As 2026 approaches, Yle has compiled a list of 10 changes that may affect your finances in the coming year.
1. Soft drinks and nicotine
Various tax hikes will make soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and nicotine products more expensive in 2026, starting on 1 April.
The motivations behind the tax increase on these items are based on health concerns. In terms of soda, the tax will rise in tandem with the amount of sugar in the drinks. The current tax on a litre of soda is around a few dozen cents. Going forward, the tax on a litre of soft drink could be as high as 59 cents.
Taxes on e-cigarette nicotine liquid as well as nicotine pouches are set to rise on 1 January 2026. They will increase by an estimated 14 percent. In practice, this means that a nicotine pouch pack that currently costs five euros will rise by around 70 cents.
Tobacco product prices are also expected to rise by several dozens of cents per pack.
A new tax on alcohol will raise the price of a bottle of beer by a few cents and on a bottle of wine by around 50 cents.
2. VAT down on foods, meds
Taxes on food, medicine and hotel stays are set to decrease, but only slightly. The current 14 percent VAT on items like groceries, restaurant meals and medicine, transport services and hotel prices is set to decrease to 13.5 percent.
The Taxpayers' Association of Finland has estimated that a 50-euro food purchase would become around 22 cents cheaper, and a 10-euro spend on medicine will be discounted by around four cents.
However, the association's calculations are based on the assumption that the VAT decrease will be fully reflected in final prices.
Finland's general VAT will remain at 25.5 percent, which Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's (NCP) government raised in September 2024.
3. Inheritance tax threshold raised
Finland recently raised the minimum inheritance tax threshold from the current 20,000 euros to 30,000 euros. In practice, that means inheritance payments below 30,000 euros will not be subject to tax.
At the same time, taxes on gifts were also eased. Going forward, gifts of up to 7,500 euros within a three year period will not be subject to taxation. The current threshold is 5,000 euros.
4. Changes to union dues taxation
Last spring, the government decided to end taxpayers' ability to deduct union membership dues and unemployment fund fees from their tax returns — a move that at least one poll found to be very unpopular.
The financial impact will amount to between 100 and 300 euros annually, depending on which union people belong to, and how much they earn. Union members are mainly low- and middle-income earners.
According to the Taxpayers' Association, a person with a 3,000-euro salary who pays union membership fees of 400 euros per year will lose out on around 170 euros annually.
The deductions will still be possible for the 2025 tax year.
5. Income tax decrease, for some
Income taxes are going down, but the decreases mainly affect those on higher incomes.
People earning less than 8,000 euros a month will gain between 50 and 190 euros annually. However, those earning around 2,000 euros could see their income taxes slightly rise.
However, due to the removal of deductions on union membership dues and unemployment fund fees, the effects of coming income tax decreases will likely be negligible for many workers.
6. Social assistance cuts
Starting in February and March, social assistance payments are being reduced. The amount of support will be cut by two to three percentage points for all adult recipients aged 18 or over, and the earned-income deduction of 150 euros will be abolished, according to benefits agency Kela.
Last autumn, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health warned that government cuts to social security benefits risks pushing even more people into poverty and widen the gap between rich and poor.
7. Pump prices may drop
Planned tax decreases could make fuel costs cheaper. Starting at the beginning of the year, prices for petrol will decline by an estimated 2.7 cents per litre, while diesel prices will go down by about 2.4 cents per litre.
But a new regulation on 'distribution obligations' will increase the required share of renewable fuel in the market, likely prompting a slight rise in fuel prices. Going forward, fuel sellers will need to ensure that 19.5 percent of the fuel they distribute is renewable — as opposed to the current 16.5 percent.
However, local fuel prices are largely dependent on global prices.
8. OP bonus tax change
Starting early next year, customers of one of Finland's largest banks, OP Pohjola, will have to pay capital gains tax on bonuses earned from banking services if those bonuses are used to pay for insurance.
The taxation will not not apply to OP bonuses accrued from car leases or term life insurance premiums.
9. 'Baby box' value increasing
The value of the so-called baby boxes distributed to new parents is set to rise this spring from the current 170 euros to 210 euros. Mothers can choose whether to receive the maternity package or the cash value equivalent.
The increase will affect mothers with expected delivery dates of 1 April or later.
10. Healthcare fees rising
The maximum healthcare visit fee will rise to 30.20 euros. The top fee currently stands at 28.20 euros.
At the same time, the annual healthcare fee ceiling will rise from the current 762 euros to 815 euros.
The fees can vary by region, as they are set by wellbeing service counties. Due to the weak economic situation, many regions have already announced plans to increase fees to the maximum allowable amount.
