The deadline is approaching for non-residents

The 31st December is the deadline for the submission of your annual non-resident tax declaration. Every person who owns property in Spain must pay the council tax IBI. In addition to this there is imputed income tax for non-residents. We know that not all non-residents are familiar with this tax and there is confusion about what is and isn’t required:

Find out more about non-resident property taxes

Our publication ‘All you need to know about non-resident property taxes in Spain’ provides detailed information about your obligations and how to meet them. You can find out more and access our free handbook here:

All you need to know about non-resident property taxes in Spain

Stop your bank account? Yes, they can in Spain

We have many enquiries on our forums from people who are shocked and confused because their bank account in Spain has been frozen. The Spanish Tax Authority can place an embargo on your Spanish bank account if you do not pay your taxes in Spain.

As you can imagine, this not only comes as a surprise but it is very inconvenient. Getting your bank account functioning again is not always an easy matter.

To find out more about this read our article:

Embargoes on Spanish bank accounts

Some interesting traffic fines

There are always rumours about what you can and can’t be fined for when driving in another country. Some of them are accurate and some of them not. This article from Money Saver Spain informs us about ten different reasons why you might receive a fine and/ or penalty points whilst  driving in Spain.

Most of them are still quite logical but one or two might really take you by surprise:

10 Lesser-known traffic fines in Spain

Money Saver Spain is one of our favourite sites. If you want to have a quick look at the different articles that they have published their Facebook page comes in handy:

facebook.com/MoneySaverSpain

Pay your fines quickly

One of our readers asked if it’s true that if you pay your traffic fine promptly the amount you must pay is reduced. It is true. If you pay your fine within 20 days you can receive a 50% discount.

This article published by Sanitas Health Insurance provides a detailed overview of traffic fines. It includes what to expect if you are a resident or a non-resident, how much fines are and how to pay them:

Paying traffic fines in Spain

Carol concert

We’re delighted to announce that this year’s carol concert in Torrevieja will be on Saturday 16th December starting at 5.30pm in the Plaza de la Constitución by the Inmaculada church. The Phoenix Concert Band will be playing and they will be accompanied by a few well-known local choirs including The Rascals, Studio32, Cantabile and Crescendo.

There will be a number of other attractions too including a laser show, some market stalls and, of course, you can take time to look at the Belén (nativity scene) whilst you are there. It’s a lovely way to start your Christmas celebrations and in a truly international environment.

How do you like your mail delivered?

Letters may almost be a thing of the past but it looks like parcels are on the increase. With more and more people taking advantage of ordering goods online, companies are looking for new ways of delivering them more cheeply. One of these is by drone.

Expactica tells us about the innovative ways different companies are looking to provide the services people are wanting without increasing the cost to themselves:

Package trips: Bikes and drones give faster delivery

A solution to flight chaos?

It’s not been a good time for those flying between countries. With Monarch no longer trading many people have found it difficult to find the flights they need at reasonable prices. 

Now Euroweekly have published information about charter flights being trialled to help make up for the lack of scheduled ones. Initially these are being tried between a few airports in the UK and Gibraltor but, depending on the success of the initiative, perhaps it could be adopted by other parts of Spain too. 

Charter flights from UK airports to Gibraltar trialled next July

Spanish ‘jamón’ at risk

It’s a traditional part of the Spanish Christmas: jamón ibérico. The dried cured legs of ham, are often displayed in Spanish restaurants and are also a popular Christmas luxury in many homes too.

Now, we are told, it’s becoming a particularly popular delicacy in China, to the point where demand is putting pressure on producers in Spain. However, by the look of our local hypermarket, supply, at least of the average-priced ham, is not likely to dry up any time soon.

The Guardian reports:

Spaniards face ham shortage as Chinese market gets taste for jamón ibérico

Get your tickets for a risky walk here!

We’ve mentioned before about the Caminito del Rey in Malaga in our newsletter. It has recently been renovated so that it isn’t quite as dangerous a hike as it was before. However, this doesn’t mean it’s a doddle being 1 metre wide and over 100 metres above the river below.

In this article Euroweekly tells us about the online tickets that are now available for those wanting an adrenaline rush at the side of a mountain.

HEAD FOR HEIGHTS? Caminito del Rey 2018 online tickets go on sale

How much for this old painting?

For those of us of more limited means the price that some old masters fetch is astounding.

Now the Guardian reports about a recently discovered masterpiece that was believed to be a copy for many years. If you know your da Vinci from your Gainsborough then you might be interested to read this:

'Lost' masterpiece by Spanish artist found hanging in Welsh castle

Watch out for these false friends

False friends are words that sound like English words but mean something different in another language. There are many of them in Spanish and some can cause you more than a little embarrasment if you’re not careful. Watch out for these offenders:

The eleven most annoying Spanish false friends of all time

What interests you?

We would welcome any suggestions for future themes you would like us to cover either in the newsletter or in an article on Spain Explained.

Please let us know by email at newsletter@abacoadvisers.com.

Thank you!