Sweden ISK Calculator: Investeringssparkonto Growth
Estimate what a Swedish ISK (investeringssparkonto) grows to from a starting balance plus regular monthly deposits — Sweden's popular investment account, taxed not on gains but on a small flat yearly rate.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Year-by-year growth schedule
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Future value | Total contributions | Total interest earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100k + 5k/mo · 6% · 20yr | $2,641,224.92 | $1,300,000.00 | $1,341,224.92 |
| 0 + 3k/mo · 6% · 30yr | $3,013,545.13 | $1,080,000.00 | $1,933,545.13 |
| 500k + 10k/mo · 5% · 15yr | $3,729,741.40 | $2,300,000.00 | $1,429,741.40 |
| 50k + 2k/mo · 7% · 25yr | $1,906,414.30 | $650,000.00 | $1,256,414.30 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter your current ISK balance, monthly deposit, the return you expect, and the years invested. The calculator compounds the balance monthly and shows the projected value and the total growth. An ISK holds shares and funds; instead of taxing each sale, it applies a low annual flat-rate yield tax (schablonskatt) on the account value, so you can buy and sell freely without reporting individual gains.
The Formula
Future Value with Regular Contributions
P = starting amount, PMT = monthly contribution, r = monthly rate (annual ÷ 12), n = number of months
Worked Example
A 100,000 kr balance plus 5,000 kr a month for 20 years at 6% grows to about 2,641,225 kr — with roughly 1,341,225 kr of that being growth. The ISK (investeringssparkonto) is a Swedish account wrapper for shares and funds where, instead of capital-gains tax on each sale, you pay a small annual standardised tax on the account's value (the schablonskatt). This makes trading and rebalancing simple — no gain calculations or loss offsets — and is usually advantageous when markets rise.
Key Insight
The ISK is the default investing account for most Swedish retail investors, and its tax design is the whole point. Rather than taxing realised capital gains and dividends (as a regular depå/securities account does at 30%), the ISK levies an annual flat-rate yield tax — the schablonskatt — calculated on the account's value (a 'standardised income' based on a government reference rate, then taxed at 30%). The practical effects: you can buy, sell, and rebalance as often as you like with no gain/loss reporting and no tax event on each trade, which is a huge administrative simplification; the tax is owed every year regardless of whether your investments rose or fell, so in a flat or falling year the ISK can be worse than a regular account (where you'd pay tax only on actual gains and could deduct losses); and because the schablon rate tracks interest rates, the ISK tax has risen when rates rose. There's no contribution limit and no lock-up — money can be withdrawn anytime — which differentiates the ISK from retirement-locked accounts. Two things this estimate omits and you should subtract for a net figure: the annual schablonskatt itself, and fund fees, which compound against you over decades (low-cost index funds are favoured). Note also that the ISK suits Swedish-listed and most funds well; certain holdings (like unlisted shares or some foreign dividends with withholding tax) interact less favourably, and foreign dividend withholding tax can't always be fully credited. This calculator gives a gross, constant-return projection; for your real outcome, deduct the yearly schablonskatt and fees, and weigh the ISK against a regular account based on whether you expect gains to exceed the standardised taxed amount.
Schablonskatt 2026: 0.888% effective tax on ISK value
Sweden's ISK is taxed annually on a notional return (schablonskatt), not on actual gains. The formula: schablon = (Statslåneräntan + 1 percentage point) × ISK average value, with a minimum of 1.25%. For 2026, with the State Loan Rate around 1.96%, the schablon is 2.96% × 30% capital gains rate = 0.888% effective tax on the ISK balance.
Concrete example: a SEK 1,000,000 ISK in 2026 owes 0.888% × 1,000,000 = SEK 8,880 in tax — owed regardless of whether the actual return was 0%, 5%, or 20%. The tax bill is calculated on a quarterly-average basis: take 4 quarter-end balances + all deposits during the year, divide by 4, then apply the schablonskatt rate.
Compare to a regular Aktiedepå (depot account): 30% capital gains tax on REALIZED gains + 30% on dividends. For an ISK, the calculation is much simpler — you don't need to track cost basis, dividends, sales — just pay the schablon. The break-even between ISK and Depå is roughly when actual return ≈ schablon rate. Below break-even (years of <3% return), Depå is better; above (most equity years), ISK wins.
What you can hold in ISK — and what's not allowed
ISK allows: listed Swedish and foreign stocks (on regulated exchanges including major US, EU markets), listed ETFs and funds, listed bonds, certain investment certificates. Most retail investors use ISK for index funds (Sverigeindex, OMX 30, US S&P 500 trackers) and individual stocks.
Not allowed in ISK: unlisted shares (private companies, pre-IPO equity), certain derivatives (options, futures with leverage), real estate directly, cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin etc. — these need to go in a regular depå and are taxed individually), gold, art. If you receive shares from an unlisted company (e.g. employee stock from a startup), they cannot be transferred to ISK until/unless the company goes public.
Dividend withholding tax (KUPONGSKATT) on foreign shares is creditable against the ISK schablonskatt — meaning if a US share pays a dividend with 15% withholding tax, that 15% offsets your ISK tax bill for the year. Many Swedish investors hold global ETFs in ISK to benefit from this credit, particularly US-domiciled funds where reverse withholding can be optimized.
ISK vs Kapitalförsäkring (KF): when each one wins
Kapitalförsäkring (KF) — a separate Swedish tax-advantaged investment wrapper — taxes the same way as ISK (schablonskatt on value), but with one important difference: in KF, the insurance company is the formal owner, not you. This has implications: more complex inheritance setup, can be used for foreign equity in some configurations more efficiently, and dividend withholding from foreign shares is handled differently.
ISK wins for: direct stock holdings, transparent ownership, simpler legal structure, easier transfer between providers. KF wins for: certain inheritance/gift scenarios (you can designate beneficiaries directly without probate), some non-Swedish citizens (KF can be set up with foreign insurance companies for added flexibility), and high-tax cantons where the slight tax differences matter.
For most Swedish retail investors, ISK is the default and correct choice. A combined ISK+KF setup is common for those with both retirement-style and inheritance goals — ISK for active trading, KF for long-term inheritance planning. The major Swedish brokers (Avanza, Nordnet) offer both wrappers and many investors maintain accounts in each.
ISK vs Depå after-tax outcome comparison (2026)
After-tax return on a SEK 1M investment held for one year. ISK schablonskatt is fixed regardless of actual return. Depå taxes only realized gains at 30%.
| Actual return on holdings | ISK schablonskatt (0.888%) | ISK net return | Depå 30% on realized | Better wrapper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −10% (loss year) | SEK 8,880 | −10.89% | −10.00% | Depå (no tax on loss) |
| 0% (flat year) | SEK 8,880 | −0.89% | 0% | Depå |
| 3% (low growth) | SEK 8,880 | 2.11% | 2.10% | Tied |
| 7% (typical equity) | SEK 8,880 | 6.11% | 4.90% | ISK |
| 15% (great year) | SEK 8,880 | 14.11% | 10.50% | ISK (large margin) |
ISK wins in good years (most years over long periods); Depå wins in flat/loss years. For long-term equity investing, ISK is the better default. The above assumes Depå taxes are paid on the entire year's gain — actual Depå tax planning involves loss-harvesting, deferral, and other timing optimizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is ISK growth calculated?
Your balance and monthly deposits compound at the expected return (annual rate ÷ 12 per month). 100,000 kr plus 5,000 kr/month for 20 years at 6% grows to about 2,641,225 kr, with roughly 1,341,225 kr of that being growth — before the annual schablonskatt and fund fees.
How is an ISK taxed?
Not on gains, but on value. Instead of capital-gains tax on each sale, the ISK applies an annual flat-rate yield tax (schablonskatt) on the account's value, based on a government reference rate and taxed at 30%. You can trade freely with no gain reporting, but the tax is owed every year regardless of performance.
When is an ISK better than a regular account?
Usually when markets rise. Because the ISK is taxed on value (not realised gains), it tends to beat a regular depå account (30% on actual gains) in good years. In a flat or falling year it can be worse, since you pay the schablonskatt anyway while a regular account would tax only real gains and allow loss deductions.
Is there a limit on ISK contributions?
No — unlike many tax-advantaged accounts abroad, the ISK has no contribution cap and no lock-up period. You can deposit and withdraw money at any time. This flexibility, plus the simple flat-rate taxation, is why the ISK is the default investing account for most Swedish savers.
Does the ISK tax change over time?
Yes — the schablonskatt is based on a government reference rate (tied to interest rates), so the effective annual tax rises when rates rise and falls when they drop. This calculator shows gross growth and doesn't apply the schablonskatt, so subtract the current year's rate for a net estimate.
References & Authoritative Sources
- Skatteverket — Swedish Tax Agency — Investeringssparkonto (ISK) — official guide · consulted May 31, 2026 · Swedish tax authority — schablonskatt formula, eligible holdings, reporting requirements
- Inkomstskattelagen — Chapter 42 — Statutory basis for ISK taxation · consulted May 31, 2026 · Primary statute — chapter on capital income taxation including ISK provisions
- Finansinspektionen (FI) — Investor protection and ISK provider regulation · consulted May 31, 2026 · Swedish financial regulator — supervision of brokers offering ISK accounts
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
The future value compounds a starting balance plus a fixed monthly deposit at the annual return, compounded monthly. It assumes a constant return and end-of-month deposits, and does not model the ISK's annual flat-rate yield tax (schablonskatt) or fund fees, which reduce the net outcome.
Updated