{"id":6000,"date":"2026-05-27T07:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T07:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/?page_id=6000"},"modified":"2026-05-27T07:21:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T07:21:21","slug":"international-tax-structuring-of-real-estate-operations-for-foreigners","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/real-estate\/international-tax-structuring-of-real-estate-operations-for-foreigners\/","title":{"rendered":"International Tax Structuring of Real Estate Operations for Foreigners"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>Real estate<\/div>\n<h1>International Tax Structuring of Real Estate Operations for Foreigners<\/h1>\n<div>\n<p>Buying, holding or disposing of an Italian property from abroad may expose the investor to two tax systems at the same time: the Italian one, where the property is located, and the one of the country of residence, generally based on worldwide taxation of income. This overlap creates three concrete risks: potential <strong>double taxation<\/strong> on the same income when both systems claim the right to tax the same base; <strong>Italian filing obligations<\/strong> that are often ignored until an audit or a subsequent resale brings them to light; <strong>structural choices<\/strong> that become costly because they were not planned before the purchase.<\/p>\n<p>The service is intended for foreign individuals and companies that are not resident in Italy: HNWI investors with a single property or a portfolio under construction, international family offices with residential interests in the country, corporate buyers that consider Italian real estate as part of an asset allocation strategy. The problem to be solved is not the filing of a single tax, but the consistency of the entire <strong>fiscal architecture<\/strong> with the operation the client wants to carry out and with the time horizon over which it will be held.<\/p>\n<p>The approach of Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti integrates legal and tax expertise, and goes beyond pure tax advisory. We have been working for years with <strong>cross-border ownership structures<\/strong> and with the recurring tax compliance of non-resident owners, in coordination with the broader <strong>IVI Italy Visa Investments<\/strong> platform dedicated to international investors in Italy. The page that follows describes the four main fiscal areas: <strong>acquisition taxes<\/strong>, <strong>local taxes<\/strong>, <strong>rental income<\/strong> and <strong>exit capital gains<\/strong>; and addresses the structural choices, from individual ownership to a foreign holding, that change the entire fiscal profile of the operation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/investments.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<h2>Property acquisition taxes in Italy for foreign buyers<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>At closing, the foreign buyer pays three indirect taxes that together define the fiscal cost of the operation: the <strong>registration tax<\/strong>, the <strong>mortgage tax<\/strong> and the <strong>cadastral tax<\/strong>. The amount of these items varies significantly depending on who the seller is and on the nature of the property. If the seller is a private party, the registration tax regime applies, computed in standard form on the cadastral value of the property and not on the agreed price; mortgage and cadastral taxes are due in a fixed amount. If the seller is a developer or a company that disposes of a property within five years from completion of the works, the operation falls within the scope of <strong>VAT<\/strong>, with different rates that apply to the sale price rather than to the cadastral value, and with an overall effect on the cost of the purchase that is appreciably different.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>For a non-resident buying property in Italy as a second home or as an investment, the registration tax rate is the standard one, currently set at<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>nine per cent<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>of the cadastral value. The<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>prima casa relief<\/strong>, which lowers the rate to<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>two per cent<\/strong>, may be accessible to the foreign buyer subject to the subjective and objective requirements provided for by the relief regime: the transfer of residence to the municipality where the property is located within eighteen months of the deed, the absence of other relieved properties in Italy, and the further conditions set by current legislation. When these conditions are not compatible with the client&#8217;s life project, because tax residence remains abroad or the property is intended for rental, the applicable regime is the standard one, and it must be calculated from the outset in the overall budget of the operation. Verifying the conditions for access to the relief at the preliminary contract stage avoids tax recoveries after closing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Buying from a private seller: registration tax and rates for non-residents<\/h3>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>When the seller is a private party and the property does not qualify as\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>, the\u00a0<strong>registration tax for the non-resident buyer<\/strong>\u00a0is\u00a0<strong>nine per cent<\/strong>\u00a0calculated on the cadastral value, not on the sale price. This is the consequence of the so-called\u00a0<em>prezzo-valore<\/em>\u00a0system, which allows the tax to be applied on the cadastral revenue revalued through statutory coefficients rather than on the consideration declared in the deed. The advantage for the buyer is that the taxable base is generally significantly lower than the actual price, with appreciable tax savings especially in transactions in major cities, where the gap between cadastral value and market price is wider.<\/p>\n<p>To this tax are added mortgage tax and cadastral tax, due in a fixed amount of fifty euro each. The difference compared to a buyer purchasing under Italian tax residence concerns essentially the access to the\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>\u00a0relief mentioned above, and not the calculation mechanism of the standard tax.<\/p>\n<p>For foreign buyers without an existing\u00a0<strong>Italian tax code<\/strong>, the procedure provides for the issuance of the\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0before closing: without a tax code it is not possible to sign any public deed nor to comply with subsequent filing obligations. The issuance of the\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0is therefore an operational step to be completed in advance, and not a detail to be deferred to the notary on the day of the deed. The\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0is then needed to pay the registration tax through the notary at closing, to settle the annual IMU, to file the Italian income tax return if the property is leased and, in time, to declare the capital gain at resale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Buying from a developer: VAT rules and luxury property<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>When the seller is a developer or a company that disposes of a property within five years from completion of the works,\u00a0<strong>VAT<\/strong>\u00a0applies in lieu of registration tax. The rate is\u00a0<strong>ten per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on the sale price for ordinary residential properties, and\u00a0<strong>twenty-two per cent<\/strong>\u00a0for units belonging to cadastral categories A\/1 (high-end dwellings), A\/8 (villas) and A\/9 (castles and palaces of historical or artistic value). Registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes, in this scenario, are due only in a fixed amount of\u00a0<strong>\u20ac200<\/strong>\u00a0each, because they operate on a residual basis with respect to VAT.<\/p>\n<p>The practical effect for those who buy directly from the developer is significant: the tax is calculated on the actual sale price and not on the cadastral value, so the overall cost of the operation changes appreciably compared to a purchase from a private seller. On a high-end property in major cities, the differential between purchase from a private party and purchase from a developer can translate into tens of thousands of euro of additional taxes, which must be foreseen in the acquisition budget and not discovered at closing. The five-year limit from construction is the key dividing line: beyond this term, even if the seller is a construction company, the sale falls back into the registration tax regime, save for the VAT election option.<\/p>\n<p>For those evaluating a purchase from a developer, in particular in off-plan operations on properties under construction, the preliminary simulation of the tax burden, before signing the preliminary contract, is a check worth carrying out carefully, because it affects the expected return on the investment and the choice of the acquisition structure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[sign-in]<\/p>\n<h2>Annual property taxes in Italy for non-residents<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Once the property has been acquired, the foreign owner enters the\u00a0<strong>recurring property tax Italy<\/strong>\u00a0regime, dominated by\u00a0<strong>IMU<\/strong>\u00a0(Imposta Municipale Unica) and by local taxes on waste and services.\u00a0<strong>IMU Italy<\/strong>\u00a0is due on virtually all property categories for those residing abroad, because the non-resident foreigner does not have access, save for exceptions, to the\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>\u00a0exemption reserved for residents. The most delicate point for the non-resident owner is operational: Italian municipalities as a rule do not send payment notices or pre-filled bills to the foreign address, and the tax must be self-assessed and paid by the taxpayer within statutory deadlines, in two annual instalments (advance payment in June and balance in December). Those who live abroad and receive no direct communication from the municipality risk accumulating missed payments, with penalties and interest accruing automatically.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>IMU rate<\/strong>\u00a0is not uniform across the country: each municipality determines it annually by its own resolution, within the framework set by national legislation, and the effective rate varies significantly from city to city and sometimes from district to district. The annual monitoring of municipal resolutions is therefore a normal component of the management of an Italian property for the non-resident owner subject to IMU, and not a negligible administrative detail.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside IMU, the owner is liable for\u00a0<strong>TARI<\/strong>, the waste tax, which affects those who hold or occupy the property and follows calculation logics specific to the relevant municipality, based on the square meters of the unit and on the size of the household resident there. For those who live abroad, TARI is due even if the property remains empty for part of the year, although some municipalities provide for reductions for properties kept available and not stably occupied. The efficient management of IMU and TARI requires a local administrative point of reference: either a domiciliatary in Italy who receives communications and follows deadlines, or a dedicated service that monitors resolutions and obligations on behalf of the non-resident owner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/documenti.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Rental income taxation for non-resident foreign owners<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Those who lease an Italian property while residing abroad have two main options for the taxation of the rents collected:\u00a0<strong>ordinary IRPEF<\/strong>, with progressive rates applied to the taxable income from the lease, and\u00a0<strong>cedolare secca<\/strong>, a substitute flat tax regime that the taxpayer may elect upon registration of the contract.\u00a0<em>Cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0provides for two rates:\u00a0<strong>twenty-one per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on open-market leases, and\u00a0<strong>ten per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on agreed-rent contracts, that is contracts entered into pursuant to territorial agreements between owners&#8217; and tenants&#8217; associations in those municipalities that provide for them.\u00a0<em>Cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0exempts the taxpayer from the registration tax on the contract, from stamp duty and from the ISTAT inflation adjustment of the rent, but entails the waiver of such annual increases for the duration of the regime.<\/p>\n<p>The choice between ordinary IRPEF and cedolare depends essentially on the marginal rate applicable to the taxpayer on the aggregate of his Italian income: for those with no other taxable income in Italy beyond the lease, progressive IRPEF may, in some cases, prove more fiscally efficient than cedolare; for those with additional Italian income placing them in higher brackets, cedolare at twenty-one per cent becomes the more efficient regime.<\/p>\n<p>The presence of a\u00a0<strong>double taxation treaty<\/strong>\u00a0between Italy and the investor&#8217;s country of residence introduces a further variable: the treaty, as a rule, leaves Italy the right to tax real estate income as income from property situated in Italy, but allows the country of residence to tax the same income while granting a\u00a0<strong>foreign tax credit<\/strong>\u00a0for what has already been paid in Italy. The calculation of the overall tax burden must therefore be made on both sides. For investors with portfolios articulated over several properties, individual ownership with\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0may not be the most efficient structure: the corporate option, which we describe below, allows the deductibility of costs and a more professional management, against higher compliance and governance costs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/anno.png\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Capital gains tax and exit planning for foreign investors<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>capital gains tax<\/strong>, upon resale, is one of the items most frequently underestimated by foreign investors, and one of those that best illustrates why fiscal planning must precede and not follow the acquisition. The basic rule, contained in article 67 of the Italian Income Tax Code, is that capital gains realized on the sale of a property within five years from the acquisition are subject to taxation as other income. The taxpayer, including non-residents, may elect at the deed for a\u00a0<strong>substitute tax of twenty-six per cent<\/strong>\u00a0applied to the capital gain, computed as the difference between the sale price and the purchase price, increased by documented acquisition costs and any costs of works on the property. Alternatively, the capital gain contributes to the formation of the IRPEF aggregate income with progressive rates, an option that becomes disadvantageous when the taxpayer falls in the higher brackets.<\/p>\n<p>There are two relevant exemptions that close the door to taxation: the first concerns properties used as primary residence by the seller or by a member of his family for the greater part of the holding period; the second concerns properties received by inheritance, which fall outside the scope of capital gains taxation regardless of the time elapsed. After five years from the acquisition, the sale exits the scope of application of the capital gains tax in any event, save for specific cases provided for by law.<\/p>\n<p>The operational point we wish to underline is that\u00a0<strong>exit planning<\/strong>\u00a0must be set before the acquisition and not at the time of the disposal. The acquisition structure, the holding horizon, the documentation of capitalizable costs and the choice of fiscal residence have a decisive impact on the final\u00a0<strong>capital gains tax Italy property<\/strong>\u00a0liability. Decisions taken after the fact, in view of an imminent sale, have very limited margins for optimization. Planning beforehand means designing the operation in line with the expected exit, and not only with the entry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[album]<\/p>\n<h2>Ownership structures for Italian real estate investments<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>The choice of the\u00a0<strong>acquisition structure<\/strong>\u00a0is the first strategic crossroads for the foreign investor, and produces consequences on all the taxes described so far: acquisition taxes, IMU, rental income, capital gains on resale, succession taxation. The three main configurations are\u00a0<strong>direct individual ownership<\/strong>, acquisition through an\u00a0<strong>Italian SRL<\/strong>\u00a0and acquisition through a\u00a0<strong>foreign holding company<\/strong>. Acquisition as an individual is the simplest solution to set up and maintain: administrative costs are limited,\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0is available, the sale exits the capital gains tax regime after five years. It is the natural structure for those who buy a single property for residential use or for a long-term lease, with no prospect of portfolio growth.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>Italian SRL<\/strong>, dedicated to real estate holding, introduces a different fiscal treatment: rental income contributes to the IRES taxable base at a rate of\u00a0<strong>twenty-four per cent<\/strong>, instead of progressive IRPEF, and the costs of management, maintenance, renovation and financing of the property become deductible. For portfolios with significant rental income, the SRL may prove more efficient in certain scenarios than individual ownership, but at the cost of significant compliance: annual financial statements, IRES and IRAP returns, management of the shareholders&#8217; register, possible auditor.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>foreign holding<\/strong>\u00a0is a more sophisticated structure, generally chosen for reasons of succession planning, asset privacy or coordination with the client&#8217;s other foreign assets. The main risk is that of\u00a0<strong>esterovestizione<\/strong>: if the Italian tax authority considers that the place of effective management of the holding is in Italy, regardless of the formal seat abroad, the holding is requalified as Italian-resident for tax purposes, with retroactive application of Italian taxes on all its income. Case law requires economic substance of the holding in the country of incorporation, with significant differences between EU countries, where the framework is more harmonized, and non-EU countries, where the risk of challenge is higher.<\/p>\n<p>The choice of structure is not only fiscal: it also affects succession planning, because a property held by a foreign holding follows different succession rules from a property held individually, and is one of the topics that the firm addresses in a coordinated fashion between tax law and international family law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Double taxation treaties and cross-border tax coordination<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Every Italian real estate operation undertaken by a foreigner potentially activates two tax systems: the Italian one, where the property is located, and the one of the investor&#8217;s country of fiscal residence, which generally taxes its residents on income wherever produced. To manage this overlap, most States have entered into\u00a0<strong>bilateral double taxation treaties<\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong>double taxation Italy<\/strong>\u00a0framework, drafted on the OECD Model and adapted to the specific relations between the two countries. The general principle of the OECD Model, incorporated by almost all treaties signed by Italy, is that immovable property is taxed in the country where it is located: Italy therefore retains the right to tax real estate income of Italian source, even when the owner is resident abroad. The investor&#8217;s country of residence, while in many cases retaining its own right to tax the same income in the hands of the resident, is required to recognize a\u00a0<strong>foreign tax credit<\/strong>\u00a0mechanism for what has already been paid in Italy, in order to avoid duplicating the fiscal burden on the same income.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/investments.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The functioning of the foreign tax credit varies significantly from treaty to treaty: some provide for ordinary credit, capped at the tax that the country of residence would have applied to the same income; others provide for exemption regimes or notional credit. Treatments may further differ between rental income and capital gains, with rules of their own for each income category.<\/p>\n<p>For this reason the verification of the specific treaty between Italy and the client&#8217;s country of residence is a preliminary step to any structuring decision: the same operation, undertaken by a German, US or Brazilian investor, may produce significantly different overall fiscal burdens at parity of all other parameters. The firm analyzes the applicable treaty at the outset of the relationship with the client, reconstructs the overall tax burden in the two countries and shapes the structure of the operation in line with the most coherent and efficient treatment, also in coordination with the tax advisors of the country of residence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>How Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti can help you with real estate tax structuring<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Schermata-2022-11-12-alle-11.18.36.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti accompanies the foreign investor along the entire cycle of the Italian real estate operation, integrating in a single direction the legal and the fiscal dimension, in coordination with the tax advisors of the client&#8217;s country of residence. The starting point is\u00a0<strong>pre-acquisition analysis<\/strong>: a simulation of the overall tax burden that includes acquisition taxes, expected recurring taxation in the first years of holding, the regime of rental income and the impact of the capital gain in the most likely resale scenario.<\/p>\n<p>On the basis of this simulation the firm supports the client in the selection of the\u00a0<strong>acquisition structure<\/strong>, comparing the three main configurations described above in light of the country of residence, of the holding horizon and of the composition of the client&#8217;s portfolio. In the notarial phases, the firm coordinates relations with the notary in charge of the deed, verifies the fiscal aspects of the deed, manages the issuance of the foreign client&#8217;s\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0and the exercise of any tax options, such as the\u00a0<em>prezzo-valore<\/em>\u00a0system or the\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0on the lease that will follow the purchase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>In the recurring taxation phase, we oversee the annual obligations of the non-resident owner: Italian income tax filing if there are rental contracts, monitoring of the municipal IMU resolutions, management of TARI deadlines, preparation of due communications.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Exit planning<\/strong>\u00a0is set from the beginning: the structure of the operation is designed also in light of the moment of exit, five years or more after entry, with attention to the capital gains regime and to the coordination with the taxation of the country of residence.<\/p>\n<p><strong>International succession planning<\/strong>\u00a0closes the picture, because an Italian property held by a foreigner activates rules of private international law and fiscal profiles that require advance management. The integration between legal and fiscal expertise within a single international structure is the distinctive value the client finds at every stage of the relationship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>FAQ<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>What taxes apply when buying property in Italy as a foreign investor?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>When buying from a private party, the main tax is registration tax at nine per cent of the cadastral value, plus mortgage and cadastral taxes at \u20ac50 each. When buying from a developer within five years of construction, VAT applies at ten per cent on the sale price (twenty-two per cent for luxury properties), plus registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes at \u20ac200 each in fixed form.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>How is rental income from Italian property taxed for non-residents?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Non-residents may opt between progressive IRPEF, applied to the lease income, and cedolare secca, a flat substitute tax at twenty-one per cent on open-market leases or ten per cent on agreed-rent leases. The choice depends on the marginal rate of the taxpayer on aggregate Italian income. The applicable double taxation treaty with the country of residence may further reduce the overall burden through a foreign tax credit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Is it better to buy Italian property through a company or individually?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>There is no universal answer: it depends on the size of the portfolio, the holding horizon, the rental income volume and the country of residence. Individual ownership is simpler and gives access to cedolare secca and the five-year capital gains rule. An Italian SRL is more efficient for portfolios with significant rental income, thanks to cost deductibility, but entails heavier compliance. A pre-acquisition simulation makes the choice quantitative.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Do I need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale) to own property in Italy?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Yes. The codice fiscale is mandatory before signing the notarial deed and for any subsequent fiscal obligation: registration tax payment, IMU settlement, income tax filing on rental income, declaration of capital gains on resale. The issuance of the codice fiscale must be obtained in advance of the deed and is one of the operational steps that the firm coordinates as part of the pre-acquisition phase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Are there tax incentives for renovating or restoring Italian property?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Yes. Italy offers several renovation incentives, including the standard renovation deduction, the energy efficiency Ecobonus and, where still available, the Superbonus. Most incentives operate as deductions on Italian income tax, which assumes the existence of taxable Italian income. The actual usability of the incentives by a non-resident owner therefore depends on his Italian fiscal position and must be assessed before starting the works.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>What are the consequences of not paying Italian property taxes as a foreign owner?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Missed IMU and TARI payments accrue penalties and interest automatically, without prior notice from the municipality. Unfiled rental income may trigger assessment proceedings with penalties on the unpaid tax. In serious cases, the Italian authority may also act on the property, up to enforcement procedures. Voluntary regularization through the ravvedimento mechanism significantly mitigates penalties and is the recommended remedy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Do I need a local tax representative or fiscal agent in Italy?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>A formal tax representative is not always mandatory for property ownership, but for non-residents who lease the property, file Italian tax returns and need to follow IMU and TARI deadlines, a local point of reference is in practice essential. Many of our non-resident clients delegate Italian fiscal compliance to the firm, which acts as a domiciliatary and coordinates with the relevant tax advisors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>How are property taxes handled in the case of co-ownership or joint ownership?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Each co-owner is liable for IMU and TARI in proportion to his share, and each declares his share of any rental income separately in his country of residence and, where applicable, in Italy. Joint ownership between spouses or family members may involve specific rules, depending on the matrimonial regime and the nationality of the parties. International succession planning often anticipates these structures from the outset.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Is IMU mandatory for non-residents?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Yes, in almost all cases. The non-resident owner does not have access, save for exceptions, to the prima casa exemption reserved for residents using the property as primary home. IMU is therefore due on virtually all property categories held by non-residents and must be self-assessed and paid in two annual instalments, in June and December, without any pre-filled bill being sent by the municipality to the foreign address.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Can I reduce taxes by forming a company?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>An Italian SRL can be more efficient than individual ownership when the portfolio generates significant rental income, because the corporate IRES rate of twenty-four per cent replaces progressive IRPEF and operating costs become deductible. The advantage must however be measured against compliance costs (financial statements, IRES and IRAP filings, governance) and the tax treatment of dividends in the shareholder&#8217;s country of residence, which may erode the gain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Do Americans pay higher property taxes in Italy?<\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>No. Italian property taxes are the same for all foreign buyers regardless of nationality. The differences arise from the Italy-United States double taxation treaty and from US worldwide taxation of its citizens, which require coordinated planning between the two systems. The combined burden may therefore differ from that of a buyer resident in another country, but the Italian taxes themselves do not vary by nationality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!--more--><br \/>\n<!-- {\"type\":\"layout\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"primary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Real estate\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"margin_bottom\":\"small\",\"margin_top\":\"small\",\"text_align\":\"left\",\"text_align_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"text_align_fallback\":\"center\",\"title_element\":\"div\",\"title_style\":\"h6\"}},{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"International Tax Structuring of Real Estate Operations for Foreigners\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"margin_top\":\"remove\",\"title_element\":\"h1\"}},{\"type\":\"breadcrumbs\",\"props\":{\"show_current\":true,\"show_home\":true}}]}]}],\"name\":\"HEADER verde pagine secondo livello\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"none\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Buying, holding or disposing of an Italian property from abroad may expose the investor to two tax systems at the same time: the Italian one, where the property is located, and the one of the country of residence, generally based on worldwide taxation of income. This overlap creates three concrete risks: potential <strong>double taxation<\/strong> on the same income when both systems claim the right to tax the same base; <strong>Italian filing obligations<\/strong> that are often ignored until an audit or a subsequent resale brings them to light; <strong>structural choices<\/strong> that become costly because they were not planned before the purchase.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The service is intended for foreign individuals and companies that are not resident in Italy: HNWI investors with a single property or a portfolio under construction, international family offices with residential interests in the country, corporate buyers that consider Italian real estate as part of an asset allocation strategy. The problem to be solved is not the filing of a single tax, but the consistency of the entire <strong>fiscal architecture<\/strong> with the operation the client wants to carry out and with the time horizon over which it will be held.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The approach of Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti integrates legal and tax expertise, and goes beyond pure tax advisory. We have been working for years with <strong>cross-border ownership structures<\/strong> and with the recurring tax compliance of non-resident owners, in coordination with the broader <strong>IVI Italy Visa Investments<\/strong> platform dedicated to international investors in Italy. The page that follows describes the four main fiscal areas: <strong>acquisition taxes<\/strong>, <strong>local taxes<\/strong>, <strong>rental income<\/strong> and <strong>exit capital gains<\/strong>; and addresses the structural choices, from individual ownership to a foreign holding, that change the entire fiscal profile of the operation.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"medium\",\"margin_top\":\"medium\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"BLOCCO INTRO PAGINE\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-4\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/investments.jpg\",\"image_box_decoration\":\"mask\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":\"200\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"3-4\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Property acquisition taxes in Italy for foreign buyers\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h2\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>At closing, the foreign buyer pays three indirect taxes that together define the fiscal cost of the operation: the <strong>registration tax<\/strong>, the <strong>mortgage tax<\/strong> and the <strong>cadastral tax<\/strong>. The amount of these items varies significantly depending on who the seller is and on the nature of the property. If the seller is a private party, the registration tax regime applies, computed in standard form on the cadastral value of the property and not on the agreed price; mortgage and cadastral taxes are due in a fixed amount. If the seller is a developer or a company that disposes of a property within five years from completion of the works, the operation falls within the scope of <strong>VAT<\/strong>, with different rates that apply to the sale price rather than to the cadastral value, and with an overall effect on the cost of the purchase that is appreciably different.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"small\",\"margin_top\":\"small\"}}]}],\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-4,3-4\"}},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>For a non-resident buying property in Italy as a second home or as an investment, the registration tax rate is the standard one, currently set at<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>nine per cent<\/strong><span>\u00a0<\/span>of the cadastral value. The<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>prima casa relief<\/strong>, which lowers the rate to<span>\u00a0<\/span><strong>two per cent<\/strong>, may be accessible to the foreign buyer subject to the subjective and objective requirements provided for by the relief regime: the transfer of residence to the municipality where the property is located within eighteen months of the deed, the absence of other relieved properties in Italy, and the further conditions set by current legislation. When these conditions are not compatible with the client's life project, because tax residence remains abroad or the property is intended for rental, the applicable regime is the standard one, and it must be calculated from the outset in the overall budget of the operation. Verifying the conditions for access to the relief at the preliminary contract stage avoids tax recoveries after closing.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"muted\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-2,1-2\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-2\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Buying from a private seller: registration tax and rates for non-residents\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}},{\"type\":\"panel\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>When the seller is a private party and the property does not qualify as\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>, the\u00a0<strong>registration tax for the non-resident buyer<\/strong>\u00a0is\u00a0<strong>nine per cent<\/strong>\u00a0calculated on the cadastral value, not on the sale price. This is the consequence of the so-called\u00a0<em>prezzo-valore<\/em>\u00a0system, which allows the tax to be applied on the cadastral revenue revalued through statutory coefficients rather than on the consideration declared in the deed. The advantage for the buyer is that the taxable base is generally significantly lower than the actual price, with appreciable tax savings especially in transactions in major cities, where the gap between cadastral value and market price is wider.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>To this tax are added mortgage tax and cadastral tax, due in a fixed amount of fifty euro each. The difference compared to a buyer purchasing under Italian tax residence concerns essentially the access to the\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>\u00a0relief mentioned above, and not the calculation mechanism of the standard tax.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>For foreign buyers without an existing\u00a0<strong>Italian tax code<\/strong>, the procedure provides for the issuance of the\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0before closing: without a tax code it is not possible to sign any public deed nor to comply with subsequent filing obligations. The issuance of the\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0is therefore an operational step to be completed in advance, and not a detail to be deferred to the notary on the day of the deed. The\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0is then needed to pay the registration tax through the notary at closing, to settle the annual IMU, to file the Italian income tax return if the property is leased and, in time, to declare the capital gain at resale.<\/p>\n\n\",\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content_margin\":\"medium\",\"image\":\"\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_width\":\"1-4\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read more\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"meta_align\":\"below-title\",\"meta_element\":\"div\",\"meta_style\":\"text-meta\",\"title_align\":\"top\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"title_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"title_hover_style\":\"reset\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-2\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Buying from a developer: VAT rules and luxury property\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>When the seller is a developer or a company that disposes of a property within five years from completion of the works,\u00a0<strong>VAT<\/strong>\u00a0applies in lieu of registration tax. The rate is\u00a0<strong>ten per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on the sale price for ordinary residential properties, and\u00a0<strong>twenty-two per cent<\/strong>\u00a0for units belonging to cadastral categories A\/1 (high-end dwellings), A\/8 (villas) and A\/9 (castles and palaces of historical or artistic value). Registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes, in this scenario, are due only in a fixed amount of\u00a0<strong>\u20ac200<\/strong>\u00a0each, because they operate on a residual basis with respect to VAT.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The practical effect for those who buy directly from the developer is significant: the tax is calculated on the actual sale price and not on the cadastral value, so the overall cost of the operation changes appreciably compared to a purchase from a private seller. On a high-end property in major cities, the differential between purchase from a private party and purchase from a developer can translate into tens of thousands of euro of additional taxes, which must be foreseen in the acquisition budget and not discovered at closing. The five-year limit from construction is the key dividing line: beyond this term, even if the seller is a construction company, the sale falls back into the registration tax regime, save for the VAT election option.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>For those evaluating a purchase from a developer, in particular in off-plan operations on properties under construction, the preliminary simulation of the tax burden, before signing the preliminary contract, is a check worth carrying out carefully, because it affects the expected return on the investment and the choice of the acquisition structure.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-right\",\"image_size\":\"height-1-1\",\"image_width\":\"800\",\"media_visibility\":\"s\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"secondary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-5,4-5\",\"width\":\"large\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"none\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width_medium\":\"1-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"icon\",\"props\":{\"icon\":\"sign-in\",\"icon_width\":\"80\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"none\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width_medium\":\"4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Annual property taxes in Italy for non-residents\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Titolo col verde\",\"modified\":\"2021-12-01T11:57:12.393Z\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Once the property has been acquired, the foreign owner enters the\u00a0<strong>recurring property tax Italy<\/strong>\u00a0regime, dominated by\u00a0<strong>IMU<\/strong>\u00a0(Imposta Municipale Unica) and by local taxes on waste and services.\u00a0<strong>IMU Italy<\/strong>\u00a0is due on virtually all property categories for those residing abroad, because the non-resident foreigner does not have access, save for exceptions, to the\u00a0<em>prima casa<\/em>\u00a0exemption reserved for residents. The most delicate point for the non-resident owner is operational: Italian municipalities as a rule do not send payment notices or pre-filled bills to the foreign address, and the tax must be self-assessed and paid by the taxpayer within statutory deadlines, in two annual instalments (advance payment in June and balance in December). Those who live abroad and receive no direct communication from the municipality risk accumulating missed payments, with penalties and interest accruing automatically.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>IMU rate<\/strong>\u00a0is not uniform across the country: each municipality determines it annually by its own resolution, within the framework set by national legislation, and the effective rate varies significantly from city to city and sometimes from district to district. The annual monitoring of municipal resolutions is therefore a normal component of the management of an Italian property for the non-resident owner subject to IMU, and not a negligible administrative detail.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>Alongside IMU, the owner is liable for\u00a0<strong>TARI<\/strong>, the waste tax, which affects those who hold or occupy the property and follows calculation logics specific to the relevant municipality, based on the square meters of the unit and on the size of the household resident there. For those who live abroad, TARI is due even if the property remains empty for part of the year, although some municipalities provide for reductions for properties kept available and not stably occupied. The efficient management of IMU and TARI requires a local administrative point of reference: either a domiciliatary in Italy who receives communications and follows deadlines, or a dedicated service that monitors resolutions and obligations on behalf of the non-resident owner.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"muted\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-5,4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"panel\",\"props\":{\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/documenti.png\",\"image_align\":\"top\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":\"100\",\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read more\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"meta_align\":\"below-title\",\"meta_element\":\"div\",\"meta_style\":\"text-meta\",\"title_align\":\"top\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"title_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"title_hover_style\":\"reset\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Rental income taxation for non-resident foreign owners\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_decoration\":\"bullet\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Those who lease an Italian property while residing abroad have two main options for the taxation of the rents collected:\u00a0<strong>ordinary IRPEF<\/strong>, with progressive rates applied to the taxable income from the lease, and\u00a0<strong>cedolare secca<\/strong>, a substitute flat tax regime that the taxpayer may elect upon registration of the contract.\u00a0<em>Cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0provides for two rates:\u00a0<strong>twenty-one per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on open-market leases, and\u00a0<strong>ten per cent<\/strong>\u00a0on agreed-rent contracts, that is contracts entered into pursuant to territorial agreements between owners' and tenants' associations in those municipalities that provide for them.\u00a0<em>Cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0exempts the taxpayer from the registration tax on the contract, from stamp duty and from the ISTAT inflation adjustment of the rent, but entails the waiver of such annual increases for the duration of the regime.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The choice between ordinary IRPEF and cedolare depends essentially on the marginal rate applicable to the taxpayer on the aggregate of his Italian income: for those with no other taxable income in Italy beyond the lease, progressive IRPEF may, in some cases, prove more fiscally efficient than cedolare; for those with additional Italian income placing them in higher brackets, cedolare at twenty-one per cent becomes the more efficient regime.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The presence of a\u00a0<strong>double taxation treaty<\/strong>\u00a0between Italy and the investor's country of residence introduces a further variable: the treaty, as a rule, leaves Italy the right to tax real estate income as income from property situated in Italy, but allows the country of residence to tax the same income while granting a\u00a0<strong>foreign tax credit<\/strong>\u00a0for what has already been paid in Italy. The calculation of the overall tax burden must therefore be made on both sides. For investors with portfolios articulated over several properties, individual ownership with\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0may not be the most efficient structure: the corporate option, which we describe below, allows the deductibility of costs and a more professional management, against higher compliance and governance costs.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"large\",\"margin_top\":\"remove\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-5,4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"panel\",\"props\":{\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/anno.png\",\"image_align\":\"top\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":\"100\",\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read more\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"meta_align\":\"below-title\",\"meta_element\":\"div\",\"meta_style\":\"text-meta\",\"title_align\":\"top\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"title_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"title_hover_style\":\"reset\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Capital gains tax and exit planning for foreign investors\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_decoration\":\"bullet\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>capital gains tax<\/strong>, upon resale, is one of the items most frequently underestimated by foreign investors, and one of those that best illustrates why fiscal planning must precede and not follow the acquisition. The basic rule, contained in article 67 of the Italian Income Tax Code, is that capital gains realized on the sale of a property within five years from the acquisition are subject to taxation as other income. The taxpayer, including non-residents, may elect at the deed for a\u00a0<strong>substitute tax of twenty-six per cent<\/strong>\u00a0applied to the capital gain, computed as the difference between the sale price and the purchase price, increased by documented acquisition costs and any costs of works on the property. Alternatively, the capital gain contributes to the formation of the IRPEF aggregate income with progressive rates, an option that becomes disadvantageous when the taxpayer falls in the higher brackets.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>There are two relevant exemptions that close the door to taxation: the first concerns properties used as primary residence by the seller or by a member of his family for the greater part of the holding period; the second concerns properties received by inheritance, which fall outside the scope of capital gains taxation regardless of the time elapsed. After five years from the acquisition, the sale exits the scope of application of the capital gains tax in any event, save for specific cases provided for by law.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The operational point we wish to underline is that\u00a0<strong>exit planning<\/strong>\u00a0must be set before the acquisition and not at the time of the disposal. The acquisition structure, the holding horizon, the documentation of capitalizable costs and the choice of fiscal residence have a decisive impact on the final\u00a0<strong>capital gains tax Italy property<\/strong>\u00a0liability. Decisions taken after the fact, in view of an imminent sale, have very limited margins for optimization. Planning beforehand means designing the operation in line with the expected exit, and not only with the entry.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"large\",\"margin_top\":\"remove\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-right\",\"image_size\":\"height-1-1\",\"image_width\":\"800\",\"media_visibility\":\"s\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"secondary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-5,4-5\",\"width\":\"large\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"none\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width_medium\":\"1-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"icon\",\"props\":{\"icon\":\"album\",\"icon_width\":\"80\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"none\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width_medium\":\"4-5\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Ownership structures for Italian real estate investments\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Titolo col verde\",\"modified\":\"2021-12-01T11:57:12.393Z\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>The choice of the\u00a0<strong>acquisition structure<\/strong>\u00a0is the first strategic crossroads for the foreign investor, and produces consequences on all the taxes described so far: acquisition taxes, IMU, rental income, capital gains on resale, succession taxation. The three main configurations are\u00a0<strong>direct individual ownership<\/strong>, acquisition through an\u00a0<strong>Italian SRL<\/strong>\u00a0and acquisition through a\u00a0<strong>foreign holding company<\/strong>. Acquisition as an individual is the simplest solution to set up and maintain: administrative costs are limited,\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0is available, the sale exits the capital gains tax regime after five years. It is the natural structure for those who buy a single property for residential use or for a long-term lease, with no prospect of portfolio growth.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>Italian SRL<\/strong>, dedicated to real estate holding, introduces a different fiscal treatment: rental income contributes to the IRES taxable base at a rate of\u00a0<strong>twenty-four per cent<\/strong>, instead of progressive IRPEF, and the costs of management, maintenance, renovation and financing of the property become deductible. For portfolios with significant rental income, the SRL may prove more efficient in certain scenarios than individual ownership, but at the cost of significant compliance: annual financial statements, IRES and IRAP returns, management of the shareholders' register, possible auditor.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>foreign holding<\/strong>\u00a0is a more sophisticated structure, generally chosen for reasons of succession planning, asset privacy or coordination with the client's other foreign assets. The main risk is that of\u00a0<strong>esterovestizione<\/strong>: if the Italian tax authority considers that the place of effective management of the holding is in Italy, regardless of the formal seat abroad, the holding is requalified as Italian-resident for tax purposes, with retroactive application of Italian taxes on all its income. Case law requires economic substance of the holding in the country of incorporation, with significant differences between EU countries, where the framework is more harmonized, and non-EU countries, where the risk of challenge is higher.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>The choice of structure is not only fiscal: it also affects succession planning, because a property held by a foreign holding follows different succession rules from a property held individually, and is one of the topics that the firm addresses in a coordinated fashion between tax law and international family law.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"large\",\"margin_top\":\"large\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"3-4\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"Double taxation treaties and cross-border tax coordination\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h2\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Every Italian real estate operation undertaken by a foreigner potentially activates two tax systems: the Italian one, where the property is located, and the one of the investor's country of fiscal residence, which generally taxes its residents on income wherever produced. To manage this overlap, most States have entered into\u00a0<strong>bilateral double taxation treaties<\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong>double taxation Italy<\/strong>\u00a0framework, drafted on the OECD Model and adapted to the specific relations between the two countries. The general principle of the OECD Model, incorporated by almost all treaties signed by Italy, is that immovable property is taxed in the country where it is located: Italy therefore retains the right to tax real estate income of Italian source, even when the owner is resident abroad. The investor's country of residence, while in many cases retaining its own right to tax the same income in the hands of the resident, is required to recognize a\u00a0<strong>foreign tax credit<\/strong>\u00a0mechanism for what has already been paid in Italy, in order to avoid duplicating the fiscal burden on the same income.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"small\",\"margin_top\":\"small\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-4\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/investments.jpg\",\"image_box_decoration\":\"mask\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":\"200\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}],\"props\":{\"layout\":\"3-4,1-4\"}},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>The functioning of the foreign tax credit varies significantly from treaty to treaty: some provide for ordinary credit, capped at the tax that the country of residence would have applied to the same income; others provide for exemption regimes or notional credit. Treatments may further differ between rental income and capital gains, with rules of their own for each income category.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>For this reason the verification of the specific treaty between Italy and the client's country of residence is a preliminary step to any structuring decision: the same operation, undertaken by a German, US or Brazilian investor, may produce significantly different overall fiscal burdens at parity of all other parameters. The firm analyzes the applicable treaty at the outset of the relationship with the client, reconstructs the overall tax burden in the two countries and shapes the structure of the operation in line with the most coherent and efficient treatment, also in coordination with the tax advisors of the country of residence.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"muted\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"module\",\"props\":{\"menu_image_align\":\"center\",\"menu_image_margin\":true,\"menu_style\":\"default\",\"menu_type\":\"nav\",\"type\":\"builderwidget\",\"widget\":\"builderwidget-24\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Scenari tipici \/ Casi studio ENG\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-right\",\"image_size\":\"height-1-1\",\"image_width\":\"800\",\"media_visibility\":\"s\",\"padding_bottom\":\"small\",\"padding_top\":\"small\",\"style\":\"primary\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"props\":{\"width\":\"large\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"padding\":\"none\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"How Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti can help you with real estate tax structuring\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_decoration\":\"bullet\",\"title_element\":\"h2\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Titolo col verde\",\"modified\":\"2021-12-01T11:57:12.393Z\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Schermata-2022-11-12-alle-11.18.36.jpg\",\"image_box_decoration\":\"mask\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"image_width\":\"300\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"2-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Studio Legale Internazionale Boschetti accompanies the foreign investor along the entire cycle of the Italian real estate operation, integrating in a single direction the legal and the fiscal dimension, in coordination with the tax advisors of the client's country of residence. The starting point is\u00a0<strong>pre-acquisition analysis<\/strong>: a simulation of the overall tax burden that includes acquisition taxes, expected recurring taxation in the first years of holding, the regime of rental income and the impact of the capital gain in the most likely resale scenario.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p>On the basis of this simulation the firm supports the client in the selection of the\u00a0<strong>acquisition structure<\/strong>, comparing the three main configurations described above in light of the country of residence, of the holding horizon and of the composition of the client's portfolio. In the notarial phases, the firm coordinates relations with the notary in charge of the deed, verifies the fiscal aspects of the deed, manages the issuance of the foreign client's\u00a0<em>codice fiscale<\/em>\u00a0and the exercise of any tax options, such as the\u00a0<em>prezzo-valore<\/em>\u00a0system or the\u00a0<em>cedolare secca<\/em>\u00a0on the lease that will follow the purchase.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"remove\",\"margin_top\":\"large\"}}]}],\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-3,2-3\"}},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>In the recurring taxation phase, we oversee the annual obligations of the non-resident owner: Italian income tax filing if there are rental contracts, monitoring of the municipal IMU resolutions, management of TARI deadlines, preparation of due communications.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p><strong>Exit planning<\/strong>\u00a0is set from the beginning: the structure of the operation is designed also in light of the moment of exit, five years or more after entry, with attention to the capital gains regime and to the coordination with the taxation of the country of residence.<\/p>\n\n\\n\n\n<p><strong>International succession planning<\/strong>\u00a0closes the picture, because an Italian property held by a foreigner activates rules of private international law and fiscal profiles that require advance management. The integration between legal and fiscal expertise within a single international structure is the distinctive value the client finds at every stage of the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\",\"margin_bottom\":\"default\",\"margin_top\":\"default\"}}]}]}]},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"id\":\"contatti\",\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"muted\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"middle\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"module\",\"props\":{\"menu_image_align\":\"center\",\"menu_image_margin\":true,\"menu_style\":\"default\",\"menu_type\":\"nav\",\"type\":\"builderwidget\",\"widget\":\"builderwidget-22\"}}]}]}],\"name\":\"Form contatti ENG 2026\"},{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"FAQ\",\"image_align\":\"left\",\"image_margin\":\"xsmall\",\"title_decoration\":\"bullet\",\"title_element\":\"h3\",\"title_style\":\"h3\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion\",\"props\":{\"collapsible\":true,\"content_column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_align\":\"top\",\"image_grid_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"image_grid_width\":\"1-2\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"link_style\":\"default\",\"link_text\":\"Read more\",\"show_image\":true,\"show_link\":true},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>When buying from a private party, the main tax is registration tax at nine per cent of the cadastral value, plus mortgage and cadastral taxes at \u20ac50 each. When buying from a developer within five years of construction, VAT applies at ten per cent on the sale price (twenty-two per cent for luxury properties), plus registration, mortgage and cadastral taxes at \u20ac200 each in fixed form.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"What taxes apply when buying property in Italy as a foreign investor?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Non-residents may opt between progressive IRPEF, applied to the lease income, and cedolare secca, a flat substitute tax at twenty-one per cent on open-market leases or ten per cent on agreed-rent leases. The choice depends on the marginal rate of the taxpayer on aggregate Italian income. The applicable double taxation treaty with the country of residence may further reduce the overall burden through a foreign tax credit.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"How is rental income from Italian property taxed for non-residents?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>There is no universal answer: it depends on the size of the portfolio, the holding horizon, the rental income volume and the country of residence. Individual ownership is simpler and gives access to cedolare secca and the five-year capital gains rule. An Italian SRL is more efficient for portfolios with significant rental income, thanks to cost deductibility, but entails heavier compliance. A pre-acquisition simulation makes the choice quantitative.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Is it better to buy Italian property through a company or individually?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Yes. The codice fiscale is mandatory before signing the notarial deed and for any subsequent fiscal obligation: registration tax payment, IMU settlement, income tax filing on rental income, declaration of capital gains on resale. The issuance of the codice fiscale must be obtained in advance of the deed and is one of the operational steps that the firm coordinates as part of the pre-acquisition phase.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Do I need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale) to own property in Italy?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Yes. Italy offers several renovation incentives, including the standard renovation deduction, the energy efficiency Ecobonus and, where still available, the Superbonus. Most incentives operate as deductions on Italian income tax, which assumes the existence of taxable Italian income. The actual usability of the incentives by a non-resident owner therefore depends on his Italian fiscal position and must be assessed before starting the works.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Are there tax incentives for renovating or restoring Italian property?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Missed IMU and TARI payments accrue penalties and interest automatically, without prior notice from the municipality. Unfiled rental income may trigger assessment proceedings with penalties on the unpaid tax. In serious cases, the Italian authority may also act on the property, up to enforcement procedures. Voluntary regularization through the ravvedimento mechanism significantly mitigates penalties and is the recommended remedy.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"What are the consequences of not paying Italian property taxes as a foreign owner?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>A formal tax representative is not always mandatory for property ownership, but for non-residents who lease the property, file Italian tax returns and need to follow IMU and TARI deadlines, a local point of reference is in practice essential. Many of our non-resident clients delegate Italian fiscal compliance to the firm, which acts as a domiciliatary and coordinates with the relevant tax advisors.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Do I need a local tax representative or fiscal agent in Italy?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Each co-owner is liable for IMU and TARI in proportion to his share, and each declares his share of any rental income separately in his country of residence and, where applicable, in Italy. Joint ownership between spouses or family members may involve specific rules, depending on the matrimonial regime and the nationality of the parties. International succession planning often anticipates these structures from the outset.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"How are property taxes handled in the case of co-ownership or joint ownership?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Yes, in almost all cases. The non-resident owner does not have access, save for exceptions, to the prima casa exemption reserved for residents using the property as primary home. IMU is therefore due on virtually all property categories held by non-residents and must be self-assessed and paid in two annual instalments, in June and December, without any pre-filled bill being sent by the municipality to the foreign address.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Is IMU mandatory for non-residents?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>An Italian SRL can be more efficient than individual ownership when the portfolio generates significant rental income, because the corporate IRES rate of twenty-four per cent replaces progressive IRPEF and operating costs become deductible. The advantage must however be measured against compliance costs (financial statements, IRES and IRAP filings, governance) and the tax treatment of dividends in the shareholder's country of residence, which may erode the gain.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Can I reduce taxes by forming a company?\"}},{\"type\":\"accordion_item\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p>No. Italian property taxes are the same for all foreign buyers regardless of nationality. The differences arise from the Italy-United States double taxation treaty and from US worldwide taxation of its citizens, which require coordinated planning between the two systems. The combined burden may therefore differ from that of a buyer resident in another country, but the Italian taxes themselves do not vary by nationality.<\/p>\n\n\",\"title\":\"Do Americans pay higher property taxes in Italy?\"}}]}]}]}]}],\"version\":\"5.0.32\"} --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Real estate International Tax Structuring of Real Estate Operations for Foreigners Buying, holding or disposing of an Italian property from abroad may expose the investor to two tax systems at the same time: the Italian one, where the property is located, and the one of the country of residence, generally based on worldwide taxation of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":5915,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6000","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6000"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6105,"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6000\/revisions\/6105"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.italyvisainvestments.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}