What is Bolagsskatt (Swedish Corporate Tax)?
Bolagsskatt is Swedish corporate income tax, charged at a flat rate of 20.6% on the taxable profits of Swedish limited companies (aktiebolag). There is no regional variation. The rate was reduced from 21.4% in 2021.
Current Rate (Inkomstår 2025)
20.6% flat (2025)
Example
A Stockholm-based AB earns SEK 1,200,000 in taxable profit for the year. Bolagsskatt is SEK 1,200,000 x 20.6% = SEK 247,200. No surcharge, no municipal component.
How Bolagsskatt (Swedish Corporate Tax) works in Sweden
Bolagsskatt is the cornerstone of Swedish business taxation, levied on the worldwide taxable income of Swedish-resident companies and on Swedish-source income of non-resident entities with a permanent establishment in Sweden.
**The flat 20.6% rate**
Sweden moved to a single flat corporate rate structure, making planning simple: one rate applies regardless of profit size or region. Compare this to countries with tiered rates (such as the UK's 19%/25% or Netherlands' 19%/25.8%). The flat structure advantages larger companies and simplifies provisional tax calculations.
**History of the rate**
The rate has fallen significantly over the decades: 28% before 2009, 26.3% until 2013, 22% until 2019, 21.4% in 2019-2020, and 20.6% from 2021. This downward trend reflects Sweden's effort to remain competitive for international investment.
**What is taxable?**
Taxable income starts from the accounting profit under Swedish GAAP (Bokföringsnämnden standards) with the following key adjustments: - Add back non-deductible costs (fines, excessive entertainment, private-use portions) - Deduct utilisation of periodiseringsfond reserves (see periodiseringsfond-se) - Apply accelerated depreciation rules where applicable - Apply thin capitalisation and interest limitation rules (EBITDA-based, 30% cap on net interest) - Adjustments for group contributions (koncernbidrag) received or given
**Group contributions (koncernbidrag)**
Swedish tax law allows profitable group companies to transfer taxable income to loss-making group companies via koncernbidrag. The contributing company deducts the contribution; the recipient includes it as income. This effectively allows group-wide loss offsetting without a formal fiscal unity. Requirements: both companies must be Swedish tax-resident, the parent must hold more than 90% for the full year, and the contribution must be genuine.
**Preliminary tax (Preliminärskatt)**
Companies do not pay bolagsskatt in a single year-end lump sum. Skatteverket calculates a preliminary tax based on the prior year's final assessment and charges monthly instalments. Companies can apply to adjust these payments if profit is tracking differently. The final settlement (kvarskatt or överskjutande skatt) is computed when the Inkomstdeklaration 2 is filed and assessed.
**Interest limitation rules (EBITDA)**
From 2019, Sweden implemented EU ATAD-based interest limitation. Net interest expense is only deductible up to 30% of tax-adjusted EBITDA (or SEK 5 million de minimis per group). Excess interest can be carried forward up to 6 years. This replaced the previous specific anti-avoidance rules for related-party loans and now applies to third-party debt too.
Related terms
An Aktiebolag (AB) is a Swedish limited company, the most common business structure for entrepreneurs and SMEs. Minimum share capital is SEK 25,000. The AB is registered with Bolagsverket and is a separate legal entity with limited shareholder liability. At least one director must be resident in the EEA.
Periodiseringsfond is a Swedish tax equalisation reserve that allows companies and sole traders to defer up to 25% of their taxable income into a reserve, reducing the current year's tax. The reserve must be reversed (added back to income) within 6 years. An annual interest charge of 1.5% multiplied by the government lending rate applies.
The K10 (for AB shareholders) and K12 (for partnership interests) are Swedish tax forms used to separate dividends and capital gains taxed at the flat 20% rate within the gränsbelopp (threshold) from income taxed at the higher 30% or employment income rate. The underlying rules are the 3:12 rules (fåmansföretagsreglerna), applying to closely held companies.
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