# Ghana: taxes, residence and cost of living

Source: https://domicile.wiki/places/ghana/ (domicile.wiki, researched 2026-10-15). Data licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Research, not tax or legal advice.

## At a glance

For an EU-citizen family of five living off a EUR 30M portfolio (the guide's default reader).

- Score for a wealthy family: 51 / 100
- Tax on a €30M portfolio: €273,900 a year
- Wealth tax: none
- Children inherit: tax-free
- EU member: no
- Currency: GHS
- Capital: Accra

## Tax on investments, inheritance and wealth

Ghana taxes residents on worldwide income at up to 35%. Gains on investment assets are taxed as income or, by election, at a flat 25%, including gains on foreign shares; the old exemption for Ghana Stock Exchange shares is reported to have lapsed. Ghanaian dividends bear an 8% final withholding tax; foreign dividends are taxed at up to 35% with a foreign tax credit. There is no wealth tax. Gifts are taxed as income, but receipts under a will or on intestacy and gifts from a parent are exempt.

- **Ghanaian tax resident**: Worldwide PIT 0-35%; 25% elective rate on investment-asset gains and on investment gifts; 8% final dividend WHT.

## Inheritance law and trusts

There is no forced heirship: a will can dispose of the estate, but the court can interfere where reasonable provision is not made for a child under 18 (Wills Act 1971, s. 13). Without a will, the Intestate Succession Law of 1985 shares the estate among spouse, children and others. Trusts are recognised; no private foundation law was found.

## Daily life (0-100, higher is better)

- Safety and personal security: 64
- Political and institutional stability: 50
- Corruption and government integrity: 45
- Legal system and property rights: 52
- Healthcare quality and access: 30
- Education quality: 2
- Human development and quality of life: 26
- Infrastructure and connectivity: 54
- Business opportunities and economy: 40
- Cultural fit and lifestyle: 35

## Research notes

### Ghana — family-office tax dossier

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

#### Summary

Ghana taxes residents on worldwide income at up to 35%. Gains on investment assets are taxed as income or, by election, at a flat 25%, including gains on foreign shares; the old exemption for Ghana Stock Exchange shares is reported to have lapsed. Ghanaian dividends bear an 8% final withholding tax; foreign dividends are taxed at up to 35% with a foreign tax credit. There is no wealth tax. Gifts are taxed as income, but receipts under a will or on intestacy and gifts from a parent are exempt.

US citizens: US citizens remain fully US-taxed on worldwide income and estates; the app adds the US federal layer. No US-Ghana income tax treaty.

#### Residence and eligibility

Resident if a citizen (unless living abroad in a permanent home all year), present 183 days or more in any 12-month period that begins or ends in the year, a government official posted abroad, or a citizen temporarily absent up to 365 days with a permanent home in Ghana (PwC).

- **Residence permit** (EU, US, OTHER): Non-citizens need a residence permit; Ghana's Right of Abode is for persons of African descent. Investment thresholds not verified.

#### Capital gains

##### Standard regime

Gains from the realisation of investment assets are included in chargeable income (up to 35%) or, at the resident individual's election, taxed at a flat 25% (Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2023, Act 1094). This applies to foreign as well as Ghanaian assets. The exemption for gains on Ghana Stock Exchange securities applied until 31 December 2021 according to TaxLawGH; a later extension was reported in 2022 but not confirmed. Payers withhold 3% of the consideration from resident sellers as an advance.

- **Important exceptions, statute references and announced changes:** A realisation return is due within 30 days. Transfers by gift can trigger market-value rules for the transferor.
- **Tax year / confidence / verification:** 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
- **JSON numbers:** headline 25% (0.25); listed domestic 25% (0.25); listed foreign 25% (0.25); private business sale 25% (0.25); local real estate 25% (0.25); foreign real estate 25% (0.25).
- **How derived:** 25% elected flat rate on the net gain for all asset classes (lower than the 35% top scale rate).
- **Trader recharacterisation:** Gains from trading are business income at up to 35%; the 25% election covers investment assets only.
- **Foreign assets:** Worldwide; foreign tax credit limited to the average Ghanaian rate.

Open points for this tax: Whether gains on GSE-listed securities are exempt in 2026 (TaxLawGH: exemption expired after 2021; press reported a 2022 extension).

#### Dividends

##### Standard regime

Dividends paid by Ghanaian companies bear an 8% final WHT. Foreign dividends are investment income of a resident, included in chargeable income at up to 35%, with a foreign tax credit not exceeding the average Ghanaian rate.

- **Tax year / confidence / verification:** 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
- **JSON numbers:** headline 35% (0.35); domestic 8% (0.08); foreign gross 35% (0.35); foreign tax relief: credit.
- **How derived:** Domestic 8% final WHT. Foreign: 35% top marginal rate before credit.
- **Outbound withholding:** 8% final WHT on dividends to residents and non-residents, subject to treaties.
- **Treaty network:** 14 DTTs (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mauritius, Morocco, Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, UK); none with the US.
- **Holding companies:** CIT 25% plus Growth and Sustainability Levy (2.5% of profit before tax for most companies, 2023-2028).

Open points for this tax: Whether foreign dividends can be taxed at the 8% rate (not supported by PwC).

#### Inheritance and gifts to children

##### Standard regime

There is no separate inheritance, estate or gift tax. Gifts are taxable income of the recipient (25% for investment gifts to residents per GRA), but a gift received under a will or on intestacy, or from a spouse, child, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, nephew or niece, is exempt (GRA).

- **Tax year / confidence / verification:** 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
- **JSON numbers:** basis `none`, children `fully_exempt`, exemption 0 GHS, brackets (marginal): none; other transfer costs 0% (0.0).
- **Gifts:** Gifts from a parent to a child are exempt; other gifts are taxed as income (25% investment-gift rate for residents per GRA, or the marginal rate). (same as inheritance: True; tax-free after years: None)
- **Foreign assets:** The exemption for heirs and family gifts covers assets in and outside Ghana.
- **Residence/domicile rules:** Not applicable.
- **Business relief covers listed shares:** False

Open points for this tax: Whether the death of an owner triggers a deemed realisation (capital gains) under Act 896 was not checked.

#### Wealth tax

##### Standard regime

No net wealth tax.

- **Tax year / confidence / verification:** 2026 / medium / partially_verified (checked 2026-10-15)
- **JSON type:** `none`
- **Property tax (not a wealth tax):** Property rates are levied by district/municipal assemblies at locally set rates. Stamp duty 0.25-1% on conveyances.

#### Special regimes

None modelled; see Residence and eligibility.

#### Company taxation (kept separate from personal tax)

Headline CIT rate: 25% (0.25). General CIT 25% (35% mining and upstream petroleum, 22% hotels, 8% non-traditional exports) plus the Growth and Sustainability Levy (2.5-5% of profit before tax, 2023-2028).

#### Cost of living notes

Not researched.

#### Open questions

- PwC (reviewed 11 March 2026) may not reflect the 2026 budget measures; not checked.

#### Sources

- Ghana - Individual - Other taxes (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/individual/other-taxes
- Ghana - Individual - Income determination (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/individual/income-determination
- Ghana capital gains tax (TaxLawGH (MSL Business School), professional): https://www.taxlawgh.com/ghana-capital-gains-tax
- Ghana - Individual - Taxes on personal income (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/individual/taxes-on-personal-income
- Ghana - Individual - Foreign tax relief and tax treaties (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/individual/foreign-tax-relief-and-tax-treaties
- Ghana - Corporate - Other taxes (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/corporate/other-taxes
- Gift Tax (Ghana Revenue Authority, tax_authority): https://gra.gov.gh/portfolio/gift-tax/
- Ghana - Individual - Residence (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/individual/residence
- Ghana - Corporate - Taxes on corporate income (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, professional): https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ghana/corporate/taxes-on-corporate-income

#### Change log

- 2026-10-15: initial research.


## Residence and succession sources

- [Intestate succession in Ghana: how PNDCL 111 shapes families after death](https://dennislawgh.com/blog/intestate-succession-in-ghana-how-pndcl-111-shapes-families-after-death) — Dennis Law GH
- [Inheritance law in Ghana](https://bpaghana.com/inheritance-law-in-ghana-what-happens-to-children-when-parents-die/) — BPA Ghana
- [Trust in Ghana](https://www.mondaq.com/wills-intestacy-estate-planning/1735692/trust-in-ghana) — Mondaq
- [Family trusts and asset protection](https://bpaghana.com/family-trusts-and-asset-protection/) — BPA Ghana
- [HCCH status table: Convention of 1 July 1985 on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition](https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=59) — Hague Conference on Private International Law