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Expats can enjoy Spain’s top quality beaches

Finding the best beach for your expat destination

But which of Spain’s beaches is the best? According to the 2017’s Traveller Choice Awards by Trip Advisor, the best beach in Spain (and the best beach in Europe, for that matter) is La Concha beach, located in the coastal city of San Sebastian in northern Spain.

But you don’t have to pack up and head to San Sebastian to get the best beach experience. Spain is full of quality beaches. In fact, it was recently announced that Spain once again has the highest number of quality beaches, receiving the prestigious Blue Flag award at a total of 579 of its sandy shores.

The Blue Flag is an award given by the Foundation for Environmental Education to certify that a beach, marina, or eco-tourism boat has met its strict standards. The Blue Flag is a symbol that the beach is a safe, well-managed environment. Each beach is judged on four main categories: water quality; the safety of the beach’s users and the quality of services available to them, such as having an adequate number of lifeguards and available drinking water; environmental education and information; and environmental management (in other words, whether the beach has the right system and facilities in place to ensure it remains clean and hygienic).

Being the country with the highest number of Blue Flags is a claim to fame Spain has been able to make every year since 1987, which was when the Blue Flag Award was initially set up.

In total, the Spanish coast has been awarded 684 flags because, in addition to its beaches, it also won 100 flags for its marinas and five for its cruise ship ports. Broken down by region, Valencia, on the east coast, has the most quality beaches, with 129 earning a flag, followed by Galicia (113), Catalonia (95), and then Andalusia (90).

Add to your beach lifestyle with healthy finances

To fully enjoy your expat life in Spain, it helps to have peace of mind that your finances are effectively safeguarded, leaving you free to spend your time however you want – whether that be sunbathing, enjoying water sports in the ocean or getting busy setting up a new life.

Blacktower has financial advisers at various locations along the Spanish coast – Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, and Barcelona – ready to offer you expert financial advice in Spain.

Other News

Expat Finances in Spain, Tax and Data-Sharing

Spanish flagRapid developments in IT systems, financial databases and data-sharing platforms over recent years now mean that it is easier than ever for nation states to share and exchange financial information relating to the investments, income, taxes, savings accounts, properties and pensions of individuals who have assets placed in multiple locations across the world.

Inevitably, this also means it now crucial to ensure you disclose your full list of assets whenever required.

As a British native you might be a little complacent in this regard. The UK has one of the most stringently and best-regulated financial advice sectors in the world, and in many cases if your adviser fails to disclose your full spectrum of assets and interests it is he or she, rather than you, who will be liable.

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QROPS Uptake is in Decline but Suitability is Still the Key Question

Tick and CrossNew data from HM Revenue & Customs reveals that the combined value of retirement transfers to QROPS fell to £740 million in the 2017-2018 tax year, the first period since the government introduced a 25% tax charge, with the number of pension transfers down to 4,700 from 9,700.

Given the scale of the pension transfer tax, the drop recorded by HMRC in QROPS transfers should come as no surprise. However, as the figures do not differentiate between transfers made by UK citizens and expat retirement transfers, it is difficult to know what, if any, difference the new levy has had on the decisions of expats.

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