While the formation of a government headed by the socialist party’s Pedro Sánchez as prime minister, backed by the far-left “Unidas Podemos” party and its leader, Pablo Iglesias, now means that the government can begin to get on with the work of passing laws and fulfilling a parliamentary agenda, early proposals agreed by the two party leaders have revealed possible issues for some residents.
For example, HNW expats in Spain may face restrictions on their expat financial and tax planning opportunities. New government plans include:
- The introduction of two new tax brackets – one for income over €130,000 and another for income over €300,000.
- A review of HNWI tax contributions, with a view to ensuring greater revenue.
- A review of the tax havens list and a moratorium on tax amnesties.
- Greater regulation of SICAV investment vehicles.
At the moment, however, it is difficult to predict anything with certainty; it will not be until the coalition’s first budget that HNWI expats in Spain will know whether the coalition has been able to pass these intentions into law, so it will be incumbent upon expats to keep an eye on the political news over the coming months.
Blacktower Financial Management in Spain
Blacktower Financial Management can help HNWI expats in Spain plan their finances for the long-term, so they are well-placed to weather any political uncertainty and economic volatility.
This includes advising those who are moving to Spain, as well as providing advice to help resident expats optimise their assets, including real estate portfolios, investment vehicles and pensions.
For more information about how our international financial advisers may be able to help you, contact your local Blacktower office in Spain today.
This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
Keith Littlewood is Blacktower Financial Management’s Regional Manager covering Murcia and 
In September 2017, it was announced that the Portuguese Government, following pressure from Sweden and a number of other European countries, was looking to water down the country’s non-habitual residency (NHR) tax regime, potentially bringing to an end a programme that has worked in the interests of expats since 2009. The uncertainty this proposed move provoked certainly threatened to put a dampener on the financial plans of quite a number of expats and would-be expats as they moved into 2018.