Becoming Autonomo

[deanscroft]

OK I've read everything I can find that has been posted so far and think I've grasped the basics but I've still got one or two doubts on whether to go down this route.

This is what I think I've learned so far. Please correct me if I am wrong.

To be covered by the Spanish National Health Service I either have to be employed or self-employed (autonomo). As I don't actually intend to do any work I can register as self-employed, pay the 230 euros a month (apparently if you are over 50 with a private pension elsewhere you can opt out of the 'state pension part and pay slightly less) and this will then get my wife and I into the system. I will then need to get a gestor to submit 3 monthly vat returns showing zero turnover and for this i will probably pay the gestor about 200 euros a year.

The bit I am still missing is - How / where do I register as self-employed? What documentation will I need? Is there a cost involved in registering?

Can anyone help please?

You might ask - why not just take out private medical insurance if it is only health cover I am after? The answer is that private medical insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions

Regards from sunny Mallorca

Deanscroft

[XTreme]

Just go to a Gestoria and they'll do everything for you.

But I don't think the system will let you get away with putting in zero returns for long.

[Xose]

Originally Posted by deanscroft

..... I can register as self-employed, pay the 230 euros a month (apparently if you are over 50 with a private pension elsewhere you can opt out of the 'state pension part and pay slightly less).....
Deanscroft

Now that's a bit of info I didn't have a clue about. When I met with the SS Tesoreria about a convenio for just such a paying in possibility, first I got a flat "Not unless you work for BBVA or some big company that has a convenio with the SS" - and a very distinct impression that what was left was Autonomo or employee - not different options therein. I'm also surprised to learn that the pension element is only about 20€ a month. Even though those who do pay the minimum get the minimum pension, 20€ a month still seems very low.

I do know of a guy who has been getting away with zero returns for about 3 years so far, doing exactly what you intend to do. He lives in Gran Canarias. But there is always the question, and he is aware, of how long before they pull him in. As Xtreme's already stated, they might get a bit funny about it after a while at zero returns.

Point being that the zero returns mechanism is not a recognised option to legitimately "pay in". But I have yet to hear of anyone who's been told to stop doing it. Who knows, perhaps it is the "unofficial" way to pay into the system without being litterally employed one way or the other.

I'd love to hear from anyone who knows of a case where a zero return person has been told to stop it.

Xose