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Inheritance and Gift Tax Planning. Death Duties-Taxes. IHT/I.H.T.

White & Baos can help you in planing your succession in Spain for the purpose of minimizing the payment of Spanish Inheritance and Gift Tax, which in some cases, particularly when applied to Non-Residents in Spain, can be very high.

In the past few months we have received a significant number of enquiries from individuals, normally Non Tax Residents in Spain and normally of British nationality, telling us that they were advised to GIFT their property to an English limited company (set up by them only for this purpose) in order to avoid INHERITANCE TAX (IHT) in Spain at the time of Death for the transfer of their property. Also they were informed that IHT in Spain is charged at 40% of the value of the estate for Non Residents. For this reason we want to cover this subject, as we understand that there could be serious consequences caused by following this advice.

First of all we would like to clarify that we understand that even if you transfer the property to a company by means of a gift, sale, or any other way, and the company has no real activity and its only asset is the property, when the shareholder passes away their shares must be transferred to their heirs and the shares will represent the ownership of the Spanish property so, theoretically the inheritance tax (IHT) should be paid anyway.

First of all one must take into account the fact that Spanish IHT, as applied to Non Tax Residents, is calculated on a sliding scale. The minimum percentage is 7.65% and the maximum is 34%.

These clients also told us that they were advised to transfer the property to a limited company incorporated in the United Kingdom by means of a GIFT, as the companies are not subject and do not pay Gift Tax, so for the Gift Deed, the only taxes to be paid are 1% Stamp Duty (AJD), that means 1% of the declared value of the property.
We agree with the fact that companies do not pay gift tax,, but we understand that when a company receives a gift, the company will need to pay company tax ( Impuesto de Sociedades) if is a Spanish SL or Income Tax for Non Residents (19%) if the company is an English Limited company, as in this case.

This means in practice, as per our interpretation of the Income Tax for Non Resident Law (Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004), that if you are a Non Resident in Spain and you gift a Spanish property to an English limited company, you should pay 1% Stamp Duty as mentioned before, but also the company must pay as per the article 25.1.F of the RDL 5/2004 a 19% tax for the gain obtained (value of the property). If the company does not declare this tax in the Income Tax Declaration as Non Resident, it could suffer an inspection and be subject to penalty proceedings.

If a Non Resident Tax couple decide to GIFT a property of a value of 200.000 Eur. to an English limited company, the taxes to be paid should be 1% Stamp Duty (which amount 2.000 Eur.) and also the company should declare the gift in its Non Resident Tax Declaration, paying 19%, which amounts 38.000 Eur.. The total tax payable in this scenario would be 40.000 Eur., this being significantly higher than the Inheritance Tax (Impuesto Sucesiones) that they are trying to avoid.

As we mentioned in a previous article, the General Tax Office (Dirección General de Tributos) made this point very clearly in the Consultation number 2017-04. This involved a French Institution that was a beneficiary of a Spanish Inheritance, and it was held that in this scenario the inheritance or gift are not subject to Inheritance or Gift Tax, but there must be paid Income Tax for Non Residents when the recipient is a company non resident in Spain.

Therefore if you want to transfer your property owned personally to a non Spanish Company, there are better options available than to do so as a gift. And if the purpose is to minimise or avoid Spanish inheritance tax, we understand that are often better and more effective ways to do it. Please if you are worried about the IHT to be paid in Spain then come and see us we will be more than pleased to assist you.

While it is true that IHT in Spain can vary from 7.65 % to 34% it is also true that the amount to be paid will be affected by many others factors such as your fiscal domicile, the Spanish Community where the property is located, the years you have lived in Spain and even the way your Spanish Will was drafted.

2010

The Inheritance Tax in Spain (IT) is a tax that must be paid by each of the heirs individually though standard form 650. This system is different, for instance, from the UK; where Inheritance Tax is paid out of the assets that form the estate.

Yes, in comparison with the rest of the countries around us, the tax burden on inheritances in Spain is higher. The amount to be paid is influenced by many factors: the relationship between the deceased and the heir (the closer: parents and children, grandchildren and grandparents, etc., the less you will pay), the amount and value of the assets to be inherited, the regulations applicable to the inheritance (central government regulations, autonomous community, etc.).

In Spain, the Inheritance Tax is a “State Tax”, that the government transfers to the Autonomous Communities. Each region has its own regulations. Depending on the circumstances of the deceased and the heirs (whether they are residents or non-residents) the regulations and applicable jurisdiction is different. You can find an explanatory table from the Tax Agency below.

DECEASED

HEIR

AGENCY IN CHARGE

APPLICABLE

REGULATION

RESIDENT

RESIDENT

REGION of

residence of the

deceased

REGION of residence of the deceased

RESIDENT

NON

RESIDENT

CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

Option:

– CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

– REGION of residence of the deceased.

 

NON

RESIDENT

RESIDENT

CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

Option:

– CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

– REGION of Spain with the assets of most value, and if there are no assets, REGION of residence of the deceased.

 

NON

RESIDENT

NON

RESIDENT

CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

Option:

– CENTRAL

GOVERNAMENT

– REGION of Spain with the assets of most value.

 

The deadline for paying the Inheritance Tax in Spain is 6 months from the date of death. However, during the first 5 months, it is possible to request an extension of another 6 months (1 year total). In all cases (i.e. whether an extension has been requested or not) from the 6th month onwards, late payment interest will be payable.

If an inheritance ends up in Court, it is necessary to notify the competent Tax Authority depending on the Region. Once notified, the deadline for payment will be suspended until the end of the judicial process.

If payment is made after the deadline (after the 6th month, if no extension has been requested; after 1 year, if an extension has been requested), in addition to the interest for late payment, a series of surcharges established in the Tax Law will be due.

Yes. However, the conditions will vary depending on the Region. In the Valencian Region, under certain circumstances, you can request a 5-year payment plan.

Yes, from the assets to be inherited (a house, a bank account, a car, etc.) it is necessary to subtract any debts that the deceased may have had. For instance, a debt with the tax authorities. Burial and funeral expenses can also be deducted.

This happens because each Region of Spain (Autonomous Communities) can set its own deductions and allowances. For this reason, in much cheaper to inherit under the regulation of regions like Andalusia or Cantabria, rather than the Canary Islands or Asturias. 

The Region of Valencia applies a progressive rate, ranging from 7.65% to 34%. For instance, if you inherit assets worth 150.000€, the taxable amount will be approximately 22.000€. Although to this amount you could still apply allowances related to kindship, disability, etc. You can find a table of the applicable rate below.

Taxable base

(Up to, €)

Taxable amount (€)

Remaining taxable base (Up to, €)

Applicable rate (%)

0

0

7.993,46

7’65

7.993,46

611,5

7.668,91

8’50

15.662,38

1.263,36

7.831,19

9’35

23.493,56

1.995,58

7.831,19

10’20

31.324,75

2.794,36

7.831,19

11’05

39.155,94

3.659,70

7.831,19

11,9

46.987,13

4.591,61

7.831,19

12’75

54.818,31

5.590,09

7.831,19

13’60

62.649,50

6.655,13

7.831,19

14’45

70.480,69

7.786,74

7.831,19

15’30

78.311,88

8.984,91

39.095,84

16’15

117.407,71

15.298,89

39.095,84

18’70

156.503,55

22.609,81

78.191,67

21’25

234.695,23

39.225,54

156.263,15

25’50

390.958,37

79.072,64

390.958,37

29’75

781.916,75

195.382,76

Onwards

34’00

 

In the Valencian Region, among others, there is a 95% deduction for the main residence (with a limit of €150,000), the deduction for kinship (which allows that, for example, from parents to children, no deduction is paid for the first €100,000) and others that we have already analysed in detail previously.

You can get more information about our services regarding Inheritance Tax, on the following VIDEOS:

 

.-Brexit and tax implications in Spain. IHT, gift Tax, CGT.

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