Spain Explained

How inheritance tax applies in Spain?

Last updated on March 19th, 2020 at 03:19 pm.

Inheritance tax applies in Spain

In some countries, inheritance tax only applies when there is a very large estate. However, this is not the case in Spain. Spanish inheritance tax applies in the majority of cases and the amount of tax to pay varies enormously depending upon different factors. The relationship of inheritors to the deceased,whether they are resident or non-resident and where the property is situated in Spain, all make a difference to Spanish inheritance tax.

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Even when the inheritor is the spouse of the deceased, inheritance tax can still apply. It’s not just on property that Spanish inheritance tax is payable. You must also pay it on money held in bank accounts, on vehicles, deposits and any other assets that may be inherited.

You are given a time frame of 6 months in which to pay the tax. After this time you will be fined for late payment. Past your six months window you will pay an extra 5% for every three months up to a maximum charge of 20%. Paying interest on late payments increases this amount even more.

How much do inheritors have to pay?

Spanish inheritance tax rates vary enormously. It depends upon:

  • Value of the estate
  • Your relationship to the deceased
  • Your status as a resident or non-resident
  • The autonomous community or region in Spain that the property is situated in (for residents)
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Our advice

It is a difficult time and we understand that sorting out your Spanish inheritance might not be top of your list of priorities.

However, there are some steps that it is important for you to take as soon as possible to safeguard your inheritance in Spain and meet the requirements of Spanish inheritance law.

Although every case is different, we know that you will want to have some idea of what the implications of receiving Spanish property are.

In order to help you with this we can contact you to give advice and information or provide a cost estimate of how much the inheritance process will be for you.

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