Articles

Will Wealth Tax in Spain ever disappear?

In previous articles we explained that the Spanish Government reintroduced wealth tax in 2011 as an emergency economic measure. The reintroduction was achieved simply by removing the 100% exemption to the tax that had originally been introduced in 2008. However, the tax was eliminated for the majority of potential taxpayers because a significant tax free … Read more

Spanish Tax Treaties Changes – a taxing trend for foreigners

Spain is very active in signing new tax treaties and updating some old treaties, unfortunately not necessarily for the benefit of the individuals investing in Spain. Double Tax Treaties are bi lateral, supranational laws that regulate the way that foreigners are taxed on assets and income of the other country. Generally speaking where both countries … Read more

New tax incentives for property purchase in Spain

A few weeks ago the Spanish Government introduced another important tax incentive for property purchasers in a bid to kick start the moribund property market and help the banks get rid of their stock of repossessed properties. It is worth comparing Spain’s property tax incentives to the massive French tax increases on foreign property owners. … Read more

A last chance to declare – tax amnesty and an end to tax fraud in Spain?

Spanish taxpayers have been given their last chance to clean up their tax affairs. New measures, just introduced by Rajoy’s Government, provide taxpayers with an amnesty for tax fraud. They can now declare previously hidden income and assets by paying a flat 10% one off tax charge. The deadline for the amnesty is 30 November … Read more

Spanish Bank Crisis – Were the Auditors Asleep on the Job?

There is much in the news today about various firms of auditors being appointed to analyse the real bad debt situation that has caused the banking crisis. As a small scale Spanish auditor myself, I can’t help think that something has gone seriously wrong in the audit profession in Spain and it amazes me that … Read more

Let’s Give Thanks to the Spanish Bureaurocracy!

Expats take note! There are times to give thanks to the much maligned Spanish adminsitrative system. The legendary labyrinthine, under resourced and inefficient administrative system of Spain sometimes works to the benefit of the many expats in Spain. Non resident property owners are meant to pay annual income tax. “But I don’t rent out my … Read more

Spanish Banks in Ruin – The Story so Far (And a Bit About King Canute)

Alistair Spence Clarke28/11/2011 An article in a blog I was reading this weekend caught my eye and I decided to do some digging. After a few minutes, what I have long suspected about the bank’s holdings of defaulting loan assets became crystal clear. The last property crash in Spain happened in the early 1990s, at … Read more