Hello, my husband and I own a house in

Babs Image
06/09/2019 - 13:56

Hello, my husband and I own a house in Tuscany jointly - would it be worthwhile putting the house into one name to reduce the accountants fees for the calculation of IMUs?  It’s going up each year and would be half the cost for one of us.  I wonder if there would be any more advantages?  We aren’t over enough to go to the commune twice a year (especially in December) and are not sure how to calculate them or pay through the bank account.  Any help would be greatfully appreciated.  Thanks.



Not too sure I understand? If you own 50% each, then any Comune tax IMU/TASI is 50% each i.e. you only need one calculation. The calculation by the way is quite straightforward, paying it is another matter, but depending on how much you pay and how often you are there, any fine for late payment is likely less than your fees...

It’s the accountants fees, I know it’s strange but it’s calculated at €75 per person twice a year.  As it’s one calculation I don’t understand how they can charge so much per person.  Is this normal?  I just thought we could halve the costs.  Same for IMUs, it’s per person/owner not just one fee for both.  I think you’re correct Steve, perhaps going to the commune once a year would be less.  Are the IMUs for the year calculated in June for the whole year and just split into two payments?  Thanks.

but it is not only IMU, Babs, the accountant, must also make a tax return once a year  you would like, please, to answer the following questions:1> how much do you and your husband pay, together, for the accountant, every year?2> you and your husband are in communion of goods or separation - I explain better, the house was purchased 50/50 without it being clearly defined which part is in the name of the husband and which in the name of the wife?4> Have you ever thought that, with the Elective Residence, in Italy, you could not pay IMU, have a bank account for residents, with less money, pay all the supplies of the house, at lower prices, have a car of yours, instead of rent one, every time you come to Italy?

Modi , i write my reply   on this manner , because Babs is Russian ,and can NOT UNDERSTAND that is a Communion law , according uk laws -Sometimes , if you do not explain my writing , at your's manner - it's better ...angel

Hello Modi, I’m not Russian, I am from Britain born and bred there.  It’s just the IMUs .  They charge each person named, double the price for 2 of us for calculations.   This is only to work the IMUs out.  We did communicate before and you said we both had to go to the Commune for the Elective Residency if the house was in two names.  And then we required health insurance.   My husband won’t be able to do this but I can, so I wondered if it was possible to go in my name only. Weve been told there’s no sale for houses and we are near retirement, so hoping to reduce these costs somehow.  Thanks for all your advice.Thank you Modicasa, this does seem a good option as we are from the British Islands.

Babs, sorryI probably made a confusion of pseudonyms - 300 euros as an accountant, for the IMU alone, it's too much, I support my clients with a physical accountant who speaks English and works by email with all non-Italian clients, for 120 euros every year, every person, for all declarations and assistance - If you get the Elective Residence just for you, and the house is purchased in communion laws - there will be no possibility of discounting the IMU, as this is a tax that follows the property, not the person - If instead the house is purchased, by two people, where each of the two, has bought a cadrastal parcel , the IMU would be divided into Two Parts, and you would have the First Home discount on your side.

In reply to by Ugo

Thanks Ugo, I couldn’t remember your site to contact you.  I remember you saying about Elective Residency.  Would it cost a lot to get a name removed from the deeds?Steve has just sent a site that I can calculate the IMUs myself, so if it’s expensive to change names, I will give it a go myself.  Thank you for your help.

To change the names, it is necessary to make two notarial deeds - the first to register in Italy the separation of assets, for all the goods owned and to be purchased in Italy - the second to rectify, the ownership shares and therefore also all the tax consequences , on the house that you have already bought, as a communion laws - I think it will be difficult for you to have less than 3000 euros for two notarial deeds - so if your husband doesn't want to take up residence in Italy (which he does not would create any tax problem for him, IN ITALY and in the UK), it is perfectly useless for you to take it alone - IMU taxes on the house, you will pay anyway TOGETHER as a second home.http://www.lifeinitaly.it/Inglese/italyresidenceguide.htmparticularly  see < Foreign Visa Info - Elective Residence page 38, point 13  

Babs, if you don’t want to work it out yourself (using this calculation site here), then I would get a new accountant solely for one of you if they charge per person and just double their calculation. Make sure you are paying everything i.e. as a none resident you will be due IMU and TASI and possibly TARI (rubbish tax). We have friends who do 6 months on 6 months in the UK over winter so miss their tax in winter only. On return they go to the CAFF to have the tax calculated (yes, I’ve told them it’s easy to do yourselfwink) and then pay the winter part with the additional (according to them) small fine. Have you tried contacting the comune? We used to email them and they would come back with the amount and we paid via our bank account there. A bit more difficult paying of course if you don't have an Italian account.

Thanks Steve.  We do have a bank account but don’t know how to instruct them to pay it.  Also the rubbish tax, did you calculate this yourself and pay by the bank.  I have tried on the site you have given and it is near the same amount.  We pay electricity and water ok it’s IMUs, rubbish taxes that are the problem.  Does the IMU change twice in the year or calculated once but paid twice?  It’s so confusing.  Thank you for your help.  

Our bank at the time we paid council tax (Posta) had on-line access and a specific F24 payment facility, it was all really easy for us to do. As Ugo has said the comune should send you a bill for TARI, but I see the calco site has an option for it. It is worth a try getting the comune to email the bill to you as suggested by Ugo as we know a few who do this. Not paid this ourselves for a few years now, but yes the rate could change in the second half, but for us it never did. Others here will correct me if this is no longer the case, but if you simply pay for the year and then later pay any difference (fine included), any fine will only be on the difference and very little.

Babs, Rubbish tax ,each year , the commune send you a paper letter with calculation and modules named F24 - you can ask to the commune office , to mailto you this comunication via  e-mail - then turn this F24 to yr's bank that provide to pay it - if  commune do not give this comunication , via email - you has to provide people that pick , un your's  phisical mail box , at yr's home - the commune letter , and delivery this to yr's bank or to you -

Previously we struggled with calculating the taxes. We visited the commune and now they calculate it for us, email the details of each payment and the dates and provide the bank details to allow us to pay on line. It means we can do everything without being in the county at the time. I don’t know if this is normal.  Better still they send the email in English! Worth discussing with the commune 

Hiits in the Garfagnana.  The people I spoke with were Italian. It was a pleasant surprise to get the email in English.  good luck