Contracting from Spain

[oliverson]

Me again. I can't seem to get this bee out of my bonnet and the situation has changed since the last post.

I'm currently on a contract between my UK Ltd and my UK client, usual kind of stuff, except I now work from home 3 days a week and at the client site 2 days a week. This opens up a whole lot of opportunity to work from the Spanish place, though the tax implications worry me. Also, I'm not getting any younger and neither is the missus. I find myself living/funding/maintaining 3 properties. It's madness and I need to simplify things, i.e. sell the UK home and move to Spain. Move out of the London apartment and into a hotel for the 1 or 2 nights I'm there. It's no more difficult or expensive flying from Malaga to London and back than it is the North of England to London and back on the train.

There seems like a LOT of work on the current gig so I could be there a while hopefully. When it ends I have my eyes set on a technology park in Malaga that houses some 650 companies and is only 20 mins from my place, although contracting isn't big out there (and neither are the rates!). I guess I'd have to do this as an 'autonomo' or something.

Of course, yesterdays triggering of Article 50 clouds the issue even more.

Guess I just need to grow a couple of balls and just do it and see where it goes. We have no kids or family ties to speak of anymore and I'm growing disillusioned with the UK.

[doconline]

Me again. I can't seem to get this bee out of my bonnet and the situation has changed since the last post.

I'm currently on a contract between my UK Ltd and my UK client, usual kind of stuff, except I now work from home 3 days a week and at the client site 2 days a week. This opens up a whole lot of opportunity to work from the Spanish place, though the tax implications worry me. Also, I'm not getting any younger and neither is the missus. I find myself living/funding/maintaining 3 properties. It's madness and I need to simplify things, i.e. sell the UK home and move to Spain. Move out of the London apartment and into a hotel for the 1 or 2 nights I'm there. It's no more difficult or expensive flying from Malaga to London and back than it is the North of England to London and back on the train.

There seems like a LOT of work on the current gig so I could be there a while hopefully. When it ends I have my eyes set on a technology park in Malaga that houses some 650 companies and is only 20 mins from my place, although contracting isn't big out there (and neither are the rates!). I guess I'd have to do this as an 'autonomo' or something.

Of course, yesterdays triggering of Article 50 clouds the issue even more.

Guess I just need to grow a couple of balls and just do it and see where it goes. We have no kids or family ties to speak of anymore and I'm growing disillusioned with the UK.

Best thing really is to be speak to a Spanish accountant. If you already have a place over there, do you not have a fiscal representative for sorting out your SUMA and other property related stuff or do you do this yourself? Sounds like you need to simplify a bit and if you get the opportunity to live in Spain full time with a couple of days a week here I would say go for it. Quality of life will be much better there, just a bit tiring with the weekly commute, but the sunshine and cheap cost of living will help.

I think your setup with your limited company will stay the same whilst you are contracting to the UK based client, but you will need to work out the most tax efficient way to get your money out. May well not be with dividends, the Spanish accountant will help here.

Also, I wouldn't worry about Brexit too much. If you are a high earning individual like most contractors are and have the right private insurances in place and pay your taxes, I'm sure the Spanish government will welcome you with open arms.

I would say definitely go for it though. Life is too short. Do you want to get old and look back and think what if?