Simon Hunter
TODAY, April 11, marks the start of the period when taxpayers in Spain can begin preparing their 2022 tax returns. As usual with these processes, it is highly recommended to turn to the services of a gestor if your financial situation is a complicated one or if you don’t understand the language of the forms necessary.
There are, however, steps you can take yourself and things you need to know. Read on for all of the necessary information.
How to get your borrador. From today, taxpayers can download the fiscal data held by the Agencia Tributaria (Tax Agency), a draft tax return known as the borrador. To do so, you will need to be signed up to the Cl@ve Pin system, or have an electronic certificate that proves your identity on the website. The draft will contain all of the information on the Tax Agency’s system related to your income, taxes already retained, assets, capital gains from property sales, and so on. This information can be modified by the taxpayer if something is missing or incorrect.
What happens next? If the information on your borrador is correct, you can confirm it online and the tax return will be filed. However, gestores warn that some 35% of these drafts contain errors, meaning it is important to carefully check for mistakes or omissions. If the final figure on the tax return is negative, that means the Tax Agency has to pay you money. If it is a positive number, you will have to pay that amount. The tax return contains a field where you can enter your bank account number for either of these transactions.
What are the important dates for this year’s tax return period? From today, taxpayers can file their tax returns directly online. If you want to file the return over the phone, you can do so from May 5 to June 30. And for those who want to do so in one of the Tax Agency offices, the dates are June 1 to June 30. The final deadline for all returns to be filed is June 30.
How do I book an appointment? You can get an appointment with the Agencia Tributaria via the website or by calling the following phone numbers: 91 535 73 26, 901 12 12 24, 91 553 00 71 or 901 22 33 44.
What has changed for the 2022 tax return? The Spanish government changed the limits for pension contributions last year. They currently stand at €1,500 for a personal pension plan, and €8,500 for company plans. These amounts correspond to the deductions that can be applied via your tax return.
What’s more, working mothers can retroactively benefit from a larger deduction for the years 2020 and 2021 on their 2022 tax return. And women with children under the age of three and who are not working are now eligible for a €100 monthly benefit that previously was only available for working mums.
This year’s return also contains for the first time a section where taxpayers can register their losses or gains from cryptocurrencies.
When should I file a joint tax return with my spouse? If both you and your partner have a reasonable income, it is usually better to file separate returns. If your partner has no income at all or it is very low, it may be in your interest to file a joint return. In this case, all of the tax information of your family members must be included on the form.
Does everyone have to fill out a tax return? Not necessarily. Usually, they are only needed if the taxpayer has earned more than €22,000 over the year in question. If you have been claiming the government’s guaranteed minimum income scheme (ingreso minimo vital), you must also file a return.
Read more:
- ‘Hidden’ assets such as superyachts, mansions could be taxed in Balearic islands
- Income tax declarations reveal Costa Blanca has two of Spain’s poorest big city areas
