Curaçao

Research notes

Curaçao — family-office tax dossier

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

Summary

Curaçao taxes residents on worldwide income; portfolio capital gains are exempt but dividends are taxed at progressive rates up to 46.5% (19.5% from a 5%+ stake). Inheritance and gift tax applies to Curaçao-domiciled persons, with children paying 2%-6% above an XCG 80,000 exemption. The penshonado regime (age 50+, home of NAf 450,000+) taxes foreign income at 10%. No wealth tax. The currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), which replaced the NAf/ANG in 2025.

Residence and eligibility

Centre-of-existence test (Deloitte Curaçao Highlights 2026, updated Feb 2026). Worldwide basis.

Capital gains

Private passive gains exempt; substantial interest (5%+) taxed at 19.5%; entrepreneurs at progressive rates up to 46.5%. JSON: securities 0, private_business_sale 0.195 (5%+ stake). Emigration with 5%+ stake: protective assessment.

Dividends

Income from movable assets at progressive rates 9.75%-46.5% (2026 brackets in XCG; top above 162,894). JSON 0.465 domestic and foreign, foreign_tax_credit none (Deloitte: no relief in law; deduction may be allowed). No dividend WHT.

Inheritance and gifts to children

Successiebelastingverordening 1908 (consolidated 1 Apr 2026): art. 1-2 tax on acquisitions from a resident deceased/donor; art. 60 exemptions (children XCG 80,000 on inheritance; XCG 20,000 per year on gifts); art. 61 table for descendants/spouse: 2% to 50,000, 4% to 250,000, 6% above; SPF/trust acquisitions 25%; art. 3/65: 8% overgangsbelasting on Curaçao real estate inherited from a non-resident. JSON: beneficiary, exemption 80000, brackets 2/4/6% marginal (art. 61 says 'progressief'; marginal assumed), children_treatment 'taxed' because the top rate is 6%. Political: PAR called for abolition on 7 Sep 2026; no bill.

Surviving spouse: The surviving spouse (or life partner) has a deduction of XCG 240,000 against XCG 80,000 for a child, and pays the same 2%/4%/6% scale as children (Successiebelastingverordening 1908 arts. 1A, 60 and 61).

Wealth tax

None. Real estate tax 0.4-0.6%.

Special regimes

Penshonado (arts. 23B-23E): 10% on foreign-source income or deemed NAf 500,000 at progressive rates. Conditions per art. 23D (in force since 1 Jan 2017): 60 months outside Curaçao, 50+, notify within 2 months, own unrented home worth NAf 450,000+ within 18 months. JSON foreign dividends 0.10.

Duration (added 2026-10-15): arts. 23B-23E set no end date, so the JSON keeps duration_years null with a duration_note. The regime applies each year the art. 23D conditions are met (own unrented home worth NAf 450,000+) and does not apply for a year in which the taxpayer or a non-separated spouse has Curaçao business or employment income (art. 23D(3)).

Company taxation (kept separate from personal tax)

Profit tax 15%/22%; special 0%/3% regimes.

Cost of living notes

City: Willemstad.

• Prime rent: XCG 4,500 a month (CENTURY 21 Curaçao rental listings, 15 Oct 2026: top houses XCG 4,250-5,300; the one 4-bedroom listing XCG 4,500). Small sample.
• International school: International School of Curaçao, grades 6-12, 2026-27: tuition XCG 33,157 + re-enrollment XCG 2,000 + PTA XCG 60 = XCG 35,217 per child. One-time building levy (XCG 5,000 first child) and XCG 2,500 enrollment fee excluded.
• Price per m2, health insurance, housekeeper: not sourced.

Open questions

• Inheritance tax abolition demanded by opposition (Sept 2026); no bill.
• Portfolio dividend taxation for ordinary residents inferred from Deloitte, not from the ordinance.
• [standard/capital_gains] Primary legislation for the 19.5% rate and the 5% threshold not opened.
• [standard/dividends] Whether all portfolio dividends (domestic and foreign) are taxed at the full progressive rates was inferred from Deloitte's schedular description; not confirmed in the ordinance.
• [standard/inheritance] Art. 61 says the tax is levied 'progressively' using the table; whether each rate applies only to the slice (marginal, assumed) or to the whole amount is not explicit.
• [standard/inheritance] An opposition party called for abolition in Sept 2026; no bill found.
• [penshonado/dividends] Whether the NAf 450,000 and 500,000 amounts have been re-denominated in XCG; the article text seen still uses NAf (1:1 conversion assumed).
• [penshonado/dividends] Inheritance tax still applies to penshonados (resident) - no exemption found.

Sources

• Deloitte International Tax: Curaçao Highlights 2026: https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-shared/docs/services/tax/2026/dttl-tax-curacaohighlights-2026.pdf
• Successiebelastingverordening 1908 (consolidated text, Landsbesluit 1 April 2026, P.B. 2026 no. 85): https://gobiernu.cw/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/85-GT.-Successiebelastingverordening-1908.pdf
• PAR calls for abolition of Curaçao inheritance tax as revenues fall far below budget (7 Sep 2026): https://www.curacaochronicle.com/post/unknown/par-calls-for-abolition-of-curacao-inheritance-tax-as-revenues-fall-far-below-budget
• Landsverordening op de inkomstenbelasting 1943 (Curaçao), artikel 23E - opbrengst van buitenlandse bronnen: https://inview.nl/openCitation/id3397931bb24c4ecabc068a312114154a/landsverordening-op-de-inkomstenbelasting-1943-cura-ao-artikel-23e
• Landsverordening op de inkomstenbelasting 1943 (Curaçao), artikel 23D - Voorwaarden penshonado-regeling: https://inview.nl/openCitation/id0363dadf4b7049f38f6c9ee57ac143b1/landsverordening-op-de-inkomstenbelasting-1943-cura-ao-artikel-23d
• Taxation of penshonados in the Dutch Caribbean (2007): https://www.curacao-law.com/2007/10/16/taxation-of-penshonados-in-the-dutch-caribbean/
• CENTURY 21 #1 Real Estate Curaçao: homes and villas for rent: https://century21numberone.com/en/s/for-rent/single-family-homes
• International School of Curaçao: 2026-2027 School Fees (Family): https://www.isc.cw/s/ISC-Fees-Family-School-Year-2026-2027-updated-May-4-2026.pdf

Change log

• 2026-10-15: initial research.
• 2026-10-15: added cost of living (CENTURY 21 rental sample, ISC 2026-27 fees); added duration_note to the penshonado regime (no statutory time limit, art. 23D conditions).
• 2026-10-15: family rent re-checked against the upper-middle-class standard: kept.
• 2026-10-16: added surviving-spouse treatment.