UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
Jan 22nd 2011, 7:55 am
#46
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:02 am
#47
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
No you are not doing anything wrong - you are well entitled to a certificate and to get a rebate on your UK pension.
The problem is that your income in Spain is not enough to trigger them into any action as there is nothing in it for them!
Yes, the first thing to do is get them to accept your tax declaration in May/June and take it from there. You can go to the tax office and get them to fill in the details on their computer which will produce a zero return. You will need to take someone who speaks Spanish as they may well tell you that you don't need to make a declaration (untrue but it won't stop them trying to avoid any extra work!)
You can do the declaration on your own PC How do I do this?? and get your bank to send it to them - that way they cannot refuse it. You can of course get a local gestor to do it all for you but it could cost you up to €100.
The problem is that your income in Spain is not enough to trigger them into any action as there is nothing in it for them!
Yes, the first thing to do is get them to accept your tax declaration in May/June and take it from there. You can go to the tax office and get them to fill in the details on their computer which will produce a zero return. You will need to take someone who speaks Spanish as they may well tell you that you don't need to make a declaration (untrue but it won't stop them trying to avoid any extra work!)
You can do the declaration on your own PC How do I do this?? and get your bank to send it to them - that way they cannot refuse it. You can of course get a local gestor to do it all for you but it could cost you up to €100.
Now, how do I prove my income - Can I just take along a Bank Statement? As my income is British State Pension, I obviously have nothing in Spanish to say what it is and it goes into a UK BAnk Account.
Also see my query in blue above, and thanks again for all your help.
Last edited by scampicat; Jan 22nd 2011 at 8:06 am.
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:05 am
#48
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: On the edge
Posts: 20,460
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
You're not paying any money in tax. Its a simple tax return and you're paying a gestor or doing it yourself. I've been doing my own tax returns for 10 - 15 years!
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:11 am
#50
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,907
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
That is the only information you have to give them apart from all the personal details of where you live, family age NIE etc.
That said, it is always worth being prepared for any eventuality when dealing with Spanish civil servants. If you have your pension paid direct into your bank then take the slips and statements with you.
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:15 am
#51
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
I meant it wouldn't be legal to pay any money in tax if you didn't owe it.
Last edited by scampicat; Jan 22nd 2011 at 8:19 am.
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:17 am
#52
Ex Expat
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
You don't actually need any backup paperwork at all - you just tell them the amount of your income in total and it gets put into one box on the form.
That is the only information you have to give them apart from all the personal details of where you live, family age NIE etc.
That said, it is always worth being prepared for any eventuality when dealing with Spanish civil servants. If you have your pension paid direct into your bank then take the slips and statements with you.
That is the only information you have to give them apart from all the personal details of where you live, family age NIE etc.
That said, it is always worth being prepared for any eventuality when dealing with Spanish civil servants. If you have your pension paid direct into your bank then take the slips and statements with you.
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:22 am
#53
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Valencia
Posts: 1,164
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
Yes, the first thing to do is get them to accept your tax declaration in May/June and take it from there. You can go to the tax office and get them to fill in the details on their computer which will produce a zero return. You will need to take someone who speaks Spanish as they may well tell you that you don't need to make a declaration (untrue but it won't stop them trying to avoid any extra work!)
You can do the declaration on your own PC and get your bank to send it to them - that way they cannot refuse it. You can of course get a local gestor to do it all for you but it could cost you up to €100.
Otherwise you have to take it to Hacienda yourself and many will just turn you away and not accept it either or pay a gestor to do it.
Jan 22nd 2011, 8:54 am
#54
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Puente Esuri
Posts: 6,904
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
Thanks again Fred! Will keep you updated.
Now, how do I prove my income - Can I just take along a Bank Statement? As my income is British State Pension, I obviously have nothing in Spanish to say what it is and it goes into a UK BAnk Account.
Also see my query in blue above, and thanks again for all your help.
Now, how do I prove my income - Can I just take along a Bank Statement? As my income is British State Pension, I obviously have nothing in Spanish to say what it is and it goes into a UK BAnk Account.
Also see my query in blue above, and thanks again for all your help.
I also want to go back to the start of my residency April 2008 (Licence of first Occupation date (had NIE since 2003 when we bought the plot and on the Padron since 2004 when we got the escritura cos thats what you did back then to help your adopted town) for inheritance tax reasons here and to maximise my refund in UK.
The visit before Christmas raised this problem and he asked for a certificate of my State Pension. After some thought I concluded that what he meant was the annual letter you get from DoWP so brought 8 home from our christmas visit back to the kids. Tried to get the same bloke to look at these last week but he then just passed me up the line to a private office where the lady just spoke rapid fire Spanish and when we said please speak slowly (habla no rapido por favor) she said we must bring an interpreter
Last edited by EsuriJohn; Jan 22nd 2011 at 9:06 am.
Jan 22nd 2011, 9:52 am
#57
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Jan 22nd 2011, 10:04 am
#58
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,907
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
It looks like you have found "Jobsworth Numero Uno!
I think you are going to have to bite the bullet and use your gestor friend.
The alternative is severe bruising to the head and bricks falling off the wall
Jan 22nd 2011, 10:14 am
#59
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Puente Esuri
Posts: 6,904
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
I don't know about Spain but I expect it is like UK you are able at any time to make a donation to the treasury whether you owe it or not it just goes to reduce the national debt!
Last edited by EsuriJohn; Jan 22nd 2011 at 10:19 am.
Jan 22nd 2011, 10:45 am
#60
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,907
Re: UK Pensions Taxable in UK or Spain?
I don't know about making a donation to the Spanish treasury but there is a box on the tax return to make a donation to the Catholic Church!