
Spain: Strategic Base for Family and Business
The global business landscape is transforming. Recent research from the Financial Times reveals that nearly 6,000 owners of high-growth businesses have relocated from the UK over the past two years,
If you want to give a professional, such as a lawyer, or a family member the power to manage your property, business or investments in Spain, you need to issue a Spanish Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney is a legal document to appoint trusted individuals (‘Attorneys’) to make important decisions on your (the ‘Donor’) behalf.
It is common in Spain for international clients to grant Power of Attorney to legal firms so that lawyers can deal with matters on behalf of their clients when they are not in Spain. A Power of Attorney will often be the most practical way of enabling a Spanish lawyer to undertake tasks and sign documents on behalf of their clients so they do not have the expense and the inconvenience of having to attend in-person to sign or authorise each part of a legal matter.
Your lawyer will draft a Power of Attorney in both Spanish and English (unless you speak fluent Spanish) which then be signed by you in front of a Notary (who will need to verify your identity by reviewing official documents such as a passport) either in Spain or in the country where you will be signing it. If the Power of Attorney document is being signed with a Notary in the UK, it will also need to be legalised after signing with The Hague Convention Apostille by the Legalisation Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office so that it will be valid for use in Spain.
Del Canto Chambers’ dual-qualified, multilingual tax lawyers have handled over 500 complex cases from Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. Discerning London-based and international clients, corporations, solicitors, and tax advisors count on our expertise.
You can more about what clients have to say, about working with Del Canto Chambers here below.
The Beckham Rule is a special Spanish tax regime for expatriates. It allows qualifying individuals to pay a flat tax rate on employment income and to be treated as non-residents for certain other tax purposes.
Any individual who moves to Spain for professional reasons and has not been tax resident in Spain during the five previous tax years may apply. This includes employees, remote workers, directors, and certain entrepreneurs.
Qualifying income is taxed at a flat rate of 24% up to €600,000. Income exceeding that threshold is taxed at 47%.
You must not have been considered a tax resident in Spain during the five tax years immediately preceding your relocation.
Your move to Spain must be for genuine employment or professional reasons, such as:
Holding an employment contract with a Spanish or foreign companyWorking remotely from Spain under a Digital Nomad Visa
Acting as a highly qualified professional or entrepreneur conducting a business activity in Spain
Serving as a director of a company, provided that—if the company is asset-holding—you hold no more than 25% of its shares
You must apply for the regime within six months of registering with the Spanish Social Security system (Seguridad Social). This deadline is strictly enforced.
The regime applies for a total of six tax years: the year you become a Spanish tax resident and the following five full years.
The regime applies for a total of six tax years: the year you become a Spanish tax resident and the following five full years.
Under the Beckham Rule, all employment and professional income is taxable in Spain, regardless of where it is earned. However, income from non-Spanish sources—such as interest, dividends, investment income, and capital gains—is not subject to Spanish tax.
You are only subject to Wealth Tax and Solidarity Tax on assets located in Spain. Foreign assets are excluded from the Spanish tax base during the six-year period.
Your spouse and dependent children under 25 (or of any age if legally disabled) may also benefit from the regime, provided they meet the requirements and file separate applications.
If you move to Spain to act as a director, you may apply regardless of your shareholding. However, if the company is an asset-holding entity, your ownership must not exceed 25%.
If you cease to be tax resident in Spain before completing the six-year period, you will automatically lose the benefits of the regime. From that point onward, you will be taxed under the general Spanish tax system, which includes progressive rates and worldwide income taxation.
Del Canto Chambers has a specialised team ready and eager to support you to apply for Spanish nationality. If you are interested in applying and would like to know if you are eligible, we would be delighted to help you.
Del Canto Chambers specialists are constantly up to date with new legislative changes and aware of any Spanish tax and legal implications. Contact our Spanish legal and tax specialists to find out the best tax planning and corporate structures in your circumstances.
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