Deposit or government bonds: which pays more after tax
Why the same rate gives you different money in hand, how to compare a deposit and bonds in 10 seconds and how to combine the two.
Deposit income after the 23% tax: compounding, top-ups and the effective rate.
| Month | Accrued, UAH | Taxes, UAH | Net income, UAH | Balance, UAH |
|---|
Every month the bank charges interest on the current deposit balance: balance × annual rate / 12. 23% tax is withheld from the accrued interest straight away. With compounding, the net interest is added to the deposit, and the next month income is calculated on a larger amount.
To estimate the after-tax income quickly without a calculator, multiply the rate by 0.77: a deposit at 15% gives you 11.55% a year without compounding.
Which suits your money better, a deposit or government bonds, is covered in “Deposit or government bonds: which pays more”.
18% personal income tax and the 5% military levy, 23% of the accrued interest in total. The bank withholds them on every accrual, so you receive the net income.
With compounding, net interest is added to the deposit every month, and the next month interest is charged on a larger amount. UAH 100,000 at 15% for a year gives UAH 112,181 after tax with compounding and UAH 111,550 without it.
It is the annual return on the deposit after tax, including compounding. It shows what your money really earns, and it is the number to compare with inflation and with government bond yields.
Deposits of individuals in banks that participate in Ukraine's Deposit Guarantee Fund are protected: in full during martial law, and up to UAH 600,000 per depositor per bank after it.
The calculation is for reference only and is not financial or tax advice. Actual terms depend on your contract with the bank, fees and current law.