Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:08 pm. So, here we are in Spring. If you live on the Costa Blanca or have spent much of the past few months out here, you will perhaps feel that winter passed us by this year. Now, we have the promise of all the spring and summer […]

Last updated on October 14th, 2019 at 08:56 am. It’s an important time of the year for residents in Spain. The end of March is the deadline for those who have to present the 720 this year and the 30th June is the deadline for the annual resident tax declaration. We know that many people […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:10 pm. If you are a resident, living in Spain, how did you approach Spanish paper work: no time like the present – I tackled it straight away and got everything done as soon as I could poco a poco – no rush I just took one piece […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:11 pm. Would you do a good deed if you didn’t anticipate a reward of some kind from it? The concept of the random act of kindness has taken root. In case you haven’t heard of this, there is even a website dedicated to it: http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ Wikipedia describe […]

Last updated on April 29th, 2022 at 03:38 pm. Do you enjoy sudoku? Are you one of those people whose coffee table is piled high with completed, half completed and ready to complete puzzle books? Working with numbers is absorbing; it can also be frustrating at times. When you are locked in battle with a […]

Last updated on December 29th, 2022 at 10:54 am. Every resident who has assets outside of Spain that total over 50,000€ within any one group, must complete the asset declaration form in Spain before the deadline or risk incurring a substantial fine. The groups are: bank accounts (group 1) pension plans and investments (group 2) […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:17 pm. You’ve got your ticket, you’ve waited in the queue, you get to the ‘funcionario’, and guess what? You haven’t got the right paper work. There always seems to be something you’ve forgotten; not had copied; that’s out of date or you didn’t realise you needed. It’s […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:18 pm. It sounds a little like a bus route, the 720. The publicity surrounding its introduction last year certainly made it a household name, at least amongst the expat population. However, just in case you haven’t heard of it before, the 720 is the asset declaration form […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:20 pm. Last year around this time, there was great consternation amongst many foreigners living in Spain. The requirement to complete the 720 asset declaration form really shook the community. In case you are blissfully unaware, the 720 is a form on which foreigners living in Spain must […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:40 pm. The 3% retention is the amount that is kept back by the Spanish Tax Authority after the sale of a property by a non-resident. It is used to pay the Spanish Capital Gains Tax and ensures that funds remain available. Ábaco sometimes receive notifications from the […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:23 pm. Do you know what you’re getting for Christmas? Is it a present you’ve already asked for, some money, or will it be a surprise? People seem to fall into two groups when it comes to Christmas surprises. Those who seek out their presents, feel the package […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:45 pm. I used to love the quiz and games shows of the seventies and eighties. The Generation Game, The Price is Right, Call My Bluff and Blankety Blank were some of my favourites. They were all games you could at least try and join in with, unlike […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:28 pm. What attracted you to the property you bought in Spain? Was it the number of rooms or the size of the plot? Was it the proximity to local shops and bars or the fact that you have a large patio that takes the sun in the […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:47 pm. There are probably not many people who wouldn’t feel a sense of fear at finding the Spanish tax man at their door. Even if you’ve declared every penny that you should you can’t help but feel irrationally guilty. They are the kind of official who you […]

Last updated on May 9th, 2020 at 04:31 pm. The Spanish Tax Authority is continuing to target tax evaders and has announced further measures in its fiscal fraud campaign. Over the past few years we have continued to see a number of different strategies being used. Cross-referencing electricity consumption with the Land Registry, the circulation […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:50 pm. You know that minute when you first realise that your wallet or purse is missing. The shock that runs through you to be replaced by a vague hope that you didn’t bring it with you in the first place. In that second of realisation you’ve already […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:51 pm. Is CCTV surveillance a good or a bad thing? Most people agree that having a watchful eye in our streets and thoroughfares is a good idea. But how far should it go and when does neighbourhood watch become Big Brother? We have become almost blasé to […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:53 pm. It’s around 12.00 o’clock on a weekday. The sound of a scooter punctures the peace and quiet that usually characterises our little calle. It happens every day around this time and is followed by the appearance of our young post woman on her bright yellow scooter. […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:54 pm. Last year was the first year in which the form 720 had to be presented by those residents in Spain with assets abroad. If there have been no changes in your circumstances since you presented your 720 last year you will not need to submit a […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:56 pm. This year there have been some changes for those who have a non-resident company in Spain. The changes took effect from 1st January 2013 and mean that for the tax year 2013 there is no longer a requirement to present the Spanish tax declaration form 213 […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 05:58 pm. If you own a property in Spain you should be ready for the unexpected. Not everything will run logically or operate in the way that you are used to. If your connection with Spain is more than a few years old, you will know exactly what […]

Last updated on March 17th, 2020 at 06:00 pm. As the deadline for the non-resident tax declarations (December 31st) approaches, many non-residents with property in Spain have been coming to us with their questions. Here, we summarise the answers. Am I a resident or a non-resident? If you live in Spain for more than 183 […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 09:56 am. Do you ever get thrown by this question? Having lived in Spain for a few years now I find it increasingly difficult to decide how to respond. Of course, the context is all important. If I am in a bar talking to someone new then I […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 09:57 am. It’s October and already in some countries, there is the tentative onset of Christmas preparations.  The early heralding of the Christmas season is something that some of our native countries are renowned for. In Spain, however, the coming of Christmas is a much more low-key affair. […]

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 09:59 am. In the middle of an economic crisis it seems as though European governments are thinking up even more weird and wonderful ways of clawing back money. Of course, taxation is one of the main ways that they can attempt to make the books balance. But who […]