Government confirms no extraordinary IRS tax cut for 2026

Monday, 29 June 2026AI summary

The government has confirmed to the International Monetary Fund that there will be no extraordinary reduction in personal income tax (Imposto sobre o Rendimento das Pessoas Singulares or IRS) for 2026. This decision marks a departure from the previous two years, when taxpayers benefited from lower tax withholding rates toward the end of the year.

Context & Explainers

The IRS withholding tables (tabelas de retenção na fonte) are government-published schedules that determine how much personal income tax (Imposto sobre o Rendimento das Pessoas Singulares — IRS) employers must deduct from each paycheck. They take into account gross pay, marital status, number of dependents, and disability status.

The tables are updated annually (and sometimes mid-year when budgets change), directly affecting monthly take-home pay. When tables are revised downward, workers see more in their pay packet; when raised, less. Any difference between amounts withheld and the actual tax owed is settled when the annual IRS return (Modelo 3) is filed, typically between April and June.

Employees and pensioners should check the current tables — published by the Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira (AT) — whenever they change, as the impact on net income can be significant.