Contract for Training and Learning

Today we will learn more things about a form of contract which is gaining popularity in many sectors and companies that need to hire workers. This is the contract for Training and Learning (Contrato para la formación y el aprendizaje).

Spanish exports hit record highs last year

Spanish exports hit record levels last year, which helped reduce the trade deficit to its lowest recorded level, the government said Friday.

Overseas shipments in 2013 climbed 5.2 percent from a year earlier to 234.239 billion euros, the highest level since records began in 1971, the secretary of state for trade, Jaime García-Legaz, told a news conference. Imports declined 1.3 percent to 250.195 billion euros as domestic demand remained weak. As a result, the trade deficit narrowed 48.1 percent to 15.955 billion euros.

Are the utility bills deductible if you work from home?

One of the most common questions asked by our clients, self employed people or limited companies, who work from home is if it is possible to deduce through  the accounting activity costs such as electricity, water bill ... While we have already discussed this in the past, today we bring other solutions following recent consultations with the administration .

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SELF-EMPLOYED SUGGESTS CHANGES TO GOVERNMENT

The National Federation of Self-employed Workers (ATA ) has suggested several measures to get applied on the forthcoming tax reform. These have been studied in a meeting between the president of ATA and the Tax Office Minister, Cristobal Montoro.

The main proposals suggested are :

- Professionals retentions (withholdings): Right now the general rate for professionals during 2014 is 21% and the proposal is to be progressive , as it must not equal to retain  21% having low incomes than for higher incomes levels.

CAN I WORK AND COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AT THE SAME TIME?

The Law regulating the unemployment benefits has suffered over the past year a number of changes to make it more flexible. There are several situations in which a person can perform paid work for others or as self-employed without losing the right to receive the benefit.

So far, the provision was compatible with part-time work; however, there are other circumstances in which it is possible to perceive the unemployment benefits while an activity is performed.

CONVEYANCING: TAX RESIDENT IN SPAIN SELLING A PROPERTY

Last week we were checking about the process for a Non Resident tax payer of selling the property owned in Spain, and today we will be checking the case of a Spanish tax payer seling a property.

The main tax involved will be the capital gains tax to be declared in the Annual Income tax. First of all, it is needed to know (in a similar way as it was happening for the Non Resident case) if there was any gain or  loss.  And for doing this we need to compare the updated acquisition price with the selling price.

A new change on the electricity invoicing system

Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria , has reported that the new pricing mechanism for electricity consumers can choose which companies will deliver for a year or to be billed in by price per hour.

The minister explained that this system will be fixed after getting applied the temporary one approved for the first quarter after the auction last December, as is set aside and considered necessary to introduce new billing mechanisms.

CONVEYANCING: NON RESIDENT SELLING A PROPERTY IN SPAIN

At this moment, many people are thinking in Selling their property in Spain and coming back to their country or to face the purchase of another holiday home. Today we are knowing more about the process and costs involved in the selling of a house.

Thinking on the mainly taxes and costs, the fiscal law for Non Residents sellers obliges the buyers to keep the 3% retention of the selling price to pay it to the tax office in behalf of the sellers as an advanced payment of the Capital gains tax.

Switzerland votes to restrict the entry of citizens of other countries

The Switzerland have decided in a referendum back to limit the entry of citizens of countries of the European Union  to its labor market , through the setting of annual quotas to be implemented within three years.

The official results of all Swiss - with cantons exception of Zurich, where he is completing the scrutiny of a final district can not change the final result- indicate that the initiative " Against mass migration " has been accepted for 50.4 % of votes.
 Given by the far-right party , the Democratic Union of the Centre ( UDC ), also restores the principle of preference for domestic versus foreign worker , which was abolished for all workers from any of the countries of the European Union .

Step back on increasement of Social Security quotas for civil companies members

Some good news as the Social Security states that self-employed administrators and partners of civil companies (including named as SC and CB) are not subject to any quota increase . This was a point that on the last days has been discused a lot due to the change on the Social Security Payments increase that are affecting the administrators of capitalist companies.