New Taxes and Levies from 2026: Major Impact on Pensioners and Property Owners

The Constitutional Court validated on Wednesday a package of fiscal measures that will bring significant changes for homeowners and car owners from 1 January 2026. These changes will directly affect the budgets of pensioners and seniors, many of whom are property owners.

Dramatic increases in residential property taxes

One of the most significant changes concerns the calculation of building tax. The taxable value for properties with utilities will rise sharply, from 1,492 RON per square metre to 2,677 RON per square metre. This increase of approximately 80% will mean considerably higher tax bills for homeowners — a category that includes the majority of pensioners.

For properties valued at over 2.5 million RON, an additional charge of 0.9% will apply to the amount exceeding this threshold. The measure may affect seniors who own properties in the central areas of major cities.

New rules for vehicle tax

The calculation of vehicle tax will change fundamentally, applying the "polluter pays" principle based on emission standards and engine capacity. This change will influence vehicle running costs for seniors who still drive. Electric cars will benefit from a reduced flat-rate charge of just 40 RON per year.

The impact on pensioners' investments

Pensioners with savings invested in the stock market or in cryptocurrencies will be affected by the rise in capital gains tax, which increases from 10% to 16%. This measure may discourage seniors who are trying to protect their savings from inflation from investing.

The "Temu tax" and online shopping

A new logistics charge of 25 RON is being introduced for each parcel valued under 150 euros originating from outside the European Union. This so-called "Temu tax" will make online purchases more expensive for seniors, many of whom turn to international platforms for affordably priced products.

The package of measures, worth 3.7 billion RON, forms part of Romania's PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) commitments and aims to restore public finances. The Finance Minister justifies the urgency of these changes as necessary for the protection of citizens; however, the impact on pensioners and seniors is set to be considerable in 2026.