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LIVING IN ITALY

EXPLAINED: How can you stop nuisance phone calls in Italy?

If it seems like you’ve been getting more unwanted calls on your Italian phone number recently, you’re probably not imagining things. But the good news is you’ll soon be able to do something about it.

Published: 9 May 2022 17:16 CEST
Updated: 28 May 2022 08:02 CEST

EXPLAINED: How can you stop nuisance phone calls in Italy?

Getting a lot of marketing calls on your Italian mobile? There will soon be a new way to help stop them. Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash

People in Italy are now getting an average of five nuisance calls (or telefonate moleste) per week from telemarketers, according to consumer rights association Codacons, which estimates that the frequency of such calls – mainly from banks, telecommunications and energy companies – is now about 20 percentage points higher than in pre-pandemic times.

This increase in cold calling in Italy comes ahead of the imminent introduction of a new ‘do not call’ list for mobile phone numbers, which spells trouble for telemarketers, reports newspaper Corriere della Sera.

In the European Union, data protection rules (under Regulation 2016/679) mean that you have the right not to be contacted, including by businesses. Based on this regulation, Italian courts can (and do) slap companies with large fines if they’re deemed to be using customers’ data unlawfully for telemarketing purposes.

However, at the moment there’s not a great deal individuals can do about these annoying calls, beyond repeatedly opting out and making complaints.

But from this summer, rule changes in Italy will also mean both landline and mobile phone numbers, including any numbers that were not previously listed in the phone book, can be placed on an expanded version of the ‘do not call’ list known as the registro delle opposizioni or ‘register of objections’.

“From July 27th, the new public register will open to 78 million mobile telephone users,” Italian MP Simone Baldelli told Corriere della Sera.

Baldelli said the expanded register will become “a well-known and effective protection tool for phone users”.

EXPLAINED: How to change your registered address in Italy

It is already possible to use the registro delle opposizioni to remove Italian landline numbers from public telephone directories. Find out more about how to do that on the official website here.

As well as allowing people to register mobile phone numbers for the first time, the incoming rule changes in July will place stricter limits on the use of data by telemarketers.

“Enrollment in the new register will allow for the cancellation of any previous consents issued for telemarketing purposes, and will prohibit the transfer of personal data to third parties,” writes Corriere.

The new legislation is also set to include a ban on the use of automated or ‘robot’ marketing calls.

So how do you add your phone number to this new and improved register?

From the information available so far, it appears that the process will be much the same as it is now for adding landlines to the existing register: you’ll be able to submit numbers to be added to the list either by phone, by completing a web form, or sending an email (either PEC or regular email).

But it’s not open just yet – it looks like you’ll have to wait until the end of July to add mobile numbers to the register.

We’ll report more details of the opt-out scheme on The Local once they’re published.

For now, readers of The Local have recommended the ‘Chi sta chiamando‘ (‘Who’s calling’) app, which you can find here for Apple or Android devices.

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With income declarations now open in Italy, there are several details of the Italian tax system that you need to know, especially if this is the first time you file.

From deadlines to rules on foreign income and assets to second homes, here is our guide to the 2024 tax season.

2024 tax deadlines

Late spring is generally the busiest time of year for Italian taxpayers as that’s when the window to file the yearly income tax declaration (or dichiarazione dei redditi) opens.

Barring some rare filing exemptions, anyone who’s considered an Italian resident for tax purposes (or fiscal resident) is required to file income taxes in Italy.

But even if you’re not an Italian tax resident, you may still have to file and pay Italian taxes on any income generated in Italy.

Depending on your personal tax situation and income source, you’ll have to file one of two forms, whose official deadlines for this year you can find HERE. The window to file either form is open as of May 20th.

It is strongly advisable to keep the main income tax dates in mind as the Italian taxman shows little in the way of leniency when it comes to late filing and failure to file.

Besides income tax deadlines, there are two other dates you need to be mindful of if you own property in Italy. The first instalment of Italy’s tax on second homes IMU (Imposta Municipale Unica) is due by June 16th, whereas the second instalment is due by December 16th. You can find these and other key tax dates for 2024 in our calendar.

First-timers

If this is your first time declaring tax in Italy, your first task will be to request a codice fiscale (a personal identification number similar to an American Social Security number or a British National Insurance number) if you don’t already have one. Find a guide to doing that HERE.

The 2024 income tax declaration covers the 2023 tax year, which runs from January 1st 2023 to December 31st 2023. As a result, if you moved to Italy after January 1st 2024, you will not have to complete the declaration until next year.

On the other hand, IMU payments are always relative to the year when you make the payments – in this case 2024.

Online v paper

Most people in Italy file their tax declarations and make payments using the personal profile area (area riservata) of the Italian tax office (Agenzia delle Entrate) website.

This is also where taxpayers can find a pre-compiled version of tax return form 730 (or modulo 730) – which is the income tax declaration form generally used by employees and retirees in Italy.

Though most tax declarations can be filed online, there are provisions for people who don’t have internet access or are not comfortable completing tasks online. In this case, you can visit or call your local tax office and request paper versions of the forms, which you can then submit at the same office or, in some cases, at local post offices.

Income tax brackets

Italy’s income tax Irpef applies to employees, many self-employed workers (regular partita Iva holders, but not those on the flat tax rate) and pensioners.

The Italian government cut the number of available tax brackets from four to three last December, but the change only applies to income generated from January 1st 2024.

This means that your 2023 income will be taxed based on the four-bracket system below:

Up to 15,000 euros: 23 percent
Between 15,001 and 28,000 euros: 25 percent
Between 28,001 euros and 50,000 euros: 35 percent
Over 50,000 euros: 43 percent

Like income taxes in many other countries, Italy’s Irpef is a progressive tax, meaning that you only pay the higher rate on the portion of your income that is over the relevant threshold (for instance, 43 percent on the portion of income exceeding 50,000 euros).

Foreign income

It’s not unusual for foreigners in Italy to have some or all of their income coming from outside Italy – whether that is a pension paid from an overseas country, remote working for a non-Italian company or rental income from a property outside of Italy.

If you’re an Italian tax resident, you’ll be required to declare your global income – that is income generated not just in Italy but anywhere in the world.

It’s important to note though that declaring your foreign income does not necessarily mean you will have to pay tax on it.

Italy has dual taxation agreements with most countries, including the UK and US, meaning that if you have already paid tax on your income in another country, you won’t be taxed on it again – though you’ll still have to tell the Italian taxman about it.

Foreign assets and bank accounts

Italian tax residents who hold financial assets abroad – this includes real estate, financial investments, unit trusts, and even foreign bank accounts – are required to declare them by completing the foreign assets section of their yearly tax return form (section W of form 730 and section RW of form Redditi PF).

Depending on the types of assets you own abroad, you may have to pay Italy’s tax on foreign real estate (IVIE) and/or a tax on foreign financial activities (IVAFE).

It’s worth noting that retirees who’ve opted for Italy’s special seven-percent flat tax rate are exempt from the requirement to declare (and pay IVIE and/or IVAFE on) foreign assets.

You can find further info about declaring foreign bank accounts HERE.

Tax breaks

Italy has a number of tax breaks to help taxpayers, especially those with lower incomes, reduce their tax bill each year.

These are generally divided between tax deductions (deduzioni fiscali), which lower your taxable income, and tax reductions (detrazioni fiscali), which lower your final tax bill.

Tax reductions for 2024 apply to anything from rent to public transport to education expenses, and include a 19-percent tax break on medical expenses applicable to amounts exceeding 129.11 euros. You can find a full list (in Italian) of tax reductions and deductions here.

It’s also worth noting that Italy offers a number of favourable multi-year tax regimes for residents – these include the so-called ‘impatriate’ tax scheme and the seven-percent flat rate for foreign pensioners – as well as a number of home renovation bonuses.

Tax for second-home owners

If you live outside of Italy but you own property in the country which you use as a second-home or holiday home, there are a few things to be aware of, with the first being whether or not you are an Italian tax resident.

If you use your Italian property just for holidays then you probably won’t be. But if you tend to spend a significant amount of time in your Italian property, you should keep in mind that Italy’s tax office will consider you a tax resident if, for at least 183 days a year, you are registered with Italy’s National Registry of the Resident Population (or Anagrafe) or have your place of “residence or habitual residence” in Italy.

The other thing to consider is whether you have any Italian income through renting out your property, including on Airbnb. If you do, you will need to declare this income in Italy.

Finally, even if you’re not an Italian tax resident and don’t generate any income in Italy, you’ll still have to pay Italy’s property tax IMU (Imposta Municipale Unica), which is owed by all owners of second homes. You can find this year’s IMU deadlines HERE.

Getting help

If you’re completely daunted by the Italian tax system, don’t panic: help is available.

If you have a fairly simple tax situation (e.g. you have a single employer and no other sources of income) and speak some Italian, you may be able to get the assistance you need at one of Italy’s tax support centres (Centri di Assistenza Fiscale, or CAF).

If, however, you are self-employed, are starting or operating a business, are earning income in multiple countries, or simply find the whole process too difficult, you may need the help of a chartered tax accountant, or commercialista in Italian.

Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual cases. Find more information on the Italian tax office’s website or seek independent advice from a qualified tax professional.

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