis none, children fully_exempt, exemption 0 BZD, brackets (marginal): none; other transfer costs 0% (0.0).
• Gifts: None found. (same as inheritance: True; tax-free after years: None)
• Business relief covers listed shares: False

Open points for this tax: Whether Belize levies any estate duty or stamp duty on transfers on death is unknown.

Wealth tax

Standard regime

No wealth tax found in Belize law.

• Tax year / confidence / verification: 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
• JSON type: none
• Property tax (not a wealth tax): Municipal/land tax on real property; rates not researched.

Special regimes

None modelled; see Residence and eligibility.

Company taxation (kept separate from personal tax)

Headline CIT rate: n/a (null). Companies pay business tax on gross receipts (generally 1.75%-19.5% depending on activity, Ninth Schedule); no profit-based CIT for most companies (petroleum operations 40%).

Cost of living notes

Not researched.

Open questions

• Estate duty/stamp duty on inheritances.
• Business tax on domestic dividends of a passive individual.

Sources

• Income and Business Tax Act, Chapter 55 (Revised Edition 2011) (Belize Tax Service, legislation): https://media.bts.gov.bz/uploads/Income_and_Business_Tax_Act_2011_13d48a3c6e.pdf
• Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Act, 2024 (Act No. 40 of 2024) (Belize Tax Service, legislation): https://media.bts.gov.bz/uploads/Act_No_40_of_2024_Income_and_Business_Tax_Amendment_Act_2024_b6bf496b66.pdf
• Belize Tourism Board: The Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) (Belize Tourism Board, government): https://www.belizetourismboard.org/programs-events/retirement-program/

Change log

• 2026-10-15: initial research.