White houses and blue sky
Mojacar, Almeria

Legal and Tax Updates

For all those of you out there who declare the interest on your savings in the UK.- heave a sigh of relief. Banks and the Tax Authority are talking. We are seeing cases where queries about interest declared on savings in the UK are being taken up with UK banks by the Spanish Tax Authority. It might feel a little like Big Brother but for those doing the right thing there's no need to worry. For everyone else the Tax Authority is watching you. For more information about banks and information sharing read our article on the website.

Loose women talk

Are you an auditory learner? Do you like listening to information rather than reading it? Or perhaps you like to fill up your boring car journeys with the chance to catch up and learn new things?

Then why not listen to some loose women talk. I'm afraid it's not the Loose Women but Caroline Clinton and Suzanne O'Connell from Ábaco do have a light-hearted discussion with a serious message - non-resident property tax. Listen to the 'Spain Explained' podcast. The first one in a new series to help you understand and enjoy Spain a little more. It's only 10 minutes long so why not give it a try?

From the horses mouth

How is the Spanish economy doing? The answer seems to depend upon what you read. One source suggests it's on the verge of bankruptcy and the peseta is on its way back. Another source, that finances are stabilising and the future looks good.

Perhaps the best solution is to take it from the horses mouth. In this case the Spanish government. There is a new website - in English thespanisheconomy.gob.es which provides information, including facts and figures, about the Spanish economy. If you want to hear what they have to say for themselves it's a very good way of doing it.

Making a will

It's not an easy subject to discuss. However, making a will and planning a funeral are incredibly important actions to take if you want to leave your house in order for your nearest and dearest.

There are differences here in Spain that you need to be aware of. For example, if you don't make a will and have a joint bank account, when your partner dies the account can be frozen.

There is an article on our website that answers your most frequently asked questions about making a will in Spain.

To access the article click here.

Bring a smile…

It's not all depressing news. A recent survey by HSBC of expat lifestyle in 14 countries has found that Spain comes out top for the health and well-being of expat children.

Children in Spain spend less time watching television and playing video games(48% v. 21%) than in their home country. Children in Spain are also the least likely to eat junk food on a regular basis.

At the bottom of the health and well-being table? The UK. Three out of four expat children in the UK spend less time out of doors than they did in their home country. Perhaps the weather has something to do with it? For more information about the survey click here.

Gossip on the forums

What the word is on the streets

Do you like optical illusions? If you do, we think you'll like this. Follow this link to Eye on Spain and see how quickly you can find the man in the coffee beans: eyeonspain.com

We'd like to know how long it took our clients.

More than one minute

Less than one minute

Click here to let us know your time.

Los Genoveses Beach in
Cabo de Gata Natural Park, Almeria