https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed In 2019, Italy introduced a little-known seven-percent flat tax regime to encourage pensioners living abroad to relocate. Can you still take advantage of the scheme in 2026? https://www.thelocal.it/20260128/is-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners-still-available-in-2026 Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:29:49 +0100 is-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners-still-available-in-2026 Getting Italian citizenship via residency is often said to be a difficult process - but it's far from impossible. https://www.thelocal.it/20250822/how-easy-is-it-for-foreign-pensioners-in-italy-to-become-italian Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:46:40 +0200 how-easy-is-it-for-foreign-pensioners-in-italy-to-become-italian You've heard of a death certificate, but what about a life certificate? In the world of Italian bureaucracy, being asked to prove that you are, in fact, still alive is more common that you might expect. https://www.thelocal.it/20240920/how-you-can-prove-to-italian-authorities-that-youre-alive Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:40:42 +0200 how-you-can-prove-to-italian-authorities-that-youre-alive In 2019, Italy introduced a generous seven-percent flat tax rate for people looking to retire to some parts of the country's centre-south. But is the scheme still in place in 2025? https://www.thelocal.it/20250325/is-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners-still-available-in-2025 Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:30:27 +0100 is-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners-still-available-in-2025 If you work in Italy, you’ll pay a chunk of your income towards your future pension every month. But exactly how many years of employment do you need to collect it? https://www.thelocal.it/20240905/how-many-years-do-i-have-to-work-in-italy-to-be-entitled-to-a-pension Thu, 05 Sep 2024 17:41:54 +0200 how-many-years-do-i-have-to-work-in-italy-to-be-entitled-to-a-pension Italy's flat tax rate of just seven percent for people who choose to retire in the sunny south of the country has garnered a lot of interest worldwide - but how many people are really able to take advantage of it? https://www.thelocal.it/20240513/how-many-people-successfully-apply-for-italys-flat-tax-for-pensioners Mon, 13 May 2024 12:50:49 +0200 how-many-people-successfully-apply-for-italys-flat-tax-for-pensioners If you work in Italy and then move to another country, will you be entitled to an Italian pension - and can you take it with you? The Local asks financial experts how the system works. https://www.thelocal.it/20240529/can-you-transfer-your-italian-pension-if-you-move-abroad Wed, 29 May 2024 12:09:04 +0200 can-you-transfer-your-italian-pension-if-you-move-abroad Retiring overseas is a dream for many people, and Italy has long been a popular location for those searching for a relaxed lifestyle and lower cost of living. https://www.thelocal.it/20240429/five-big-reasons-people-choose-to-retire-to-italy Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:30:53 +0200 five-big-reasons-people-choose-to-retire-to-italy If you work in Italy you’ll pay a chunk of your income every month towards a pension - but how does the Italian pension system work, and what else should you know when planning your retirement? https://www.thelocal.it/20230918/explained-how-your-italian-pension-works Mon, 18 Sep 2023 15:50:13 +0200 explained-how-your-italian-pension-works Italy offers a flat tax rate of just seven percent for people who choose to retire in the sunny south of the country - but is it really that simple? We answered the most common questions about how it works. https://www.thelocal.it/20230622/qa-what-to-know-about-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners Thu, 22 Jun 2023 14:26:45 +0200 qa-what-to-know-about-italys-flat-tax-rate-for-pensioners If you dream of retiring to Italy, the paperwork and practicalities involved can feel daunting. The Local asked those who've done it for their essential advice. https://www.thelocal.it/20220322/learn-to-laugh-tips-for-americans-who-want-to-retire-to-italy Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:39:34 +0100 learn-to-laugh-tips-for-americans-who-want-to-retire-to-italy Have you ever wondered what to do with your private pension plan when moving to another European country? https://www.thelocal.it/20220328/explained-how-the-new-pan-european-personal-pension-works Mon, 28 Mar 2022 17:33:34 +0200 explained-how-the-new-pan-european-personal-pension-works Carabinieri are offering to collect pension payments for the elderly in Italy's latest strategy to keep people at home during the coronavirus outbreak. https://www.thelocal.it/20200406/police-to-bring-elderly-italians-their-pensions-during-coronavirus-crisis Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:56:05 +0200 police-to-bring-elderly-italians-their-pensions-during-coronavirus-crisis Italy needs more migrants in order to pay for the population's pensions, the country's social security chief said Wednesday, drawing the ire of anti-immigration interior minister Matteo Salvini. https://www.thelocal.it/20180705/italy-needs-migrants-to-pay-for-pensions-social-security-chief Thu, 05 Jul 2018 11:56:49 +0200 italy-needs-migrants-to-pay-for-pensions-social-security-chief Immigrants in Italy help pay the pensions of 620,000 people through the billions they contribute each year to the welfare system, according to a study published on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.it/20151023/italys-foreigners-help-pay-620000-pensioners Fri, 23 Oct 2015 13:52:40 +0200 italys-foreigners-help-pay-620000-pensioners Four million Italian pensioners will get a €500 rebate from the government on August 1st, premier Matteo Renzi said on Monday in response to a ruling from Italy’s top court that the money should not have been withheld. https://www.thelocal.it/20150518/millions-of-italians-to-get-500-pension-rebate Mon, 18 May 2015 13:10:23 +0200 millions-of-italians-to-get-500-pension-rebate Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Friday that “a portion” of what the government owes to retirees would be paid after the country’s top court ruled that the money should not have been withheld. https://www.thelocal.it/20150515/italy-to-pay-portion-of-billions-owed-to-pensioners Fri, 15 May 2015 16:48:07 +0200 italy-to-pay-portion-of-billions-owed-to-pensioners Italy's constitutional court has overturned a key plank of the debt-laden country's pension reforms in a ruling that could require the government to pay retirees back at least €5 billion ($5.6 billion). https://www.thelocal.it/20150504/italy-may-owe-pensioners-5-billion Mon, 04 May 2015 12:12:07 +0200 italy-may-owe-pensioners-5-billion Italy spends more than any other OECD country on pensions, while overall the government is the fifth-biggest social spender in terms of GDP, new figures show. https://www.thelocal.it/20141125/italy-among-the-oecd-biggest-spenders-on-pensions Tue, 25 Nov 2014 16:02:00 +0100 italy-among-the-oecd-biggest-spenders-on-pensions Italy's pensioners have been hit hard by the financial crisis, with seven million living off less than €1,000 a month, according to figures from Italy’s pension agency, INPS. https://www.thelocal.it/20140709/italinaan Wed, 09 Jul 2014 13:57:45 +0200 italinaan