After Retirement

Genuine question, how does the tax man know if you have gone over 180 days?
It's done electronically. Everytime you enter Spain the clock starts and every time you leave Spain it stops.. There's no warning after you've extended the period, a courier arrives at your Spanish door and presents the occupant with the bill. It is then up to you to prove you didn't extend or pay up if you did and Spanish Revenue will pursue you.

There are "ways" of hiding your stay length in Spain, but let's not get into that here.
 
Sorry I meant the Irish taxman. If you were going to multiple places throughout the year not going to Spain and returning 181+ days later. At dublin airport they dont scan your passport everytime you return, you just show it at the immigration booth and they wave you on 9f you dont go through the automatic gates (you cant with children). Anyway there are no checks between the UK and Ireland so you could go multiple places and come back via the UK.
 
Anymore updates from the intrepid retirees or are you all on your mid-winter breaks in the sun?
 
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A few years ago I was exploring genuinely changing my tax residency from Ireland to Portugal while maintaining property in both. The purpose was to take advantage of the very generous income tax advantages available at the time (0% for 10 years on pension and rental income - It's no longer available and I never took it further).

If your income stems from Ireland then you need to convince Irish Revenue that you are no longer resident in Ireland - ie living there fewer than 183 days. To be successful I recall having to make a declaration and possibly evidence of flights etc at the application stage. After that I think it might have been based on trust but I suppose subject to audit at any time. Sorry my contribution is a bit wooly!

I was told that the Portuguese authorities were less interested in me proving that I was eligible for tax residency there. They would be just happy to have me living there.
 
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I have booked an away break for March, April and May and currently planning October.

I would like to extend this to commence from February next year and possibly extend in to November.

Ireland for July and August but very expensive, continental temperatures of 40 degrees not for me.

It is costly though.

Flights have almost trebled in price and hotel rooms are regularly over €150 a night. Apartment rental in popular areas has also increased.
 
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Is that 2 breaks or 4?
It will be 4.

Spain, Spain (Majorca), France, Portugal.

I tried a longer break in Spain last year and found that I was walking the same streets over and over. Not a beach or swimming pool person, can't sit on the balcony for long periods of time. I realised that I like to keep moving and to experience different locations.
 
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Anymore updates from the intrepid retirees or are you all on your mid-winter breaks in the sun?
We’re in Spain since last Sunday and plan to be here until after Easter. Nice warm breeze, some good sunshine every day, beautiful walks, using the local municipal heated swimming pool, no rain, no cranks, plenty of reading, good company, loads of Netflix late at night, good food, good wine, not a care in the world, some light level cycling, not thinking of you all and hope we won’t see ol’ Ireland for a while. Sorry we won’t be voting in the forthcoming referendum, but we have planned an Irish meet-up for St-Patrick’s Day and of course Cheltenham Festival.

If you find Spain boring, then stay at home and keep existing; in the meantime, Mrs Lep and I will drive on . . .
 
What area of Spain are you in?
 
If you find Spain boring, then stay at home and keep existing; in the meantime, Mrs Lep and I will drive on . . .

Rather than stay at home try Portugal instead We have been in the jewel of the Algarve (Tavira) for the last 2 weeks and it's been weather to die for especially compared with Ireland. We've been "walking the same streets" for 4 years now but we no longer look at it as a holiday location and more of an alternative place to live...... with a far superior lifestyle and every day benefits that we did not have living in rural Ireland.
 
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Sounds fab! And great motivation at this non retirement stage to keep plugging away and we will be sipping wine ourselves someday!
 

Father-in-law did this in 2016-ish, living in Lagos. No regrets, it seems. Has fully adopted the SKI lifestyle (spending the kids inheritance)!
 
Does the inclination to spend as little as possible to increase kids inheritance creep up on you as you get older? As of now, at age 50, I have no intention of being frugal in my retirement!