Capital Gains Tax Advice for Expatriates

Where Will You Pay Capital Gains Tax?

Some countries, such as Monaco, do not have any capital gains tax.

France, Spain and Portugal charge tax when you sell real estate and investments for a profit.

Cyprus and Malta only tax gains made on local real estate.

You don’t need to be resident in a country to be liable for tax. For example, if you sell a Spanish property at a gain, you’ll be liable to Spanish tax, whether you’re resident there or not.

You can also be taxed on gains from assets located outside your country of residence. If you’re a French resident, say, you’ll pay capital gains tax on any property sold outside of France, even if you bought it long before you moved there.

Selling UK Property

Even if you’re living in Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus or Malta, you may now have to pay UK capital gains tax when you sell a British residential property.

Since the ‘Non-Resident Capital Gains Tax’ (NRCGT) rules were introduced, non-residents are now liable to tax when selling a residential UK property. However, this will only apply to gains made from April 2015.

If you’re resident overseas, your UK shares and other assets may still be tax-free in Britain, so long as you’ve been non-UK resident for long enough.

The double tax treaty between the UK and most European countries means you shouldn’t pay the full level of tax twice on the same property or asset. Generally, you’ll receive a credit for any tax paid on real estate in your resident country and in the UK for other assets.

How We Can Help You Minimise Capital Gains Tax

Blevins Franks can advise you on capital gains tax rates and planning. There are steps you can take to avoid or mitigate this tax, particularly for your investments.

If you’re leaving the UK to move abroad or returning after living overseas, it’s important to seek advice before you move. That way you can establish the best time to sell assets to limit the tax you’ll pay on any gain. You could, for example, save a substantial amount of tax just by waiting until you’re resident in one country rather than another before buying or selling property.

We want people to be able to easily access and understand the information we provide, so if you need further help to access information on this website or key documents in a different format or setting, please contact us via your Blevins Franks adviser, by email via [email protected] or by phone on +44 (0)20 7389 8133.

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