nortada
Well-known member
I have been following the twists and turns of this thread with interest; albeit it has drifted away from the OP.
I am a little saddened to see how, in places, it has become argumentative. Please not in here.
I lay my cards face up. More than happy to discuss but because of my New Year’s Resolution, I am not going to get into a slagging match?
We first came to Portugal in 1988 and have based our boat out here since 2002 and have spent the intervening time in Portugal for varying lengths of time.
When we first arrived we got a fiscal (tax) numbers and made tentative enquiries about tax liability.
Initially, we were advised there was a dual tax agreement so we would not be double taxed. However, reasonably, any income earned in Portugal would be taxed in Portugal. However, as U.K. Government pensions were taxed at source in the U.K., they would not be taxed in Portugal.
We were warned that may be asked to complete a Portuguese tax return but when we explained as we were pensioners and our only income was U.K. based pensions. We were advised that there would be little point in us putting in a nil tax return. But times change.
One wrinkle, as our main source is a MOD pension, taxed in the U.K., we could have elected to have our tax affairs managed in Portugal. This could result in an increased tax allowance, MOD taxed in U.K. State pensions taxed in Portugal = dual tax relief. Additionally, married couples are taxed jointly and this can bring another benefit. Reckon it could be worth about £1,500 per annum, but didn’t pursue it - too much potential hassle.
Despite it is a European Union, countries do things in there own way so it is important to realise there is no common line.
If my many Dutch and German friends here are anything to go by, following the ongoing vaccine fiasco and the attitude of the EU to the U.K., Brussels is going to have a hard job to keep the train on the rails and countries will tend to do their own thing.
Brits and Residency in the EU is an interesting issue, again residency is a national not EU issue so once again contraries will do their own thing.
Because of my situation, I have been researching U.K. and Portugal.
As far as I can see, the U.K. is simple, if you are a U.K. national, with citizenship, then you should be a British ordinary resident with no required meant to spend a specific minimum number of days in country per annum, to retain all of your U.K. rights. If you are receiving a U.K. pension, you qualify for the U.K. based S1 system which means you will get U.K. NHS care free when you are in the U.K. and the U.K. will continue to pay for your health care in your EU host country. This possibly why the question of health insurance may not be an issue for U.K. residents in the EU over a certain age.
In Portugal it is not quite so straight forward. When we got residency, we were asked did we intend to settle in Portugal?
Our answer, we have kept our boat in Lagos for many years and would like to continue to, we do not have property in Portugal and do not intend to buy. We hope to continue to commute between the Portugal and the U.K. This answer satisfied.
It is commonly accepted that to retain Portuguese residency, you must spend at least 6 months per annum in the country - has anybody actually seen this written anywhere
When I started to research this, I was told that as a temporary resident, you mustn’t be absent from Portugal for more than 6 months - not the same thing. I was then advised that you had to be in Portugal for at least 4 months per annum. I understand that permanent residents must visit Portugal once every 2 years but there is no days served, requirement. Still trying to get this in writing but not always easy in Portugal and I do not want to ask questions, when I might get the wrong answer
So there you have it, pick over it, challenge and ask questions but I am not getting into fisticuffs?
I will post developments, but not rumour.
Currently working out how to get back to the Covid jab that awaits us.
I am a little saddened to see how, in places, it has become argumentative. Please not in here.
I lay my cards face up. More than happy to discuss but because of my New Year’s Resolution, I am not going to get into a slagging match?
We first came to Portugal in 1988 and have based our boat out here since 2002 and have spent the intervening time in Portugal for varying lengths of time.
When we first arrived we got a fiscal (tax) numbers and made tentative enquiries about tax liability.
Initially, we were advised there was a dual tax agreement so we would not be double taxed. However, reasonably, any income earned in Portugal would be taxed in Portugal. However, as U.K. Government pensions were taxed at source in the U.K., they would not be taxed in Portugal.
We were warned that may be asked to complete a Portuguese tax return but when we explained as we were pensioners and our only income was U.K. based pensions. We were advised that there would be little point in us putting in a nil tax return. But times change.
One wrinkle, as our main source is a MOD pension, taxed in the U.K., we could have elected to have our tax affairs managed in Portugal. This could result in an increased tax allowance, MOD taxed in U.K. State pensions taxed in Portugal = dual tax relief. Additionally, married couples are taxed jointly and this can bring another benefit. Reckon it could be worth about £1,500 per annum, but didn’t pursue it - too much potential hassle.
Despite it is a European Union, countries do things in there own way so it is important to realise there is no common line.
If my many Dutch and German friends here are anything to go by, following the ongoing vaccine fiasco and the attitude of the EU to the U.K., Brussels is going to have a hard job to keep the train on the rails and countries will tend to do their own thing.
Brits and Residency in the EU is an interesting issue, again residency is a national not EU issue so once again contraries will do their own thing.
Because of my situation, I have been researching U.K. and Portugal.
As far as I can see, the U.K. is simple, if you are a U.K. national, with citizenship, then you should be a British ordinary resident with no required meant to spend a specific minimum number of days in country per annum, to retain all of your U.K. rights. If you are receiving a U.K. pension, you qualify for the U.K. based S1 system which means you will get U.K. NHS care free when you are in the U.K. and the U.K. will continue to pay for your health care in your EU host country. This possibly why the question of health insurance may not be an issue for U.K. residents in the EU over a certain age.
In Portugal it is not quite so straight forward. When we got residency, we were asked did we intend to settle in Portugal?
Our answer, we have kept our boat in Lagos for many years and would like to continue to, we do not have property in Portugal and do not intend to buy. We hope to continue to commute between the Portugal and the U.K. This answer satisfied.
It is commonly accepted that to retain Portuguese residency, you must spend at least 6 months per annum in the country - has anybody actually seen this written anywhere
When I started to research this, I was told that as a temporary resident, you mustn’t be absent from Portugal for more than 6 months - not the same thing. I was then advised that you had to be in Portugal for at least 4 months per annum. I understand that permanent residents must visit Portugal once every 2 years but there is no days served, requirement. Still trying to get this in writing but not always easy in Portugal and I do not want to ask questions, when I might get the wrong answer
So there you have it, pick over it, challenge and ask questions but I am not getting into fisticuffs?
I will post developments, but not rumour.
Currently working out how to get back to the Covid jab that awaits us.
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