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TAXES

Everything that changes about life in Italy in May 2021

From free Covid testing to the tax payment freeze, we take a look at the changes in Italy this May that could affect you.

Published: 29 April 2021 09:03 CEST
Updated: 3 May 2021 09:52 CEST
Everything that changes about life in Italy in May 2021
Rome's Spanish Steps, which link Piazza di Spagna with the church of Trinità de’ Monti, decorated with hundreds of flowering azalea plants in a springtime tradition dating back more than 80 years. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

More easing of Covid restrictions

Italy on April 26th began the first cautious easing of some of its coronavirus-related rules, and further changes are planned in mid-May. 

Lidos, beach clubs and outdoor pools are to reopen, with safety restrictions in place including limits on the number of customers allowed.

Shopping centres, which currently are allowed to open on weekdays only, will be open on weekends again.

In mid-May the government will also review the 10pm curfew rule which is currently in place nationwide.

Gyms and indoor dining will have to wait until June 1st, according to the government’s timetable.

Italy’s government has not yet said when it plans to start lifting the travel restrictions.

Coronavirus home test kits go on sale, plus more free testing

Shops in Italy will be able to sell Covid-19 home testing kits to the public from May.

The autotest or ‘self-test’ was approved in a recent update by the health ministry and is expected to go on sale in pharmacies, supermarkets and other shops.

The health ministry also gave the green light for pharmacies to begin performing rapid antigen swab tests.

A passenger is tested for coronavirus at Milan Centrale train station. Photo: Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

Meanwhile, Italy’s Red Cross (Croce Rossa Italiana) plans to carry out up to 3,000 free rapid antigen swab tests a day across 11 of the country’s biggest cities from May.

It has already begun giving the tests at Rome’s Termini and Milan’s Centrale train stations, and plans to set up facilities at stations in nine more cities next month: Bari, Bologna, Cagliari, Florence Santa Maria Novella, Naples Centrale, Palermo, Reggio Calabria, Turin Porta Nuova and Venice Santa Lucia.

Find more information about each testing option here.

Vaccination campaign to speed up?

Italy’s vaccine rollout has suffered a string of setbacks, but authorities insist this will improve as more supplies are expected in May.

The Italian government’s Covid emergency commissioner, Francesco Figliuolo, said the country’s vaccination programme will speed up “significantly” in May thanks to increased deliveries, after missing its target of having half a million doses administered daily before the end of April.

The commissioner added that family doctors and pharmacists will now be able to administer vaccinations, which will help pick up the pace further.

READ ALSO:

End of freeze on paying tax bills?

It looks as though tax payments suspended amid the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 could be due for collection in May.

Italy’s ‘support decree’ last spring put a pause on the collection of many tax payments until April 30th, 2021. While there could be an extension, nothing has yet been announced.

If the tax freeze applies to you, contact your accountant (commercialista) or the local tax office (Agenzia delle entrate) to find out what you may be liable for and when.

Photo: ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

Public holidays in May

May 1st, which marks Workers’ Day in Italy as it does in other countries, falls on a Saturday this year and won’t count as a day off work. 

Mothers’ Day in Italy falls on Sunday May 9th.

International ‘vaccine passport’ to launch

It’s not known whether the Italian government will sign up to it yet, but in May, the “IATA (International Air Travel Association) Travel Pass” will be the first to test travel with a vaccination certificate. 

The smartphone app allows travellers to store and manage certifications for Covid-19 tests or vaccinations. It aims to facilitate air travel under pandemic conditions, and help travellers avoid quarantines whenever possible. 

The data should remain under the control of the passengers, the association assures. The app is available now for iOS, and a version for Android is also expected to be available soon. 

For travel in certain parts of Italy meanwhile you will need the domestic “green pass”, launched at the end of April.

New rules on tyre markings

If you drive in Europe this may be relevant to you. An EU directive comes into effect on May 1st requiring tyre manufacturers to put more specific labelling on their products. Producers will also be obliged to enter specifications on an EU database.

Consumers will be able to use this database to compare products, with the aim of making the market more transparent and easier to find safe and environmentally friendly products. See more details on the European Commission’s website.

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For members

TAXES

Should you hire an accountant to file your Italian taxes?

Italy's tax system is notoriously complex. Can you realistically expect to navigate it yourself, or should you pay a professional?

Published: 21 March 2024 10:01 CET
Should you hire an accountant to file your Italian taxes?

The Italian tax system has a reputation for being particularly difficult to navigate. Don’t just take our word for it: the prime minister herself recently described her country’s tax rules as “illogical and vexatious… and quite useless too.”

But as you face the upcoming tax season you may be wondering: just how hard it can really be to manage your Italian tax affairs yourself? After all, this isn’t the most straightforward or pleasant task in any country.

READ ALSO: When are the deadlines for filing your Italian income tax return?

For Italy’s foreign residents, it’s frequently recommended that you seek help from an accountant or another tax professional, not least because the language barrier increases the risk of potentially costly mistakes.

The complexity of the system also means Italians themselves often seek professional advice on tax issues, particularly if their tax situation is at all complicated.

While the Italian inland revenue agency (Agenzie delle Entrate) has taken steps to simplify the process of filing a tax return in recent years, and even provides some Italian tax information in English, the tax forms themselves are not available in English and there’s a lot to understand about the rules.

When filing a tax return, getting professional advice can be particularly important if you’re making changes to the pre-filled sections of the 730 form, or if you’re self-employed and need to use the redditi PF form.

Find out more about these forms and the deadlines for filing them in 2024 here.

We asked readers whether they would recommend using an accountant over filing taxes yourself, and the majority agreed that, for them, professional help was worth the cost.

“There’s not a chance I would file my own taxes in Italy,” said self-employed British reader Greg in Lombardy. “The rules keep changing, it becomes very time-consuming.”

He pointed out that back in the UK most people do not need to file an annual income tax return, and said that as a result he thinks some British nationals in Italy tend to “underestimate” the difficulty and “think they can go the DIY route.”

“I see time and again people asking for advice [about taxes] on expat groups,” he said, adding that there’s a lot of “wrong information” being given in response.

“Not worth it. Just pay an accountant,” he advises.

READ ALSO: What is an Italian commercialista and do you really need one?

Janine in Tuscany said her commercialista (accountant) has saved her money. She has friends who have “tried to apply for some of the [tax] bonuses themselves but never heard anything back,” while her claims submitted by a professional were processed quickly.

“They know the ins and outs of the system and can just get things done,” she said.

Meanwhile, in a recent article on filing US and Italian taxes, some American readers told us they needed not one but two accountants – one in each country.

“Get professional tax advice for your specific situation. Know that double taxation is real, despite the existence of tax treaties,” advised one anonymous American reader who said they pay for professional help in order to avoid being audited in Italy.

READ ALSO: Reader question: Do US nationals in Italy have to pay taxes twice?

Others told us that, while they needed help with their American taxes, they found they were able to handle their Italian tax return themselves using software such as TurboTax.

Those who have hired a tax professional also stressed the importance of choosing someone with experience of handling international tax affairs.

“You will probably end up paying ‘expat rates’, especially if you need someone who speaks English,” said reader Nancy, from the US. “Make sure you get recommendations, make sure they understand your situation.”

If you have concerns about filing your own taxes in Italy, you don’t always have to pay for help.

Italy has a national network of tax assistance centres (Centro Assistenza Fiscale, or CAF) which provide free advice on tax matters and can also help you complete and file your tax return, submit claims for financial assistance, and more. Find your nearest office here – though be aware that not all staff will speak English, and they get very busy ahead of tax season.

If you’d prefer to look into hiring a tax professional, find out more about what exactly a commercialista can help with and how to find one in this article.

For general information on the tax requirements you may face, consult the tax agency (Agenzie delle Entrate). Find your nearest office here.

Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual cases. Find more information on the Italian tax agency’s website (in English).

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