Loans & insurance · investing
Equity savings account vs regular account 2026
The equity savings account (osakesäästötili, OST) and a regular securities account (arvo-osuustili) tax investments differently. In an OST, dividends and gains grow tax-free inside the account and tax is paid only on withdrawal. On a regular account, dividends are taxed every year, but there are advantages an OST does not have.
This calculator compares the accounts over the long run and shows the after-tax value on each. For example, a 10,000 € investment with 5 % price growth, a 3 % dividend yield and a 15-year horizon gives a slightly higher net result in the OST, because dividends are reinvested tax-free. The result is indicative.
Investment details
The capital deposited at once. The OST deposit limit is 100,000 euros.
The assumed annual growth of the share value, excluding dividends.
The dividend share per year. Dividends are reinvested.
How many years you invest before withdrawing.
After tax
The equity savings account wins here
Difference after tax: €530
| Equity savings account | Regular account | |
|---|---|---|
| Value before tax | €31,722 | €28,513 |
| Dividend tax (yearly) | €0 | €1,958 |
| Tax on withdrawal / sale | €6,517 | €3,838 |
| Value after tax | €25,205 | €24,675 |
The calculator is an indicative projection. It assumes a single investment, a fixed annual return, reinvested dividends and a withdrawal at the end with no other capital income. Regular-account dividends are taxed at a 25.5 % effective rate and the deemed acquisition cost is not modelled. Actual returns vary, and this is not investment or tax advice.
How do the OST and a regular account differ in tax?
In an equity savings account (OST), dividends and capital gains are not taxable inside the account — they grow tax-free and tax is paid only on withdrawal. On withdrawal, the proportional profit share is taxed as capital income: 30 % up to 30,000 euros and 34 % above. An OST cannot use the 85 % dividend taxability, the deemed acquisition cost or the small-sale exemption. At most 100,000 euros in cash can be deposited, and there can be only one account. On a regular securities account (arvo-osuustili), dividends are taxed every year: 85 % of a listed company's dividend is taxable, so the effective rate is 25.5 % up to 30,000 euros and 28.9 % above. Capital gains are taxed on sale, and the deemed acquisition cost and the small-sale exemption are available. The calculator assumes everything is withdrawn at the end with no other capital income.
When is the OST worth it and when a regular account?
The OST’s advantage is tax-free growth inside the account. When dividends are not taxed each year, the whole capital keeps working and compounding is stronger. Tax is paid only on withdrawal, and then the proportional profit share of the withdrawal is taxed as capital income: 30 % up to 30,000 euros and 34 % above. This is especially useful for a long-term investor who reinvests dividends.
The OST has limits, though. Only cash can be deposited, at most 100,000 euros, and you cannot move shares you already own into it. The instruments are listed shares only, not ETFs or funds. You cannot use the 85 % dividend taxability, the deemed acquisition cost or the small-sale exemption, and a loss can be deducted only when the account is closed. You may hold only one account; extra ones incur a 10-euro-per-day tax increase each.
A regular account is more flexible. It offers a wider choice of instruments, and dividends from listed companies are taxed more lightly: 85 % of the dividend is taxable, so the effective rate is 25.5 % up to 30,000 euros and 28.9 % above. On gains you can use the deemed acquisition cost (20 % or 40 %) and the small-sale exemption (up to 1,000 euros a year), and losses can be deducted yearly. There is no deposit limit.
Which is better depends on the situation. The OST suits long-term ownership of listed shares and reinvesting dividends. A regular account suits you if you want funds or ETFs, the deemed cost, or to deduct losses. The calculator helps you compare with your own return assumptions, but the outcome depends on the real return and horizon.
Frequently asked questions
What is an equity savings account (OST)?
An equity savings account (OST) is an account inside which you can buy and sell Finnish and foreign listed shares without immediate tax. Only cash can be deposited, at most 100,000 euros. Dividends and gains grow tax-free in the account, and tax is paid only when funds are withdrawn.
How is the profit in an OST taxed?
On withdrawal, the taxable part is the proportional share of the withdrawal that matches the profit's share of the whole account value. For example, if 10,000 € has been deposited and the value is 15,000 €, the profit share is one third; of a 1,500 € withdrawal, 500 € is taxable capital income. The rate is 30 % up to 30,000 euros and 34 % above.
OST or a regular account — which is better?
An OST is often better for long-term investing in listed shares with dividends reinvested, because tax does not shave the capital each year. A regular account is more flexible: a wider choice (ETFs, funds), the deemed acquisition cost, the small-sale exemption and a lower dividend tax. The calculator helps you compare with your own return assumptions.
Are dividends taxed in an OST?
Not inside the account. Dividends paid into an OST are tax-free when paid and can be reinvested. They are taxed as part of the account's profit only when funds are withdrawn. However, an OST does not get the 85 % taxability of listed dividends, so the whole dividend is eventually taxable.
Can a loss on an OST be deducted?
Yes, but only when the account is closed. If the account's value at closure is less than the capital deposited, the difference is an OST loss, deductible from the same year's capital income. Any remaining part becomes a loss of the income type, deductible over the next ten years.
How many equity savings accounts can I have?
Only one per person. If you open more by accident, the Tax Administration may impose a tax increase of 10 euros per day for each extra account. Reasonable discretion may be used if an account was clearly opened by mistake and held no funds.