Ireland is increasingly becoming the destination of choice for internationally mobile entrepreneurs, executives, and families seeking a dynamic base in Europe. With its thriving economy, English-speaking population, excellent education system, and attractive quality of life, it’s easy to see the appeal.
However, the Irish tax landscape contains a number of nuances that can materially impact your wealth if not correctly navigated. Seeking specialist Irish tax advice before becoming Irish tax resident can provide significant opportunities to safeguard and optimise personal wealth — particularly if you intend to rely on the remittance basis of taxation.
At Xeinadin Ireland, our Private Client Tax Team specialises in advising individuals relocating to Ireland, ensuring you arrive fully prepared and tax-optimised from day one.
Our Pre-Arrival Tax Planning Services
We assist clients with all aspects of Irish inbound tax planning, including:
- Residence & Domicile Planning – Advising on the tax residency rules, split year treatment, and the impact of domicile status on your exposure to worldwide taxation.
- Structuring Global Assets Before Arrival – Reviewing investment portfolios, trusts, companies, and bank accounts to ensure they are efficiently structured before becoming Irish resident.
- Optimising for the Remittance Basis – Planning overseas income and gains so that they may be kept outside the charge to Irish tax (where possible) under the remittance basis.
- Separating ‘Clean Capital’ from Income/Gains – Advising on how to structure foreign accounts to segregate historic capital from future income or gains.
- Planning for Property & Business Interests in Ireland – Advising on the acquisition of Irish real estate, operating businesses, and succession planning in an Irish context.
- Ongoing Compliance & Advisory – From tax return preparation to strategic reviews, ensuring you remain compliant and tax-efficient during your time in Ireland.
Why Take Advice Before Moving?
Many of the most effective Irish tax strategies – particularly regarding the remittance basis – must be put in place before you become Irish tax resident. Once you have spent sufficient time in Ireland to trigger tax residence, valuable planning windows may have closed.
Benefits of pre-arrival planning include:
- Retaining access to overseas income/gains without triggering Irish tax
- Ensuring investments and bank accounts are appropriately segregated
- Avoiding inadvertent remittances of taxable funds into Ireland
- Strategically timing the sale of assets for capital gains tax efficiency
Designing succession structures to protect intergenerational wealth
Understanding the Irish Remittance Basis (High-Level Overview)
Ireland operates a remittance basis of taxation for individuals who are resident but not domiciled in Ireland (so-called “non-doms”). Under this regime:
- Foreign income and foreign capital gains are not taxed in Ireland unless remitted (brought) into the State.
- Irish-source income and gains, and employment income relating to Irish duties, remain taxable in Ireland regardless of remittance.
- To maximise benefits, foreign income and gains must be retained offshore and segregated in appropriate banking structures. Modern compliance practice demands careful tracking and reporting.
- This favourable treatment continues until such time as an individual either acquire an Irish domicile of choice, or make significant remittances of income/gains to Ireland.
- There are specific nuances around the Irish non dom regime which can mean that certain investments do not qualify for the remittance basis.
With careful planning, the remittance basis can be a powerful tool for internationally mobile individuals seeking to base themselves in Ireland.
How We Can Help
At Xeinadin Ireland, we combine in-depth technical expertise with a pragmatic and commercial mindset to help international clients move to (and thrive in) Ireland.
Whether you are planning a short-term move, considering Irish residency programmes (such Stamp 0), or relocating for the long term, we can provide tailored advice to help you structure your affairs tax-efficiently before and after arrival.
To arrange a confidential consultation with a specialist advisor, please contact our Private Client team today.
