# What is Indkomstskat (Personal Income Tax)?

Country: Denmark

Danish personal income tax, among the highest in the world. Up to 55.9% marginal rate on personal income above DKK 568,900 (2025), comprising municipal tax (~25%), state taxes (bottom and top bracket), and the 8% AM-bidrag labour market contribution.

## Current rate (Indkomstår 2025)

Marginal rate up to 55.9% (including AM-bidrag, municipal tax ~25%, state bottom and top brackets)

## Example

A Copenhagen director drawing DKK 900,000 salary: first DKK 50,543 is AM-bidrag (8%), leaving DKK 849,457 for income tax calculation. After personal allowance (DKK 49,400), about DKK 370,000 is taxed at the top bracket rate of 15%, plus municipality tax, giving a total effective rate around 40-45%.

## How Indkomstskat (Personal Income Tax) works in Denmark

Denmark's personal income tax system is one of the most complex and highest-rate in the world, deliberately designed to fund a comprehensive welfare state. Understanding the full marginal rate requires stacking multiple tax components.\n\nAM-bidrag (Arbejdsmarkedsbidrag): 8% on gross employment or self-employment income. Applied first, before income tax. Deductible: it reduces the taxable income for income tax purposes.\n\nIncome categories: Danish personal tax has three main income types, each taxed differently:\n1. Personlig indkomst (personal income): salary, business income, certain benefits. Progressive income tax applies.\n2. Kapitalindkomst (capital income): interest income, dividends from personal shareholdings, gains. Net positive capital income taxed at approximately 42%. Net negative capital income is deductible against personal income.\n3. Aktieindkomst (share income): dividends from Danish/foreign shares held personally. 27% on the first DKK 61,000 (2025, DKK 122,000 for married couples), 42% above.\n\nPersonal income tax components (2025 approximate rates):\n- Bundskat (bottom bracket state tax): 12.06% on income above personal allowance (DKK 49,400)\n- Topskat (top bracket state tax): 15% on income above DKK 568,900 (after AM-bidrag deduction)\n- Kommuneskat (municipal tax): approximately 23-26% depending on municipality (Copenhagen ~23.5%)\n- Kirkeskat (church tax): ~0.7% (optional but default for members of the Church of Denmark)\n\nTop marginal rate calculation: 8% AM-bidrag + 12.06% bundskat + 15% topskat + 25% kommuneskat/kirkeskat = approximately 55.9% (slightly varying by municipality).\n\nBeskatningsgrundlag (tax base): Personal allowance (personfradrag) DKK 49,400 reduces the income tax calculation but does not affect AM-bidrag.\n\nImplications for company owners: The high top marginal rate explains why Danish business owners structure via holding companies (reducing extraction to 27%/42% on dividends) and why the VSO scheme is popular for sole traders (deferring to 22%). Most well-advised owner-managers avoid drawing salary above the topskat threshold.

Source: https://skat.dk/borger/indkomst/personlig-indkomst

## Related terms

- [AM-bidrag (Arbejdsmarkedsbidrag)](https://accounts-os.com/dk/glossary/am-bidrag-dk)
- [Virksomhedsordningen (VSO)](https://accounts-os.com/dk/glossary/virksomhedsskatteordningen-dk)
- [Holdingselskab (Holding Company)](https://accounts-os.com/dk/glossary/holdingselskab-dk)