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Making Sense of 2018 Spanish Budget

The budget, which has now been published in the Spanish Official Gazette, contains a number of important provisions, including a pension increase, with state pensions rising between 1% and 3%, depending on the individual recipient’s circumstances. The extension of the Spanish wealth tax (which was re-introduced on a temporary basis in 2011) for at least one more year is likely to be of interest to many expats, although this was predicted so is unlikely to come as a surprise either to them or their expat financial advisers in Spain.

However, despite the continuation of the status quo, advice remains important in this regard; if you reside in Spain and have assets worth more than €700,000, and a home worth more than €300,000 (allowances are doubled for married couples and civil partners), it is worth talking to your expat financial adviser in Spain as to how it is best for you to manage your wealth in this regard.

Furthermore, the threshold for income tax in Spain has been increased from €12,000 to €14,000. This means that those expats who carry out occasional work and earn less than €14,000 per annum, may not need to submit an income tax return provided of course that they are not earning income from other sources.

Another interesting facet of the budget is the introduction of a 30% deductible allowance for those who provide investment to start-ups, providing relief of up to €60,000 per annum. There are also further deductions for families with three or more children and those who have one or more disable dependents.

Aside from the new income tax threshold and the above listed details the budget leaves income bands and tax rates the same as they were in 2017.

Blacktower – expat financial advisers in Spain

Blacktower Financial Management provides expat financial advice in Spain. The international financial advisers in our offices throughout Spain can help you understand how to plan your investments and pensions and how to plan your estate and effectively reduce your tax liability.

For more information contact us 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.

Other News

Safeguarding your Pension and Assets

Many UK expatriates do not realise that even if they have left and are no longer resident in the UK, they remain UK-domiciled and therefore subject to UK Inheritance Tax (IHT) on their worldwide estate at a rate of 40 per cent after allowances. This can come as a major shock. 

Brexit

What can be done about this? There are several options. 

Transfers of wealth on death between husband and wife are exempt from IHT, but only if the spouse is also domiciled in the UK (or both are non-domiciled). This catches out many expatriates who have married a foreign passport holder who is likely to be domiciled elsewhere. Even then, the IHT is only delayed rather than avoided, because on the death of the survivor the tax will be payable on the passing of the family assets to the next generation. 

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More Taxing Times Ahead

From April 6th this year, individuals who do not spend sufficient time in the UK, or have insufficient ties with the UK to be resident there for tax purposes but who nonetheless own a home in the UK, may now need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) on any gains arising on the eventual sale of the property. 

How will the tax work?

Only gains made from 6th April 2015 are taxable in calculating the gain on the property disposal i.e. non-UK resident property owners will substitute the value of the property as at 6th April 2015 for its actual acquisition cost, thereby rebasing the value to its market value as at that date. Alternatively, property owners may elect to calculate the gain by using the actual acquisition cost but paying tax only on the time-apportioned post-5th April 2015 part of the gain.

If the non-resident usually files a UK self assessment tax return any gain must be included in the appropriate year’s return, otherwise any tax must be paid within 30 days of completion.  Non-residents will continue to be exempt from CGT on disposals of commercial property and other assets.

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