GUIDES

Portugal has become an increasingly popular destination for Americans looking to relocate, captivated by its affordable lifestyle, breathtaking landscapes, and inviting climate. Whether you’re considering retirement, a slower pace of life, or a fresh start, Portugal has much to offer. Families with children will especially appreciate the country’s strong emphasis on education, family-friendly communities, and a high level of safety. However, thorough planning is crucial before...

Are you dreaming of owning a holiday home in Portugal? Our comprehensive 2024 guide covers everything you need to know, from choosing the perfect region to navigating legal steps like due diligence and contracts. Learn about taxes, rental licenses, and the role of agents to make an informed purchase. Whether you're looking for a beachfront property or a countryside retreat, this guide offers essential tips to avoid common pitfalls.

Our view on the ongoing debate on whether expat immigration is good or bad to Portugal and how should we all go about it.

Under 35 and buying your first home in Portugal? You may qualify for a new state guarantee that covers 15% of your mortgage. Discover how to take advantage of this opportunity!

During 2023, we filed approximately 500 tax returns for expats in Portugal at FRESH, over half of them for Americans and about 100 tax returns in the US, for the first time. That is about 10 times more than the second largest firm dealing with expats, so the volume of our filings and the fact that we deal with almost every possible scenario (including UN workers, seafarers, pilots and other interesting cases), gives us unique and interesting insights.

Portugal is a popular destination for many expats who choose to come and invest in it. In recent years, the immigration to Portugal increased and the infrastructure supporting expats has improved considerably. Portugal has high quality international schools, excellent private medicine in affordable prices and great quality of living.

One of the most challenging decisions we made at FRESH was to refrain from offering free consultations before engaging our services. We understand the concern about paying for a consultation and not receiving value, especially if previous paid consultations elsewhere were disappointing. However, we have chosen not to offer free consultations.

In a very important decision, Portugal's top tax court rules that NHR cannot be denied due to missed deadline

We wanted to write a few words to summarise the 2023 tax season.

Portugal, known for its sunny weather, charming lifestyle, security, and great hospitality, has evolved into an attractive destination not only for retirees but also for young professionals and families. This guide covers all the visa types available for those considering making Portugal their new home.

Obtaining a Portuguese passport, which is ranked as the 4th strongest in Europe and offers visa-free access to 191 countries, is relatively straightforward through various pathways such as descent, naturalization, marriage, or residency. The process involves determining eligibility, gathering necessary documentation, and submitting an application either physically or online.

The Portuguese government has announced the closure of the "Expression of Interest" route and introduced a 41-point plan to address immigration backlogs. Key measures include establishing a new immigration court and launching a revised Golden Visa to support vulnerable migrants. Additionally, the administrative court's recent decision may hold the heads of the new immigration agency, AIMA, personally accountable for not meeting statutory deadlines.

The Portuguese government has announced a comprehensive tax reduction plan aimed at young people under the age of 35. This initiative, part of the broader "You Have a Future in Portugal" plan, seeks to alleviate the financial burden on young professionals and incentivize their economic participation.

As the premier tax consultancy in Portugal, we come across many people who completely misunderstand what tax planning (and tax consultancy) is and how does it work. Whilst we have no ambition to change everyone's opinion, we do feel that it is time for us to clearly and concisely explain what tax planning (and tax advice) is and advocate for its incredible value.

The legal framework for remote work in Portugal requires careful navigation, especially around tax laws and social security contributions, with strategies like setting up companies or using simplified tax regimes to mitigate potential issues.

The article summarises the 7 categories of people who can still apply for NHR if they move to Portugal in 2024

This comprehensive guide provides essential insights for expatriates considering relocating to Portugal, particularly focusing on the taxation implications and benefits under different programs like the NHR and TISRI. With a significant increase in immigration, Portugal offers a welcoming environment complete with English-speaking schools and affordable private healthcare. The guide outlines the criteria for tax residency, the impact of double taxation treaties...

As it’s reporting season, a lot of questions recently on NHR and how is it applied to different types of income.

A lot of confusion arises from the definition of "Foreign sourced income" and "Portuguese-sourced income".

One of the most important tools in the toolbox of the tax advisor is identifying income from intellectual property. Tax planning that takes advantage of intellectual property is very common at big corporate level, but unfortunately, rarely utilised when it comes to individual taxpayers due to the niche expertise needed in both tax and intellectual property.

The day has arrived and our much anticipated tax calculator for expats is finally up and running. Our tax calculator is the first product to estimate taxes for expats under the NHR scheme. There is nothing quite like it.

One of the side effects of the large rise of Americans moving to Portugal is also the considerable use of unique US structures.
We have already written about the treatment of US LLCs in Portugal and it is now time to say a few words about S...

One of the most frustrating revelations for people moving to other countries is the fact that the employment relationship that they have can rarely continue as such.

Fresh Portugal's primary focus is optimising the benefits awarded by the NHR regime to expats coming to Portugal.
However, the NHR benefits are subject to a harsh deadline imposed by the tax authorities in Portugal.

The tax filing season will shortly start.

While living in Portugal as a British expat can be an attractive proposition due to the tax-friendly environment offered by Portugal's Non-Habitual Residence (NHR) regime, the taxation of dividends from UK companies can be more complex than initially anticipated...

Portugal, like many other countries, has a requirement for individuals to file an annual tax return and classify their income.

The tax season is over now and as the leader in filing expat tax returns, we plan to soon publish some of our insights.

As the tax payment deadline approaches, it's essential to explore the available payment methods. Instead of paying the full amount upfront, you can opt to request an installment plan from the Tax Administration. Your request will be reviewed and decided upon. This online request can be initiated through your Finances Portal. If your IRS debt is under €5,000, follow these steps:

Thank you for choosing Fresh.
For consultation meetings, we recommend spending some time reading the articles on this website and reading about tax in Portugal.

Below is the current list (as of July 2020) of high value activities applicable for a preferential tax rate for employed and self-employed under the NHR regime:

Preferential treatment for newcomers
Portugal is a wonderful country that offers a lot to its residents. The political climate is stable and the economy is gradually evolving into a modern economy.

If you ask most people what’s their favourite thing in the world, most would probably choose their spouses, children, the seaside or romantic sunsets.
These are the sort of things that people like to think about and when people are coming to Portugal, they definitely get...

We often write about the NHR regime.
One of the peculiarities of the NHR regime and what makes it so complicated is that the exemption from taxation in Portugal of foreign-sourced income depends on whether a person who generates income in a country other than...

We are often asked by people we advise who are under the NHR scheme whether capital gains would be taxable in Portugal.

To get a NIF, you need the following documents (in a Latin language or with a certified translation):

US LLCs are one of the most common and attractive tax planning structures in Portugal and particularly for benefiting from the NHR scheme.

Since Portugal does not tax dividend income and potentially other distributions under the NHR regime so long as it could be taxed in the other country (which is normally the case), it has been attractive for people benefitting from this regime to trade via foreign companies and extract distributions, as an alternative to incurring employment or self-employment income which is both taxed in Portugal and is subject to the list of high value professions.

Many people who are used to operating as employees or self-employed are sometimes worried about trading via a company, such as an LLC.

Portugal offers a lot of wonderful things - great weather, beaches, food, safety, golf, friendly culture, relaxed pace of life. Portugal has always been high on the list of choices of places to retire to, but in recent years, Portugal also became one of the trendiest place for many groups - digital nomads, remote workers, surfers, young families. Most recently, it was discovered by Americans who are moving to Portugal in masses.

Fresh Portugal, a Portuguese desk of an international law group specialising in taxation, has announced registration for early access to FreshReturns, a tax return product designed specifically for expats benefiting from the NHR scheme.

The Portuguese passport ranks among the world's most coveted travel documents, securing the 4th position in Europe on the Henley and Partners Index. With visa-free access to 191 countries and regions, including the Schengen Area, it's a gateway to unparalleled global mobility. While many view it as a natural progression from obtaining the Portuguese golden visa, multiple pathways lead to acquiring this prestigious document.

Tax residency is a crucial consideration for individuals who move to a new country, as it determines which country has the right to tax their worldwide income. Portugal has become an increasingly popular destination for expatriates. Yet, the question of "when does a tax residency start actually start?" remains nuanced and...

In an interview with CNN Portugal, the prime minister of Portugal Antonio Costa had announced that the NHR scheme "no longer makes sense" and will "end in 2024".
This raises many questions to people who are in Portugal, are planning to move to Portugal or are already in the...

The government has now announced its intention to introduce a transition scheme whereby people who indicated their intention to move to Portugal during 2023 in one of 6 ways will be allowed to apply for NHR in 2024. The proposed amendment is full of holes and excludes many people who clearly has such an intention whilst potentially opening the door for people with very little link to Portugal to still apply.

The transitional regime proposed by the government has been approved. The final text of the approved budget has still not been published but we don't know of any changes in the transitional regime. The underlying idea is that people who were "planning their move to Portugal" in 2023 will still be able to move in 2024 and obtain NHR...

There has been an assumption that an incentive for "Portuguese returning home" (or legally accurately, people who lived before in Portugal returning to Portugal after more than 5 years) that provides a 50% discount on income taxes from work for 5 years will be offered to people who never lived in Portugal...

The approval of the budget in Portugal confirms that the NHR scheme will end for new applicants. The final version of the law is yet to be published. The budget also introduced a transitional scheme allowing people who started moving to Portugal in 2023 to apply for NHR in 2024.

As we previously anticipated, other countries are quick to take notice of Portugal's well-advertised decision to close the NHR program to new applicants.

What is the Beckham Law? 
This is a special tax regime applicable to individuals moving to Spain under which they may be taxed as non-residents. 

The Golden Visa is an investor visa program that offers opportunities for foreign citizens to obtain residency in Portugal through specific investments. One of the investment criteria some countries offer is cultural investment, involving the allocation of funds to activities related to culture, art, and heritage. Cultural investment through the Golden Visa typically requires the applicant to invest in cultural projects approved by the government of the respective country...

The tax filing season will shortly start.
At Fresh Portugal, we file more tax returns for expats than any other company in Portugal...

As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive information for international relocation, we would like to share insights into the D7 and D8 Visas, which are relevant for those considering residency in Portugal.

Question we received:
"My employer is in the US and I receive W2 income (employment income) from that employer. Where do I pay tax?"

People often don't understand why tax work costs what it does, whilst in other fields, lawyers often provide a free consultation. This article explains some of it.

It is no secret that here in FRESH we have been advocates of Madeira island for a long time. 
Even after a considerable rise in property prices that outpaces most of mainland Portugal, we continue to believe that Madeira is a great investment and this is for a mixture of reasons, including taxation.

Those who were in this group at the end of last year have had the chance to witness hundreds of families desperately looking for advice on how to beat the clock and arrive to Portugal, still enjoying the NHR tax benefits.

Moving to another country can be a daunting process. This Definitive Guide is here to help you better understand your move to Portugal from the UK.

Taxation on trusts can be a difficult landscape to navigate, especially in a jurisdiction which lacks well established legal principles on the matter. Here, we lay down the facts on how trusts are treated in Portugal.

Investing in property can lead to significant tax consequences, depending on individual circumstances. This article provides an overview as to what to expect when investing individually or through a company.

With the rise of digital nomadism, more people who come to Portugal have income from intellectual property, and particularly from royalties. Here we review the taxation in Portugal of such income

Making a Portuguese will is extremely important whether you have properties or other assets in Portugal. This will ensure that your assets go to the people you choose, respecting your wishes and their interests, with much less cost and greater speed.

NHR is going away, but the Portuguese government introduced a new tax incentive - TISRI. In this guide we review this new tax incentive in detail.

As you will see below, the main issue with filing a tax return is not the form. The hard part is classifying the income. It is not always obvious or easy to understand what a certain type of income is and therefore we provide some guidance below.