20 Thursday Aug 2020
Posted in Briefs
≈ Comments Off on Tax authorities simplify IRS payments IRS in instalments
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at, instalments, payments, tax
With the Tax and Customs Authority (“AT”) asking taxpayers to remain at home by using digital channels, the process for IRS payments in instalments has been simplified. If you have an outstanding debt of up to €5,000 and do not owe other taxes, it is possible to divide the amount to be paid in a maximum of 12 instalments. However, when the amount owed is above €5,000 or more than 12 instalments are required, the tax authorities still ask for a guarantee.
20 Thursday Aug 2020
Posted in Briefs
≈ Comments Off on Lisbon Airport with 50% of air traffic in August, compared to 2019
During this month of August, at least half of the number of flights registered at Lisbon Airport has resumed according to the data from ANA – Airports. Air traffic has begun to show signs of recovery after the 93.8% drop in the second quarter as compared to the same period in 2019. Due to the pandemic and consequent movement restrictions, the number of passengers fell by 97%. Airports expect to only recover their usual volume of passengers by 2024.
20 Thursday Aug 2020
Posted in Briefs
≈ Comments Off on Hybrid “AL” lets – Q & A
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Question: I have only been able to let my local lodging unit during the high season. There is now a potential tenant who wishes to rent the apartment from October to May. Can I do this by concluding a contract for the period and then move forward with weekly or biweekly lets in the summer season?
Yes, such a hybrid solution is possible. You will need a rental contract, defining the duration of the agreement as well as delimit any other conditions. In essence, this arrangement is compatible with your proposed summer “AL” activity. However, you will not be able to deduct expenses as you would with a conventional long-term lease.
17 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Articles
≈ Comments Off on US Expats: Travelling with your pet
by Suzana Horta Greene
Are you planning to fly with your pet to Portugal? TAP and some other airlines welcome dogs to travel in the cabin or the hold, as long as the owner provides valid documentation and the pet carrier is deemed safe.
Ticket: Regardless of the status of your dog, you must book your ticket with the airline directly (over the phone). You cannot purchase the animal’s ticket separately. If you are travelling with a Service Dog, you will have to provide a completed form from your personal physician that will be emailed to the airline prior to departure subject to approval. (Due to respiratory issues, flat-faced dogs are not permitted to fly).
Veterinary/USDA: You must book an appointment with your vet. They will facilitate the paperwork to be sent overnight to the USDA for approval. You will have to get a money order for USDA payment and include an overnight FedEx return envelope.
Carrier: You must have an airline-approved carrier, regardless of the status of your dog.
Customs: You will have to book an appointment with the custom’s vet in advance of arrival at Lisbon Airport. There will be a €40 fee.
We do not recommend procuring Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or Service Dog (SA) status if you intend to travel only once. The airline may prove difficult. You will have to pay for the certification and physician’s sign-off which is similar to the cost of the pet’s plane ticket.
Service Dog status: As there is no accredited entity that supervises Service Dog certification, this status will not be recognized in the EU. Furthermore, there is no legislation that covers ESA so the airline might still charge for the ticket. That said, you can always travel with your dog in the cabin (if the dog falls under the airline weight limit).
Note: To be able to have the dog travel outside of the carrier, it must have the appropriate training (be able to remain calm for the duration of the travel – no barking, no peeing, etc).
Covid-19 restrictions
Currently, US nationals are not able to travel to Portugal simply on a US passport. If you are able to procure an exemption, you will not be allowed to travel with a pet in the hold (in-cabin only, in accordance with weight restrictions). Once the present travel ban is lifted, so will these limitations. If your pet is over the weight limit, it can be transported in the hold.
Advice on pet well-being
Suzana Horta Greene is a dual US/PT national and flies frequently with her dog.
17 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Articles
≈ Comments Off on US Expats: Tax basics when living abroad
Tax planning is an essential part of preparing to move abroad. You will continue to have reporting obligations and possible tax liabilities in the States based on your US nationality, in addition to the new requirements founded on fiscal residency in Portugal. As always, the IRS applies harsh penalties for non-compliance. The following is an overview of some of the basics for expats on federal and state taxes as well as estimated payments, penalties and interest. Fortunately, there is a bilateral tax treaty designed to protect you from double taxation. The accord can be used to mitigate or even eliminate assessment in the States while taking advantage of Portugal’s most favorable tax breaks,
Filing a Federal US Tax Return
All US citizens are required to complete an annual return when they live overseas. Other reporting requirements apply to US nationals as well, including FBAR (Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) and FATCA (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), that are triggered by meeting thresholds in foreign bank accounts and asset holdings.
Filing a State Tax Return
State income tax can also be a problem. Whether you need to file a state tax return depends on the last state where you lived. Some states have more complex residency rules than others, which means that these states may continue to consider you as a resident if in the state you own a property, possess a driver’s license, have bank accounts or an investment portfolio, are a registered voter, keep a mailing address, or have dependents who live in that state.
If you meet these criteria, you may need to submit a state tax return and pay state taxes even if you were absent during the fiscal year. Four of the more sticky states are California, New Mexico, South Carolina and Virginia. On the other hand, seven states charge no state tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington State and Wyoming.
Most of the other states only require a state tax return when you were actually present in that state during the tax year. If you were, income tax is only due on earnings within the state. Because of the variability in different state requirements, you should confirm your own individual circumstances.
Closing or moving bank accounts, selling a property or changing your driver’s license to another state be steps that can help to sever the ties in your former state of residence.
Estimated Tax Payments
The IRS requires taxpayers to make quarterly estimated tax payments if the following conditions apply:
If you must make estimated payments, the reporting schedule is as follows:
Payment Period Due Date
January 1 – March 31 April 15, 2019
April 1 – May 31 June 17, 2019
June 1 – August 31 September 16, 2019
September 1 – December 31 January 15, 2020
You will not have to make the 4th quarter payment if you file by January 31 and pay the outstanding balance with your tax return.
Penalties
Two types of sanctions can be charged against expats who fail to pay their estimated taxes: “failure-to-pay” and “failure-to-file”. Submitting your federal tax return after the extended deadline can lead to a punitive “failure-to-file” penalty: 5% each month on the unpaid balance.
This charge is ten times the “failure-to-pay” fine. However, penalties are not allowed to exceed 25% of your total tax bill. If you are unable to pay all your taxes when due, reporting by the deadline is always preferable.
The “failure-to-pay” penalty is less severe: 0.5% monthly of the unpaid balance. “Failure-to-pay” fines begin to accrue on the day after the assessment is due. If you owe both penalties in one month, the maximum cumulative penalty in any given month is capped at 5%.
On the positive side, taxpayers living abroad get an automatic two-month filing extension. Nevertheless, keep in mind that a filing extension is not an extension on paying outstanding taxes.
