colliedog1

I've just joined this forum after reading it for several days. I have to say that I have seldom read such senisible advice and information as I have seen here. We are hoping to move to Spain for at least 5 months of the year and so we have many questions. We are trying to research online as much as possible but we believe the that first hand experience can add so much.....

So we do hope that you will bear will us as we negotiate what will be a very different lifestylefor us. Two retired people...alias two auld buggers!

Yes we are Scottish............

Many thanks

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

agoreira

There'll be nobody left up there soon, every man (and his dog!) is leaving. Still, you can do what the rest do that have given up on Scotland, tell us what a great place it is from foreign lands! Best of luck! Have a look at previous threads for info, it's getting to the stage now where people are getting fed up answering the same questions. That might be why after 77 reads you've only had the stock welcome from Rosemary.
Thinking about that, it's strange, most English expats delight in telling all what a shite place UK is, they'll never go back etc, the Scots on the other hand often harp on about the old country, what a great place it is.

BEVS

Sorry about that previous welcome post.

So. Welcome to BE .

I do hope some others may be along to just share with you. That is what BE is mostly about after all.

No question too silly. No question too often answered. After all , it only takes a moment or so to help .

For what it is worth. FWIW in short. My husband's cousins have just moved to the Javea area of Spain. He is FIFO for work and so they decided to see how they got on over the next year. See if it fits them and it them.

Fair play to them and I reallyhope it works for them AND they get the help and support.

I am nowhere near Spain. I'm now in New Zealand but I never tire of trying to help others. After all, without help or guidance where would we be.

Rosemary

Please ask your questions and those living here will endeavour to answer them for you. You cannot beat doing a great deal of research when thinking about moving to another country and who better to provide information than those who have the relevant experiences.

Rosemary

BEVS

Absolutely Rosemary. Absolutely.

me me

Good morning and welcome.

As you plan to spend about 5 months a year in Spain, you will be in the enviable position of not having to comply with Spanish rules for tax, which has caused worry and inconvenience for many.

As long as you are not in Spain for more than 183 days a year, you are a 'holiday' maker and not a resident.

So enjoy, enjoy, enjoy......

You can have all the fun but none of the hassle.

BEVS

Could you expand on that please in a nice and helpful way. For those not in Spain for a year and also for those there for over a year.

I'm not sure I understand.

Thank you.

me me

Ok Bevs,

Spanish residents have to conform to the Spanish rules as regards HIT and CGT.

These rules are a lot harsher than the UK, and it has upset a lot of people who will see a big chunk of their assets gained over a lifetime, going to the Spanish taxman.

There a few long running threads on this, takes ages to read them.

Fred James is the Oracle on all matters fiscal, our resident reference book.

Our new Scottish members will not need to comply as the will still be non residents.

Mitzyboy

Welcome to the forum

Where abouts are you considering moving to ... do you have any specific questions at the moment?

Everyone who moves to Spain has a stock list of questions they want to ask ... don't worry about asking them again, or even do a search on the forum to get any previous help that has been given

The lifestyle will certainly be different in terms of weather and outdoor life, but much else in the way of shopping and day to day living may well be the same, just in a different climate .... and probably cheaper

Mitzyboy

New proposed UK laws will put a lot more emphasis on proving that you spend more than the required time out of the UK as regards taxation.

In fact although IHT is a big worry, there are things you can do to help. CGT is certainly an issue if you keep a UK property and buy a Spanish one .... but as MeMe says, it may not be such an issue if you are not a Spanish resident.

If I were to move back permanently to Spain again, doing it the way the OP is thinking would certainly be the way I would be thinking

bxpuser24710519

Well hello ye auld buggars, hope you have a thick skin ! I won't apologise for the forked tongue and innuendo in some comments. Best not to fall to their level.

I live in Ayamonte, just on the edge of the old town, This area has a lot going for it, close enough to Portugal to be able to enjoy both countries.


A fellow Scot

BEVS

OK and thank you for the response.

Let us await Fred James then.
Always good to have new eyes and new threads, especially when ot comes to our lifelong collections of pots and pans..

HBG

I live in expatland, the south of the Alicante province, which is much the same as the other main expatland, the Malaga province where between the two of them some million British expats have come to spend their pensions, and a few younger folk.

To only live in Spain for the winter five months is ideal for many reasons, including complicated tax ones. Briefly, if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain you can become a tax resident which very few of us aspire to; the Spanish tax authorities don't like us and want to bankrupt us if they can.

But nobody is counting the days and nobody is worried and a million people can't be wrong and if you're only coming for five months the problem doesn't even arise in paradise.

On this beautiful sunny morning my little family unit of two young pensioners and two dogs is about to venture out for a walk in a nature park followed by coffee among expats and Spanish people and I already know that we will bump into at least two Scottish couples and other British people from all over.

And Germans and Scandinavians. And in one place we could get served by a Geordie lass in hotpants but my wife doesn't like going there.

jimenato

Hello to the OP - ask all you want and we will try and help.

Hope you don't mind me editing your otherwise accurate and (as usual) entertaining post H. As far as I am aware you have no choice - you become a tax resident on day 183 although of course many ignore it.