Offshore Tax with HTJ.tax

Portugal is often described as facing a housing shortage—yet walk through many towns and cities and you’ll see countless empty homes. So what explains this apparent contradiction? In this episode, we unpack the structural, legal, and economic reasons behind Portugal’s high number of vacant properties.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ Inheritance and Legal Bottlenecks

A significant number of properties remain empty becaus...

When international families own property or other assets in Portugal, one critical question often arises: Will a foreign will be recognised under Portuguese law? In this episode, we clarify how Portugal treats foreign wills—and why careful estate planning is essential to avoid unintended outcomes.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ What Types of Wills Portuguese Law Recognises

Portuguese law formally recognises public will...

Buying property in Portugal involves more than just the purchase price. In this episode, we walk through the key taxes and fees every buyer—local or foreign—should budget for when acquiring real estate in Portugal.

Understanding these costs upfront helps avoid surprises and ensures smoother transactions.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ IMT – Property Transfer Tax

The main tax payable on acquisition is IMT (Imposto Munici...

Inheritance taxation is one of the most common—and misunderstood—questions when dealing with estates in Portugal. In this episode, we clarify how Portugal actually taxes inheritances and what families should expect when assets pass to the next generation.

The answer may surprise many international families.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ Why Portugal Has No Traditional Inheritance Tax

Portugal does not impose a ...

When someone dies owning assets in Portugal, one legal step is often unavoidable: the habilitação de herdeiros. In this episode, we explain what this procedure is, why it matters, and when families must complete it to move forward with estate administration.

Understanding this process early can save time, reduce friction among heirs, and prevent costly delays.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ What the Habilitação de H...

When someone dies owning assets in Portugal, one legal step is often unavoidable: the habilitação de herdeiros. In this episode, we explain what this procedure is, why it matters, and when families must complete it to move forward with estate administration.

Understanding this process early can save time, reduce friction among heirs, and prevent costly delays.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ What the Habilitação de H...

Navigating inheritance procedures in a foreign country can feel overwhelming, especially when real estate is involved. In this episode, we unpack the very first step families must take when someone passes away owning property in Portugal.

The Portuguese succession process has specific legal requirements, and understanding them early can prevent delays, disputes, and costly mistakes.

🔎 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

1️⃣ Wh...

As global transparency frameworks expand to include real estate, many high-net-worth families and advisors are reassessing how property ownership structures intersect with international reporting obligations. In this episode, we explore how common legal structures—such as SPVs, holding companies, and trusts—affect visibility under emerging information-exchange systems like the IPI MCAA.

We focus on the principles, not loopholes: und...

As countries adopt the IPI MCAA framework, one of the most important questions is: What exactly will be shared?

In this episode, we break down the full scope of information exchanged between tax authorities regarding immovable property—covering the asset itself, its transactions, its owners, and any related income.

This is the most detailed international real estate reporting standard ever proposed, and understanding its components i...

How often will countries exchange real estate information under the new transparency framework? In this episode, we break down the reporting timelines built into the IPI MCAA (Immovable Property Information Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement)—and what they mean for tax authorities, advisors, and internationally mobile property owners.

The agreement sets out two types of exchanges: a one-off exchange of historical property ho...

Reciprocity sits at the heart of global tax transparency. Without it, information exchange systems would be unbalanced, inconsistent, and difficult to implement. In this episode, we unpack how reciprocity works specifically within the IPI MCAA (Immovable Property Information Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement) and what makes this framework unique.

Unlike other exchange-of-information agreements, the IPI MCAA allows jurisdict...

As governments work to strengthen global tax transparency, the exchange of real estate information has become a new priority. But instead of creating complex new reporting systems, the IPI MCAA (Immovable Property Information Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement) takes a more practical approach: it focuses on Readily Available Information—data that tax authorities already possess and can share quickly.

In this episode, we brea...

As global tax authorities continue to strengthen transparency frameworks, real estate has emerged as a critical area in need of more consistent reporting. Many jurisdictions already hold valuable property data—transactions, ownership records, and recurring income—but these details are often siloed, inaccessible, or exchanged inconsistently across borders.

In this episode, we explore how developing a common legal and operational appr...

Over the past decade, global tax transparency has undergone a major transformation. Since 2010, new international standards and agreements have dramatically lowered the barriers to sharing tax information across borders. Now, with real estate increasingly recognized as a vehicle for hiding undeclared wealth, governments are moving to strengthen reporting frameworks even further.

In this episode, we unpack the legal foundation behind...

Global tax transparency didn’t happen overnight—it began with a bold statement from G20 leaders in 2009 to end bank secrecy. That declaration set the stage for the Exchange of Information on Request (EOIR) standard, empowering tax authorities to access key financial data, accounting records, and even beneficial ownership details tied to assets like real estate.

In this episode, we explore how the movement toward transparency has evo...

Why is real estate becoming the next major focus in global tax transparency? In this episode, we break down the growing push—led strongly by India within the G20—to include non-financial assets like property in the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) framework.

For years, the global system has focused almost exclusively on financial accounts through CRS. But new data shows a rising challenge: cross-border property ownership is ...

Around the world, governments are quietly shifting their tax strategies — moving away from corporate taxation and turning their attention to private wealth. As inequality widens and traditional tax bases shrink, high-net-worth individuals, global entrepreneurs, and mobile “tax nomads” are finding themselves increasingly under scrutiny.

In this episode, we break down why wealthy families are becoming the new tax target, what governme...

In this episode, we unpack everything you need to know about Power of Attorney (POA) validity in the UAE—how long it lasts, when it expires, and why keeping it updated is crucial.

📝 Key Highlights:

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• A POA in the UAE stays valid until the death of either the principal or the agent—unless it’s time-bound.
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• You can set your POA for 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, or any duration you choose.
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• Some UAE gover...

Timing matters when it comes to probate in the UAE—and having a Will can make all the difference.

✅ With a Will

Probate is streamlined, usually wrapping up in 6–8 weeks (about 2 months). If the death certificate comes from outside the UAE, allow an extra month for attestations. The process is clear, predictable, and much less stressful for your loved ones.

⚠️ Without a Will

Things get complicated. Sharia law inher...