On June 30, 2025, the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) officially executed the first installment collection of the Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas (IRPF) for the 2024 fiscal year. As every year, the date marked a moment of reckoning: for some, a withdrawal; for others, a windfall.
Taxpayers who opted for the pago fraccionado system saw 60% of their total income tax due automatically charged to their bank accounts on that day. The remaining 40% will be collected in the second installment, scheduled for November 5, 2025 a date worth circling on the calendar.
The Other Side of the Coin: Refund Season in Full Swing
While some accounts felt lighter, others got a pleasant surprise. The Spanish Treasury has already begun issuing refunds (devoluciones de la Renta) to taxpayers whose declarations showed a negative balance. These reimbursements a well-deserved return for overpayments throughout the year are generally processed quickly, although the law gives Hacienda up to six months from the end of the campaign to fulfill them.
What’s Next?
With the first 60% installment now processed as of June 30, all eyes turn to the next key date: November 5, 2024, when the remaining 40% will be automatically charged to taxpayers who opted for split payment. Meanwhile, refunds continue to roll out, with over 7.8 € billion already returned to more than 11 million taxpayers and the figure still climbing.
For those awaiting reimbursement or preparing for the next debit, now is the time to double-check your bank details, track your refund status, and ensure you’re ready for what November brings.
A System That Still Has Work to Do
The annual income tax process in Spain continues to show both efficiency and imbalance. While it’s true that millions of refunds are processed in record time, many taxpayers are still left in limbo waiting weeks or even months for money that, in many cases, it should never have left their pockets in the first place.
Meanwhile, payment deadlines remain strict and inflexible. June 30 came and went without exception, and November 5 will be no different. It’s a one-sided rhythm: when it’s time to pay, the system doesn’t blink; but when it’s time to return what’s owed, the pace often slows.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink a model that still leans too heavily on the citizen’s compliance while offering limited responsiveness in return. The taxman’s calendar is precise but fairness, some would argue, still has some catching up to do.
