Personal income tax applies to individuals who are tax resident in Spain. Personal income taxpayers are taxed on their worldwide income.

A taxpayer is considered to reside in Spain if he or she spends more than 183 days in Spain during a calendar year, or if his or her principal center or the base of his or her business or professional activities or of his or her economic interests is in Spain.

Taxable income is made up of a general base and the so called savings base:

• The savings base consists of the positive balance resulting from income from movable capital (basically dividends, interest –except those received from related entities, when certain conditions are fulfilled- and the monetary return or payment in kind on capitalisation transactions and life or disability insurance contracts), and the positive balance resulting from capital gains/losses deriving from the transfer of assets. The savings base is taxed, effective January 1, 2010, savings income will be taxed as follows:

- 19%, applicable to the first €6,000 of the net savings tax base.

- 21%, thereafter.

The general base consists of the balance resulting from adding together all other income (salary income, income from business or professional activities, rental income, etc.), and/or the positive balance resulting from gains/losses not included in the savings base (e.g. prizes). As for the tax rates, there is a general scale and a regional scale; the minimum combined rate for income up to €17,707.20 is 24%, while the marginal combined rate for income from €53,407.20 and above is 43%.

There are tax credits for buying a principal residence, for income and/or gains obtained in Ceuta and Melilla, for investments in and expenses in respect of assets of cultural interest, and for certain economic activities.

Workers assigned abroad: Spanish personal income tax legislation establishes a very large exemption for salary income earned by workers who work abroad, but remain tax resident in Spain. This exemption applies to up to €60,100 per year, provided that certain requirements are met.

 

For more information you can download the following document:

Tax system (1143kb.)

Prepared by Garrigues

 

Last updated: 17|02|2010