Stuff You’ll See All the Time

ISK (Investeringssparkonto)

A tax-friendly investment account where returns aren’t taxed directly. Instead, the government levies a tiny annual tax on the account’s value.
Translation: investing without the usual tax paperwork.

Kapitalförsäkring (KF)

An investment account wrapped in an insurance policy—handy for naming beneficiaries.
Translation: looks like insurance, acts like an investment.

Schablonintäkt

The “imaginary” income Skatteverket calculates each year for ISK/KF accounts. Taxed at 30%.
Translation: pretend profit, real tax.

Skatt

Tax. You’ll see this word everywhere.
Translation: assume you owe something unless proven otherwise.

Avkastning

Return—the money your investments make.
Translation: money that went out, came back with friends.

Utdelning

Dividend—a company’s payout to shareholders.
Translation: pocket money from your stocks.

Fond

Fund—a bundle of investments (mutual, index, etc.).
Translation: one-stop shopping for your portfolio.

Indexfond

Tracks an index like OMX30 or MSCI World; low-fee and passive.
Translation: the IKEA meatball of investing—basic, beloved, hard to mess up.

Värdepapper

Securities: stocks, bonds, funds, etc.
Translation: things that bounce in value and spike heart rates.

OMX Stockholm 30

Index of the 30 most-traded companies on the Stockholm exchange.
Translation: Sweden’s stock-market all-stars.

MSCI World

Global index of roughly 1,500 large companies across developed countries.
Translation: one-click exposure to Apple, Nestlé, and friends.

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance)

A framework for screening companies on sustainability and ethics.
Translation: investing without funding an evil empire.

You’ll See These Eventually

Kapitalunderlag

Your ISK/KF average balance for the year—used to calculate schablonintäkt.
Translation: the “meh” value Skatteverket taxes.

Årets avkastning

This year’s return on a fund or portfolio.
Translation: what happened, not what will happen.

Förvaltningsavgift

Annual management fee for a fund (expressed as a percentage).
Translation: the gym membership for your money—keep it low.

Totalavgift

The true all-in cost of a fund, including hidden extras.
Translation: because surprise fees are still fees.

Courtage

Brokerage fee per trade when buying individual stocks.
Translation: tiny toll booth on the trading highway.

Handelsdag / Likviddag

Trade date vs. settlement date—when you buy/sell vs. when cash actually moves.
Translation: money doesn’t teleport, even in Sweden.

Skatteverkets kapitalinkomstskatt

Capital-gains tax (30%) on profits in a regular brokerage account.
Translation: what you pay for picking the wrong account type.

Värdepappersdepå

Standard brokerage account (not tax-advantaged). Profits are taxed individually.
Translation: great for spreadsheets, bad for sanity.

Deklaration

Your annual Swedish tax return. Arrives pre-filled each spring.
Translation: scarier before you open it.

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