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The Modelo 720 (Overseas Asset Declaration) Is it legal or not?

Sadly, I have to tell them they are now wrong on both counts. Firstly, on 15 February 2017, the European Commission accepted that Spain has the right to require residents to declare overseas assets, however, what the Commission does disagree with is the severity of punishments for late or inaccurate submissions. The EU commission has given the Spanish authorities 2 months to rectify this, otherwise it will take the matter to the EU Court of Justice. The requirement to submit the Modelo 720 form, however, is not under challenge.

Secondly, on the 31 May 2017, all EU countries, plus the UK and its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, will automatically share all financial information on all financial assets held in their countries by tax residents of another country, to the country they are registered as being resident in.

As of 31 December 2016, these countries, dependencies and territories will report the value of all bank accounts, insurance policies, shareholdings, investments, and trusts, etc (regardless of the balance). Additionally, they will also notify them of what withdrawals have been made during 2016 and if an account has been closed during the year.

From May 2018, over 100 countries worldwide will automatically be sharing all financial information on an annual basis. The goal is to allow tax authorities to obtain a clearer understanding of financial assets held abroad by their residents, for tax purposes, and is primarily aimed at preventing tax evasion.

There are ways to ease this reporting burden and to ensure you stay on the right side of the taxman, whilst minimising your tax liabilities, one such way is to use a tax compliant investment bond.

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

France revealed to be the most popular country with expats

France, ParisMore expats end up in France than any other country, according to MoveHub, which has recently released a report detailing global moving trends and revealing the favoured destinations of job-seeking migrants from all over the world. The international removal company analysed more than 180,000 move enquiries from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016 to see the most popular choices when it comes to relocating abroad.

In particular, the report looked at the moves of what it defined as ‘professional migrants’. This means individuals who are motivated to leave their country of origin by better job prospects and the lure of growing economies, which could lead to a better quality of life. The countries that attracted the most movers were France (1st), the United Kingdom (2nd), and the USA (3rd).

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Dutch Tax Exemption Rule Change Hits Expats

Pen and checkboxOpposition to the imminent changes to the Dutch 30% tax reimbursement scheme (see the Blacktower news feed) is growing. Now, VCP, the Dutch white collar workers’ union, has joined the dissenters by calling for, at the very least, a transition period for expat workers who will suffer unwanted changes to their Netherlands wealth management plans as a result of the amendments.

It is easy to see why so many people find the timetable for the ruling so unjust; those affected could see their incomes reduced by around 20% once the ruling comes into force in under six months.

It could also result in unwanted damage to the Dutch economy, with real fears that it could deter expat workers from coming to the Netherlands in the first place.

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