The Spanish government is granting a special deadline for income tax declarations to all foreign nationals who are resident in Spain, as well as to any Spanish pensioners who have returned to the country after emigrating. These persons can now pay the whole amount of tax owed to the tax authorities with any penalties or fines for late payment waived.
If you reside in Spain for more than 183 days in a year, you are automatically classed as a resident for tax purposes, and as a consequence your worldwide income must be taxed in Spain. This also includes your pension. If you are retired and you do not have presented a tax declaration in Spain yet, you have until the middle of next year to submit a declaration and pay the tax, free from any penalties or interest.
There are now minimum amounts below which no income tax needs to be declared. For 2013, this minimum annual income for foreign pensions stood normally at €11,200. This amount is irrespective of whether you want to be assessed on your own or together with your spouse. However, this does not apply to government pensions (for civil servants), as these must always be taxed in your country of origin.
The increasingly closer exchange of information and data between the various Eropean tax authorities had made the Spanish Treasury aware of how many foreign pensioners, and emigrants who have returned from abroad, do not pay tax at all on their foreign pensions here or at least do not do it according to the rules. Pensioners are often elder and have greater difficulties understanding the legal situation in Spain, as they have been living abroad for many years. On the other hand they generally do not have many assets. That is why the Spanish government has set a special deadline of 6 months, beginning on 01.01.2015 to give such persons an opportunity to clear their debts with the tax office by paying 100% of their tax sparing themselves any interest and penalties for late payment.
Carlos Prieto Cid – Lawyer