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HEALTH

Italy’s spa bonus: How you can claim €200 towards a relaxing break

From November 8th, everyone living in Italy can apply for a spa bonus, with €200 available per resident. Here's how the scheme works.

Published: 20 October 2021 10:51 CEST
Updated: 24 October 2021 05:20 CEST
A woman swims in a spa pool.
The government is offering funds for a spa day. Really. Photo by Haley Phelps on Unsplash

In a move to support the spa sector, which was among the first to close and last to reopen amid Covid restrictions, the Italian government is now offering funds for people living in the country to go and relax at Italy’s accredited spas.

The government has confirmed it will launch the so-called ‘bonus terme‘ from November 8th, allocating up to €200 per person for 100% of the spa services purchased.

In order to be eligible for the benefit, you must be over 18 and legally resident in Italy, while the spa you choose to visit must not already be paid for by the National Health Service or other public bodies.

READ ALSO: From renovating property to buying a new car: 28 tax ‘bonuses’ you can claim from the Italian government

The government stated that “spa services” include wellness and beauty services.

Anyone interested in taking advantage of the scheme will need to book directly at an accredited spa of their choice, who will issue a reservation certificate. Reservations are valid for 60 days and any services booked must be used within that period.

 
Towels in a spa.
Take a spa break on the government and support Italy’s ‘terme‘. Photo: Denny Müller on Unsplash

“The bonus will consist of a 100% discount on the purchase price of the selected spa services, up to a maximum amount of 200 euros,” the Ministry for Economic Development stated.

The spa, rather than the customer, will need to apply for the funding from the government, meaning you do not need to claim a tax rebate.

However as the scheme doesn’t officially launch until November 8th, some spas may put customers on a waiting list if they apply now, but no vouchers can be issued until that date,

A list of participating spas will be listed on both the Economic Development Ministry’s website and the Ministry’s agency site Invitalia.

The bonus is not linked to a household’s ISEE and so everyone is able to claim the full amount of the bonus.

The Italian ISEE number is the measure used to indicate how relatively well off your household is, taking into account income, assets, debts, and other factors. It’s quite complex to calculate but you can ask your commercialista (accountant) to do this for you.

To access this bonus therefore, you don’t need to work out your household ISEE and everyone in the same family can claim the full amount.

A family of five adults, for example, can apply for one bonus per member, meaning one household could claim five bonuses worth a maximum of €1,000.

A total of €53 million has been allocated to this scheme and the bonus will run until the funds have been exhausted.

This incentive is the latest among dozens of tax ‘bonuses’ and rebates made available by the government for purchasing anything from an electric car to a first home in Italy.

For more information, see the Italian Economic Development Ministry’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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