When I talk about Declaration of Final Departure from Country (DSDP)and customers begin to understand the main consequences of the tax outputThe next question is: "How does non-resident taxation affect my situation in Brazil? Should I pay more or less income tax?". Although it's not a complex subject, there are so many hypotheses that people often feel a little confused.
The purpose of this text is to serve as a reference for those who live and work abroad, and want to understand how their change of status The text also applies to foreigners who have no assets in Brazil and want to make their first investments. The text also applies to foreigners who have no assets in Brazil and want to make their first investments. Of course, knowing the applicable tax rate doesn't always paint the whole picture. That's why, whenever necessary, we refer to other texts that go into more detail on a specific point (for example, the taxation of property rents in Brazil).
The Logic of Non-Resident Taxation
Anyone who files a Final Exit Declaration and becomes a non-resident must submit their income or capital gains to Brazilian taxation only from a Brazilian source. Nothing you receive from a foreign source can be taxed in Brazil.
In Brazil, at least so far, there is no such thing as a non-resident income tax return. For this reason, income tax is levied in the form of withholding income tax (IRRF). IRRF must be withheld and paid to the tax authorities as normal by the source of payment.
Source of payment and exclusive taxation
Paying sourceIn our case, it's anyone who pays income from a Brazilian source. For example, the employer is the source that pays the salary to the employee, the bank is the source that pays interest to the account holder, the company is the source that pays dividends to the partner, and the tenant is the source that pays rents to the landlord.
Under the Brazilian model of non-resident taxation, each income is taxed as follows in isolation and exclusive (in other words, the source of payment is responsible for everything, not the taxpayer). As I said, in Brazil we don't have an income tax return that adds up all your income, entitles you to deductions and allows you to make adjustments or obtain refunds, although we do have suggested that the Federal Revenue Service create this mechanism for non-resident stock exchange investors.
In Brazil, you pay tax on that income and that's it. It is the taxpayer's state of residence that gives deductions or refunds1"State of residence" means the country or dependency in which the taxpayer is resident for tax purposes.The tax authorities have their own rules. These rules can take into account the tax paid in Brazil in order to avoid double taxation, especially if there is an international agreement providing for this type of relief.
Brazilian law also contains some hypotheses in which the IRRF is collected not by the source of payment, but by an attorney, resident in Brazil, representing the taxpayer. In this case, the logic is the same: all that changes is who has the duty to withhold and pay the tax to the tax authorities.
Another important change is the tax payment date. For tax residents in Brazil, the amount of tax withheld at source or paid by the taxpayer must normally be paid to the tax authorities by the end of the month following receipt of income. For non-residents, the IRRF must be paid on the same date as the taxable event, otherwise late payment fines and interest will be charged from the following day.
Non-resident taxation: rates
The most relevant tax changes for those who make the Final Exit Declaration and leave the status of tax resident in Brazil and become non-residents are as follows:
Income | Rate |
---|---|
work, with or without an employment relationship, or the provision of services in general | 0%-27,5% (progressive table) |
retirement or pension (public welfare) | 0%-27,5% (progressive table) |
alimony | 0%-27,5% (progressive table) |
rent or lease | 0%-27,5% (progressive table) |
interest on financial investments, income from investment funds in general | 22.5% to 15% (depending on the application period) |
stock exchange operations in general | 15% (common operations) or 20% (day-trade) |
capital gains on the sale of real estate, shareholdings, etc. | 15% to 22.5% (depending on the gain value) |
dividends | exempt |
interest on own capital (JCP) | 15% |
rural activity | 0%-27,5% (progressive table, with special rules) |
royaltiestechnical services, administrative assistance and the like | 0%-27,5% (progressive table) |
Private/Complementary Pension (PGBL or similar) | 0%-27,5% (traditional) or from 35% to 10% (regressive) |
Private/Complementary Pension (VGBL or similar) | 0%-27,5% (traditional) or from 35% to 10% (regressive) |
Income | Rate |
---|---|
work, with or without an employment relationship, or the provision of services in general2Work is carried out by an individual, while services can also be provided by a legal entity abroad. "Pejotization", involving work carried out by a legal entity in Brazil or MEI (individual micro-entrepreneur), is not the subject here. | 25% (without progression) |
retirement or pension (public welfare)3Whether it comes from the INSS or the public servants' pension scheme. | 25% (without progression) |
alimony | 15% (without progression) |
rent or lease | 15% (without progression) |
interest on financial investments, income from investment funds in general | It depends (general regime vs. special regime) |
stock exchange operations in general | It depends (general regime vs. special regime) |
capital gains on the sale of real estate, shareholdings, etc. | 15% to 22.5% (depending on the gain value) |
dividends | exempt |
interest on own capital (JCP) | 15% |
income from rural activities | 15% (no progression, no special rules) |
royaltiestechnical services, administrative assistance and the like | 15% (without progression) |
Private/Complementary Pension (PGBL or similar) | 25% (without progression) |
Private/Complementary Pension (VGBL or similar) | 15% (without progression) |
Income | Rate |
---|---|
work, with or without an employment relationship, or the provision of services in general | 25% (without progression) |
retirement or pension (public welfare) | 25% (without progression) |
alimony | 25% (without progression) |
rent or lease | 25% (without progression) |
interest on financial investments, income from investment funds in general | According to the regime general, in any case |
stock exchange operations in general | According to the regime general, in any case |
capital gains on the sale of real estate, shareholdings, etc. | 25% (without progression) |
dividends | exempt |
interest on own capital (JCP) | 25% |
income from rural activities | 25% (no progression, no special rules) |
royaltiestechnical services, administrative assistance and the like | 25% (without progression) |
Private/Complementary Pension (PGBL or similar) | 25% (without progression) |
Private/Complementary Pension (VGBL or similar) | 25% (without progression) |
Notice Title
General rule for non-resident taxation
As a general rule, non-residents will be taxed at 15%4Law 9.549/1995, art. 28; Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018), art. 744.. In other words, if in doubt, this will be the applicable rate, and all exceptions have been expressly provided for by law.
Income from work or services rendered
This exception to the general rule of non-resident taxation applies to employment income, whether salaried (wages, overtime, Christmas bonus) or non-employment (self-employment). For these cases, the special rate is 25%5Law 9.779/1999, art. 7..
The same rate of 25% applies to the provision of services in general. This situation, however, is more confusing. The legislation treats services in general (25%) differently from royaltiestechnical, administrative and similar assistance services (15%)6Provisional Measure 2.159-70/2001Article 3; Law 10.168/2000Article 2a..
Despite the lower income tax, the royalties and these services are subject to another tax, CIDE-Remessas, levied at a rate of 10%7Law 10.168/2000art. 2, §4.. In other words, in both cases the tax burden in Brazil will be the same, but in the second case there are two taxes, only one of which is income tax. It will be even higher when PIS/COFINS-import and ISS on all services provided by non-residents are taken into account, which is beyond the scope of this article.
Retirement or pension income (public pension) and private pension income
Retirement or pension income is also subject to the rate of 25%In the same way as income from work8Law 9.779/1999, art. 7after amendment by Law 13.315/2016.. This treatment of non-residents is especially unfair to pensioners who receive low INSS benefits, for example, one minimum wage. They are exempt from IRRF as tax residents in Brazil, but become subject to 25% only because they have become non-residents.
This issue is under discussion in the Judiciary, and the STF recognized the general repercussion of this issue in October 20219See the procedural progress of ARE 1.327.491General Repercussion Topic 1174.. The STF's decision on the unconstitutionality of this discrimination between residents and non-residents will apply to all taxpayers.
The same provision also applies the rate of 25% for the taxation of non-residents on supplementary pensions (which includes private pensions), with the exception of VGBLs (see below).
Alimony
Alimony, despite its name, is not to be confused with pensions paid by the public social security system (death pensions, for example), so it is not an exception. The Income Tax Regulations expressly state that alimony is subject to the general rate of 15%10Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018)Article 744, item I..
VGBL
O VGBL (Life Generator of Free Benefits)This, in turn, is seen and marketed by insurance companies and pension institutes as a private pension option, a situation which is normally subject to the special rate of 25%.
However, the Federal Revenue Service has already stated twice, in Consultation Solutions, that the redemption of the VGBL is a redemption of Life Insurance with a Survivorship Coverage Clause. As it is life insurance rather than a private pension plan, the VGBL would be subject to the general rule of 15%11Sol. Cons. Disit/SRRF10 19/2013 e Sol. Cons. Disit/SRRF08 163/2013..
It is worth mentioning that the consultations found are not binding, and therefore, although the tax authorities have taken a favorable stance, they may still be subject to some questioning in an inspection.
Income from real estate (rent or lease)
For rental of real estate in Brazil by non-residentsNon-residents are taxed at 15%Some deductions provided for by law are allowed (condominium expenses, IPTU and others directly related to the property). Expenditure on renovation or depreciation of the property is not deductible.
This is also one of the situations in which the tax resident attorney in Brazil is responsible for paying the tax, and not the source of payment (the tenant)12Decree-Law 5.844/1943, art. 97§3º, and art. 100; Law 9.249/1995, art. 28; Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018), art. 763..
Capital gains
Capital gains, whether they arise from the sale or disposal of real estate in Brazil, shareholdings or other assets and rights, are taxed in the same way as for residents. Non-resident taxation in this case is progressive, from 15% to 22.5%, as a result of the capital gain, as follows:
Capital Gain Range | Rate |
---|---|
From zero to R$ 5,000,000.00 | 15% |
From R$ 5,000,000.01 to R$ 10,000,000.00 | 17,5% |
From R$ 10.000.000,01 to R$ 30.000.000,00 | 20% |
From R$ 30,000,000.01 onwards | 22,5% |
The taxation of non-residents using the table above also applies to tax residents in Brazil, as does the provision that the sale of the same asset in parts, on different dates, be taken into account when setting the rate.
The biggest difference applies to capital gains on the sale of real estate, which, according to the IRS, do not bring with them the exemptions and reductions allowed to tax residents in Brazil.
Dividends, interest on own capital and other income from the financial and capital markets
The situation of non-resident taxation in the financial market is by far the most complex. This should not be the case. For the purposes of this article, tax legislation provides that non-resident financial investments may be subject to the "general regime" or the "special regime".
In very general terms, it can be said that:
- the general regime equates the taxation of non-residents with the taxation of tax residents in Brazil;
- the special regime ("Investor 4373") is a tax benefit, which offers lower taxation than that applicable to tax residents in Brazil.
The idea behind this distinction is that large non-resident investors, who are the beneficiaries of the special regime, would have a greater incentive to face the greater risk of investing in Brazil if they were subject to lower taxation. This benefit does not apply to non-residents who are in "tax havens", to whom the general regime applies.
The subject is so dense that it deserves its own text, as the points are beyond the limits of this article.
Income from rural activities
Taxation of non-residents in rural activities is also 15%This is the same as the general rule, but it has its own discipline. This is because the situation of a tax resident in Brazil has a series of tax benefits that no longer apply to non-residents. The differences are summarized below13Law 9.250/1995, art. 20; Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018), art. 64; SRF Normative Instruction 83/2001.:
- Residents are taxed from 0% to 27.5%, according to the progressive table, while non-residents are taxed at 15%;
- the resident can choose to consider the 20% value of the income from this activity as the result of the rural activity, while the non-resident does not have this option;
- residents can carry forward losses from rural activities from one year to the next, while non-residents do not have this benefit;
- the resident assesses and pays his tax when submitting his income tax return (in March and April of the year following the year in which the facts occurred). The result of the non-resident's rural activity, on the other hand, must be calculated at the end of each calendar year (December 31st);
- IRRF from rural activities must be paid by a tax resident attorney in Brazil;
- IRRF must be paid on the date of the taxable event (December 31), or on the date the profits from the rural activity are remitted abroad, whichever comes first.
For this reason, the lower rate of 15% can be misleading. It is common for the result of a non-resident's rural activity to be subject to a higher tax burden in Brazil.
Special situation: people resident in "tax havens"
The comments above assumed taxation of non-residents in "normal" situations. Brazilian law, however, made a distinction for the taxpayer "resident or domiciled in a country that does not tax income or taxes it at a maximum rate lower than 20%". In this case, the non-resident will not be taxed at 15%, but at 25% income tax at source14Law 9.430/1996, art. 24; Law 9.779/1999, art. 8..
These are the "countries or dependencies with favored taxation", better known as "tax havens". Currently, the Federal Revenue Service maintains a "black list" of jurisdictions that it considers to correspond to this concept of "tax haven"15SRF Normative Instruction 1.037/2010, art. 1..
This means that the taxation of people living in these countries will always be 25%, unless there is an express exception for residents of these jurisdictions. Most of the exceptions apply to legal entities rather than individuals, so they are not mentioned here.
It is worth mentioning that permanent departure for those moving to a "tax haven" must also meet specific requirements, otherwise the person will continue to be considered a tax resident in Brazil16Law 12.249/2010, art. 27..
Non-resident taxation: conclusions
I can say that the model under Brazilian law should be a simple one. All tax is due from the Brazilian source of payment, apart from a few exceptions in which tax is demanded from the attorney that the non-resident maintains in Brazil. The taxpayer is never sought out because he lives and resides abroad.
This simplicity, however, hides some injustices, such as the taxation of lower pensions. It also stems from a vision of a Brazil that is closed off and distant from the rest of the world, which suspects that if the tax is not paid immediately, it will never be paid again.
Other countries, such as the United States, the Netherlands and France, allow non-residents to declare their income and be entitled to similar deductions to residents. The more I share the journeys of clients who live abroad and have different interests in Brazil, the clearer it becomes that Brazil has already changed phase and deserves to become a more open country.
On this blog you will always find relevant, up-to-date information on the subject and guidance on how to avoid problems with the tax authorities and other authorities. Feel free to tell us about your experience, share the content with other friends who need guidance and contact us by e-mail at contato@tersi.adv.br or via WhatsApp. Click here to send a message now.
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References:
- 1"State of residence" means the country or dependency in which the taxpayer is resident for tax purposes.
- 2Work is carried out by an individual, while services can also be provided by a legal entity abroad. "Pejotization", involving work carried out by a legal entity in Brazil or MEI (individual micro-entrepreneur), is not the subject here.
- 3Whether it comes from the INSS or the public servants' pension scheme.
- 4Law 9.549/1995, art. 28; Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018), art. 744.
- 5
- 6Provisional Measure 2.159-70/2001Article 3; Law 10.168/2000Article 2a.
- 7Law 10.168/2000art. 2, §4.
- 8Law 9.779/1999, art. 7after amendment by Law 13.315/2016.
- 9See the procedural progress of ARE 1.327.491General Repercussion Topic 1174.
- 10Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018)Article 744, item I.
- 11
- 12Decree-Law 5.844/1943, art. 97§3º, and art. 100; Law 9.249/1995, art. 28; Decree 9.580/2018 (RIR/2018), art. 763.
- 13
- 14
- 15SRF Normative Instruction 1.037/2010, art. 1.
- 16Law 12.249/2010, art. 27.
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