€500 from the state. And 18 years of tax-free capital gains. The federal government has sent the draft Zukunftsdepot Act (a future securities account for children) out for consultation. What parents, grandparents and business-owning families should know now.
The ‘building-society savings plan of the next generation’
On 30 October 2026, the draft Zukunftsdepot Act was sent out for consultation. The idea: a securities account of its own for every child – with an initial state credit and tax exemption until the child comes of age.
Timetable: consultation until 9 November 2026, with adoption by the National Council (Nationalrat) still aimed for in 2026. Payments in are possible from 1 July 2027.
Important: This is a draft. Details may still change during the legislative process.
One account per child – locked until 18
- Start bonus of €500 for children born from 1 January 2027 – paid in once by the state.
- Up to €5,000 per year and child can be paid in by the legal representatives (around €417 per month).
- Older children under 18 can also open a Zukunftsdepot – without the bonus, but with the same tax relief.
- Withdrawals only from age 18. Before that, only with the approval of the guardianship court in cases of hardship – and the tax relief is then lost.
Mind the deadline: If no account is opened by the child’s third birthday, the federal government will invest the bonus in the Bundesschatz (Austrian federal government savings product).
Capital gains without KESt (Austrian capital gains tax on investment income) – with one restriction
Until the 18th birthday, no capital gains tax (KESt) of 27.5 % is levied on realised capital gains. This is the key difference from an ordinary child’s securities account.
Interest and dividends remain taxable
Current income continues to be taxed at 27.5 % KESt. The exemption applies only to capital gains.
For the tax advantage, the choice of product therefore matters: broadly diversified funds with low distributions make the best use of the exemption.
What does this mean in concrete terms?
€5,000 per year from birth, 5 % growth, term until age 18 – simplified, without costs and without KESt on current income:
- €90,000 paid in by age 18
- ~€140,000 account value at 5 % p.a.
- ~€14,000 KESt saved on the capital gain
At a 7 % return, the advantage rises to around €22,000. The longer the term and the higher the share of capital gains, the greater the effect.
No guarantee of returns – but a clearly quantifiable tax lever for families who are saving for their children anyway.
What is permitted – and what is not
The account is expressly not classed as safe for minors’ assets (mündelsicher). There is no guarantee of returns – risk is limited through diversification.
- Permitted: regulated UCITS funds and ETFs in risk classes 1 to 5 with ongoing charges of no more than 1 % p.a. – or the Bundesschatz.
- Excluded: individual shares, cryptocurrencies and leveraged products.
- Costs: account and custody fees are free until age 18. Order and transaction fees remain permissible – it pays to compare terms.
- Advice: an initial consultation is envisaged; parents can waive it (opt-out).
The point many people overlook
Every payment into the account is a gift to the child. As a tax adviser, I regularly see that gift notifications under § 121a BAO (Federal Fiscal Code) only come to attention when it is already too late.
Reporting thresholds
Between relatives from €50,000 per year, between other persons from €15,000 within five years.
With €5,000 a year, one normally stays below these limits. But if further gifts are added – for example from grandparents, godparents or the family business – the thresholds are quickly reached.
My advice: Keep all gifts to the child in view as a whole – not just the Zukunftsdepot.
Five steps to getting started
- Wait for the Act to be passed – no Zukunftsdepot can be opened before its promulgation.
- For children born from 2027: open the account by the third birthday so that the start bonus does not remain in the Bundesschatz.
- Compare providers: order fees, savings plan costs and fund selection.
- Plan payments of €5,000 per year and child – keep the gift reporting thresholds in view where there are further gifts.
- Keep existing children’s securities accounts and use the Zukunftsdepot for new payments.
Conclusion
18 years without KESt on capital gains – a lever that families should know about.
The Zukunftsdepot is no substitute for wealth planning. Properly integrated – with attention to product choice, gift notification and succession – it is a sensible building block.
As at: consultation draft of 30 October 2026.