# update and question



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

OK

Quick catch up.... House should:fingerscrossed: exchange by end of month. So, as I have to give 3 months notice at work . It looks as though we will be in Spain by the end of Feb (obviously not handing notice in until exchange has happened)

We are renting her for a few months and have found a lovely place to Rent in Extremadura from February to April. Both places are fully furnished so we intend to store everything here in the UK. Once we have purchased in Spain, we will know what we want to and not want to take.

We are driving over, with the cats using our UK Van. The boy will take that back when we move the stuff over. I think we are allowed to keep it for 3 months in Spain?

Will buy a "runaround" when we are in Spain

Will apply for S1 in January
Husbands business already closed down here as of September 1st


We obviously have to tell HRMC when we go but is there anyone else, that we should tell, apart from family... not telling themeep:

I have tried to look but have become word blind

Our income will be my NHS Pension and monthly payments from our saving account the subject of tax


Once we become tax resident (180 day rule) are we taxed individually or as a couple, because in theory the Old boy is about to become a kept man until his pension kicks in:rofl

I have also looked for a link for the current Tax thresholds, but cannot find.


It is all getting a bit real now, and I would be lying if I did not say that I have some seriously large butterfly's in my tummy

XX


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Very best of luck to you.

Spanish tax returns, like in UK, can be individual or joint. It really depends on circumstances - ask your tax advisor for their advice on this.

You will have to notify all UK banks etc. of your change of address and ask them to pay any interest tax free. Some will do this and some will not. Any interest will then have to be declared in Spain showing a deduction for tax paid in UK.

We didn't bother to tell HMRC when we moved over - didn't even think about it. Maybe our accountant did when we sold the business??

Make sure that you have regular payments into a Spanish bank as soon as possible as this will help towards your 'residencia'.


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

Lovely Extremadura, I was born there! Good luck!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Enjoy your re location!!


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

Congratulations & the very best of luck 

You have been very conscientious with your forward planning - so, you will be fine.

Every day is an adventure - I still can't get used to walking outside to perpetual sun !!

I look forward to reading your future posts.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

You can also deposit a lump sum into a Spanish bank account - around €6,000 - which will count towards your residencia. Keep posting. I for one will be interested in your journey down and also on your first night here in Spain and how it makes you feel. Also, remember to rent for as long as possible. The general advice on here seems to average at around 2 years. You certainly need at least that long to be certain of the local area you have chosen - and to explore other areas just in case, which is fun - and also to be as certain as you can be that you have made the right decision. When you buy, remember many properties are sold furnished!!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Don't know if you have planned your move yet but what we did was:
Day 1 Load up van and took the tunnel early evening (it was relatively cheap) and stayed over at the "Cottage Hotel" at Calais (you will be tired after loading up)

Day 2 Drive via Rouen, Poitiers, Bordeaux (outskirts of, in each case) to Bayonne and stayed over at Premiere Classe (pets allowed, inexpensive and better than Formule 1), just off the motorway.

Day 3 Cross the border and taking E5 via Vittoria Gasteiz, Burgos, Madrid (not difficult -from A1 take M40 just follow signs for the road you want to leave on and in your case that will probably be the R5) and on to destination.

We have used this route (to Madrid and then on to Andalucía) 6 times and found it to be good. Others will advocate using one of the ferries but we prefer the tunnel - SWMBO doesn't travel on boats very well. If you wish, you can cross over to France a little earlier and use the shopping centre Cité d'Europ - excellent Carrefour and Tesco's beers and wines.


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

cambio said:


> OK
> 
> Quick catch up.... House should:fingerscrossed: exchange by end of month.


Great, well done. Getting closer and closer to achieving your dream.

A quick update on my own situation. I put the house on the market at the beginning of the week and accepted an offer of the asking price this morning!

I'm still in a state of shock that it sold so quickly, I never in my wildest dreams expected things to happen so fast. 

There's many a slip b'twixt cup and lip so to speak, so I'll believe it when I exchange and complete.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Good luck to both of you. Exchange and completion nearly killed me....


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

thrax said:


> Good luck to both of you. Exchange and completion nearly killed me....


Ours was a dream - cash buyer - didn't even want a survey.


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

thrax said:


> Good luck to both of you. Exchange and completion nearly killed me....


Thank you. I accept that things can and do go wrong but hope for both our sakes things go nice and smoothly.

Fortunately, I have quite a small chain and I'm at the end of it so I just hope things go smoothly at the other end! 

I have a first time buyer buying the person who's buying my buyers property, if you see what I mean.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

cambio said:


> OK
> 
> I have tried to look but have become word blind
> 
> ...


Until they change the ability to transfer some of your married allowance, you are taxed individually in Spain. The system in Spain is quite different. You (or your gestoria) complete the computer model for each partner, and then you can look at the tax payable either individually or jointly, and choose the most beneficial. You can choose the best option each year. 

The bottom line is that you can transfer €3400 to your partner, so if your income is below this, this it will be beneficial to submit a joint return.

The current thresholds are a personal allowance of €5151 (€6069 for 65) plus earned income allowance (including pension income) of between €4080 and €2652 on income between €9180 and €13260. So under €9180 your allowance is €9231 and over €13260 its €7803. The allowances haven't changed since 2007.

If you're reasonably computer literate its possible to complete and submit your own return, if your affairs are straightforward (which based on your description, yours are) even though the program and helpfile is in spanish. I would recommend you have the first one completed by an gestoria, and then you will have a copy to follow the next year.

You'll have to complete a form to enable your pension to be paid gross, but you won't be able to do that until after you have submitted your first return in 2015. I think I posted in detail how to go about this earlier this year, or possibly last year. Just search for Form Spain Individual. If you can't find it, pm me, and I 'l find the link for you.

Good luck with your house exchange. I retired when I was 52, and have never regetted it. NOw, I don;t know how I found time to go to work.


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

"_shopping centre Cité d'Europ - excellent Carrefour and Tesco's beers and wines_" Tesco's are long gone
- hardly worth going to France now given the parity in prices.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Calas felices said:


> "_shopping centre Cité d'Europ - excellent Carrefour and Tesco's beers and wines_" Tesco's are long gone
> - hardly worth going to France now given the parity in prices.


It was only if you were passing through anyway, just to allow a little extra time. I've never bothered with the wines and spirits bit because I hardly ever drink, but Carrefour is usually worth a visit for their herbs and spices, e.g. you can buy smoked paprika and ground ginger by the ½ kilo also thyme, etc. - much, much more economical than in those silly little jars - something like a tenth of the price and if you keep them well-sealed, they last for a few years. If you can , get Vanilla extract (not essence), it is rarer than rocking horse sh*t - they only have something that takes the form of white powder and tastes nothing like vanilla.


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