SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The proposed law to abolish both the Inheritance Tax (Successiebelasting) and the Land Tax (grondbelasting) has been approved by the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Finance, Hon. Marinka J. Gumbs, now looks forward to appearing before Parliament on Friday, February 13, 2026, to commence deliberations and advance the approval process.
Both laws have been on the books for decades; however, they were never enforced.
“What use is there in having laws that we have not enforced on the books?” the Minister asked rhetorically. The land tax, levies an annual tax on the value of both unimproved and improved land with a structure. The tax rate is 0.3% of the property's value and is charged to the owner. Technically, this would affect all succession land on the island.
Obviously, nobody wants this tax,” the Minister noted. Abolishing it, however, would not affect other taxes which are associated with real estate transactions such as the Transfer Tax (Overdrachtsbelasting), a one-time tax of 4% levied on the transfer of real estate upon purchase or the Long-Lease Land Fees charged if a property is on government-leased land.
With regards to the Inheritance Tax, which is supposed to be levied on assets and money that a person inherits from a deceased individual, the practice has been not to enforce it. Formally abolishing it would remove any doubts about Sint Maarten’s position as a favorable location for estate planning and wealth transfer, in particular with respect to real estate, since there will be no inheritance tax on property passed down to heirs.
Minister Marinka Gumbs reaffirmed her commitment to seeing this reform through and expressed her anticipation that Parliament will move toward the abolition of both the Inheritance Tax and the Land Tax in the public interest.
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