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 While retiring in Italy is a popular idea – and even encouraged by the Elective Residency Visa – future pensioners need to be aware of potential cross-border tax issues in order to plan their financial future. https://www.thelocal.it/20260929/do-you-have-to-pay-italian-taxes-on-your-foreign-retirement-funds Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:51:35 +0200 do-you-have-to-pay-italian-taxes-on-your-foreign-retirement-funds 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 13:29:49 +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 offers a seven-percent flat tax scheme to foreigners who choose to retire in certain areas of the country. But how easy is it to claim? We asked readers who've done it for their tips. https://www.thelocal.it/20240812/get-an-accountant-how-to-claim-italys-flat-tax-for-foreign-pensioners Mon, 12 Aug 2024 18:06:10 +0200 get-an-accountant-how-to-claim-italys-flat-tax-for-foreign-pensioners 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 Spending retirement in Italy is a dream for many, but what are the potential obstacles you should be aware of when planning your move? The Local's readers share their experiences and advice. https://www.thelocal.it/20240502/the-visa-process-was-painful-how-easy-is-it-to-move-to-italy-for-retirement Thu, 02 May 2024 12:02:24 +0200 the-visa-process-was-painful-how-easy-is-it-to-move-to-italy-for-retirement 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 With its warm climate and relaxed ways of life, Italy is a dream retirement destination for many. But moving to certain parts of the country can also lead to big savings on your tax bill. https://www.thelocal.it/20240305/did-you-knowitaly-has-a-7-percent-income-tax-rate-for-foreign-retirees Tue, 05 Mar 2024 13:17:49 +0100 did-you-knowitaly-has-a-7-percent-income-tax-rate-for-foreign-retirees 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 Retirees with pensions from another country could benefit from a new flat tax that's designed to attract new residents to small villages in the south of Italy. Here's how it works. https://www.thelocal.it/20190613/move-to-southern-italy-foreign-pension-flat-tax-break Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:09:14 +0200 move-to-southern-italy-foreign-pension-flat-tax-break 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 Irma Borgoglio would have celebrated her 103rd birthday in September, but when police found her body in the apartment she shared with her son, she had been dead for months. https://www.thelocal.it/20160907/dead-woman-kept-in-freezer-so-son-could-get-her-pension Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:19:24 +0200 dead-woman-kept-in-freezer-so-son-could-get-her-pension