At what rate are Norwegians taxed for capital gains? What rate is paid
on dividends? If a Norwegian residing in Norway has a capital gain
event on a company outside the country (in one of the EU countries)
for example, what sort of tax would there be?

Thanks for asking!

According to my research, the Norwegian Finance Ministry taxes
individual shareholders for both capital gains and dividends at the 28
percent ordinary income rate. Income from both in-country and other EU
countries is treated equally.

The following references from the Finance Ministry (in English)show
the Tax Table, and a White Paper of March 23, 2004 with the rates and
explanations.


The Personal Tax Code
---------------------

"Tax base: Ordinary income, i.e. labour, pension and capital income
less income tax reliefs:
   
Standard tax rate  2004 - 28.0 per cent"

The Personal Tax Code
Ministry of Finance, Government of Norway
http://odin.dep.no/fin/engelsk/p4500279/p30004927/index-b-n-a.html


"For personal shareholders, high returns on capital that are
distributed as dividends or realised as capital gains from shares,
will be taxed as ordinary income (the shareholder model)."

The Government's Tax Reform Proposal
Ministry of Finance, Government of Norway
http://odin.dep.no/fin/engelsk/p4500279/006071-040005/index-dok000-b-n-a.html


"The rules would apply to capital gains derived (and losses incurred)
as of the date the white paper was issued, i.e. 26 March  2004, and to
dividends received (i.e. dividends decided in the general shareholders
meeting) as from 1 January 2004, (regardless of whether the company
uses the calendar year as its accounting/fiscal year). The exemption
would apply to both domestic and cross-border gains/losses and
dividends."

Norwegian Government Issues White Paper on Tax Reform
http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/alert/0,2296,sid%253D1005%2526cid%253D43591,00.html

Search Strategy
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Google Search Terms:

utbytte  
gevinstbeskatningsregler 
norwegian dividend capital gains


I hope you find this information useful. Should you have questions
about the links provided, please, feel free to ask for clarification.

Best regards, 

---larre

Thank you! That was what I was looking for.

I have checked Larre's answer against the Norwegian Tax
Administration's taxation manual "Lignings-ABC" (available at
http://www.skatteetaten.no/upload/LigningsABC2003.pdf).  It is true
that any capital gain (regradless of its origin) is currently taxed at
a flat rate of 28%.  However, there are a few conditions:

- If the capital gain was taxed in the country of origin, this income can be
  deducted from the Norwegian tax.  The deduction can not exceed the Norwegian
  tax rate.  The tax must be collected from the shareholder (etc.)  and not from
  the company issuing the shares (etc.)

- Persons with a low income (less than NOK 23 400/year) are exempt from any
  income tax

The Norwegian government has proposed a tax reform that will cause
capital gains to be taxed at the same rate as any other income.  This
rate can be anything from 0 to 55,3 %, depending on the income of the
person.