Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 2:55pm
Firstly a disclaimer. I am not a lawyer, solicitor, asesor, abogado nor any other professional. But I have lived here half my life so have some acquired knowledge and experience.
"Residence" can mean a lot of things to different people and to different authorities. Residence and domicile are often confused. For English people, this difference affects English inheritance tax and not much else. Residence can mean nothing more than having an English address. Many web adverts insist you are English resident - what do they really mean? Sky demands English residence....? Do YOU have a Sky card???? Tut! Tut!! Often life insurance is refused as Spanish residence is seen as more risky than English residence - I disagree I am less likely to be stabbed here on the Costa! A few years ago someone won an English lottery jackpot but was disqualified because he bought his ticket online from Benidorm whilst on holiday - he was deemed non resident in England for that particular purpose. Now tax residence - Spanish tax residence is easy - just spend 183 days or more in Spain and you are supposed to declare in Spain in May or June each year. English tax residence - like all things English, it's complicated. My last reading is that, like Spain 183 days or more in England and you are tax resident. Less than that, it's averaged over the last four years. More than 90 days in England each year and they have got you by the b....s. Some believe you can't be resident on both countries. Wrong - each country has its own rules. You could be a tax payer in Thailand, Outer Mongolia, England AND Spain!! Why not! For Thailand, you'll need an interpreter however.
I have no illusions - the first aim of all official bodies is to relieve you of your cash. The more complicated it is the better and the more they can take The next layer is the "advisers" who will gladly frighten you about tax matters and liberate you of more of your precious cash! I dare not mention names but certain well know operators fall into this category. Few professionals really care how they treat you - when you find one that does, stick to him like glue and recommned him to others. To continue to treat clients with real respect he needs new business. He too has to live. Help him to find it!