Jacob Salama · International Tax Lawyer · Colegiado nº 11.294 ICAMálaga
24%
Beckham Law flat rate on employment income
6 yrs
Duration of Beckham Law regime
2.5% flat (Prop 132)
Arizona state income tax
Arizona's 2.5% flat income tax is among the lowest in the US. High-income tech and semiconductor professionals from the greater Phoenix metro moving to Spain benefit significantly from the Beckham Law's 24% cap on Spanish employment income. Jacob Salama advises professionals and business owners from Arizona who are relocating to Spain on the full spectrum of US-Spain tax compliance: pre-departure asset planning, Beckham Law applications, FATCA, FBAR and Modelo 720 obligations, and ongoing dual-filing coordination. Whether you are based in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, Tempe, the planning principles are consistent — but the details depend on your specific circumstances and asset mix.
The 1990 US-Spain DTA (as amended by the 2013 Protocol) governs the allocation of taxing rights between the two countries. For US citizens — unlike nationals of any other country — the treaty's Saving Clause (Article 1(4)) preserves the United States' right to tax its citizens on worldwide income regardless of Spanish residence. A US national from Arizona who becomes a Spanish tax resident remains fully subject to US federal income tax. The foreign tax credit mechanism under Article 24 of the DTA is the primary tool for avoiding economic double taxation, but its application requires careful sequencing with Spanish IRPF or Beckham Law calculations.
The Beckham Law (Article 93 LIRPF), as expanded by Spain's 2022 Startup Law, allows qualifying individuals becoming Spanish tax residents for the first time to be taxed at a flat 24% on Spanish-source employment income up to €600,000, rather than the progressive general IRPF rate (up to 47%). Most foreign-source income is excluded from Spanish IRPF during the Beckham period. For professionals from Arizona earning in dollars from a US employer, this means: the Spanish salary is taxed at 24%, while dividends, rental income, and capital gains from US assets may be entirely outside Spanish IRPF. The application is made via Modelo 149 within six months of Spanish social security registration.
US nationals who move from Arizona to Spain and become Spanish tax residents face three overlapping foreign asset reporting obligations. First, the FinCEN 114 (FBAR) requires disclosure of all foreign financial accounts exceeding $10,000 in aggregate at any point during the calendar year. Second, FATCA (Form 8938) requires separate disclosure of foreign financial assets above the applicable threshold. Third, Modelo 720 requires Spanish tax residents to declare foreign bank accounts, securities and real estate above €50,000 per category. Jacob coordinates all three streams to ensure full compliance and to identify voluntary disclosure opportunities where historical non-compliance exists.
Arizona state income tax (2.5% flat (Prop 132)) ceases to apply once you properly establish non-residency in Arizona. The key steps involve: (1) establishing a new domicile in Spain (or another state before Spain); (2) filing a part-year resident return for the year of departure; (3) ensuring you do not maintain a permanent place of abode in Arizona after departure; and (4) spending fewer than the statutory number of days in Arizona in future years. The exact rules vary by state and some states (notably California, New York, and New Jersey) are particularly aggressive in asserting continued residency. Jacob advises on the state-level exit process as part of the integrated US-Spain move planning.
Arizona introduced a 2.5% flat income tax rate effective 2023 — one of the lowest in any state that imposes income tax. Arizona's tax authority is not known for aggressive post-departure residency audits, but residents with strong economic ties (business, real estate, family) should file a part-year resident return and formally change their domicile. Arizona uses a 9-month presence test as part of its residency determination.
Arizona's economy has diversified significantly with major tech and financial services presence in the Phoenix-Scottsdale metro (Intel, Apple, Goldman Sachs, TSMC manufacturing expansion), a thriving real estate investment market, aerospace and defence (Raytheon in Tucson), healthcare, and tourism. Expats from Arizona moving to Spain frequently include tech sector professionals, real estate investors with Arizona rental portfolios, financial services executives, and retirees drawn to Spain's warmer climate.
For professionals relocating from Arizona to Spain, the Beckham Law (Article 93 LIRPF) — which allows a flat 24% rate on Spanish-source employment income up to €600,000 for the first six years — represents a potentially dramatic reduction in the effective income tax rate. When you factor in Arizona's state income tax rate of 2.5% on top of federal rates, the combined burden on earned income can approach ~39.5%. Under Beckham Law in Spain, Spanish-source employment income is taxed at just 24%, and most foreign-source income (dividends, capital gains, interest from US assets) falls entirely outside the Spanish IRPF base during the Beckham period.
| Scenario | Top Effective Rate | Approx. Tax on $180k Income |
|---|---|---|
| US — Federal (37%) + AZ (2.5%) | ~39.5% | ~$71,100 |
| Spain — Beckham Law (employment income) | 24% flat | ~€43,200 |
| Spain — Standard IRPF (no Beckham) | Up to 47% | ~€68,400+ |
Arizona does not tax Social Security income. For retirees, this has made Arizona attractive as a retirement base before moving internationally. Once a Spanish tax resident, Social Security income is taxable only in the US under Article 20 of the US-Spain DTA — not in Spain. However, 401(k) and IRA distributions become fully taxable in Spain, which may represent a significant increase over Arizona's 2.5% flat rate.
Under Article 17 of the US-Spain Double Taxation Agreement (DTA), private pension and retirement account distributions (401(k), Traditional IRA, employer pension plans) are taxable in Spain — not the United States — once you are a Spanish tax resident. The US may withhold tax at source depending on the payer, but this withholding is creditable against your Spanish IRPF liability. The Roth IRA is a notable exception to this general rule: while the IRS treats Roth distributions as tax-free, Spain does not recognise the Roth's US tax-exempt status, potentially creating double taxation on Roth distributions. Planning your drawdown strategy before establishing Spanish residency is essential.
Key planning point for Arizona expats: Arizona's 2.5% flat rate makes the tax contrast with Spain's IRPF (up to 47%) particularly stark. Tech workers from the Phoenix corridor — often holding substantial unvested stock options or RSUs — should model their equity vesting calendar carefully before moving to Spain, as unvested equity from a US employer may be partially Spanish-sourced once they become Spanish residents.
Spanish wealth tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio) applies to tax residents on their worldwide assets exceeding the personal allowance (€700,000 for residents, plus an additional €300,000 for the primary residence). For expats from Arizona with significant investment portfolios, property, or business interests, wealth tax is an important planning consideration. The rates range from 0.2% on the first tier to 3.5% on the highest. The choice of Spanish region of residence significantly affects wealth tax exposure: residents of Madrid enjoy a 100% bonificación (effectively zero wealth tax), while Andalucía has a 99% bonificación. In contrast, Cataluña and Comunitat Valenciana apply wealth tax in full. For high-net-worth individuals from Arizona with substantial assets, the choice of Spanish region of residence can result in wealth tax differences of tens of thousands of euros per year.
Under the Beckham Law special regime (Article 93 LIRPF), Spanish wealth tax applies only to Spanish-located assets — not worldwide assets — for the duration of the regime. This is an additional major advantage of the Beckham Law for wealthy expats from Arizona: for the first six years of Spanish residence, your US brokerage portfolio, IRA, 401(k), US real estate, and other US-located assets are entirely outside the Spanish wealth tax base. Once the Beckham period ends and you transition to the standard IRPF regime, worldwide wealth becomes assessable.
Many professionals from Phoenix and Scottsdale in the technology corridor are exploring remote work arrangements that allow them to live in Spain while continuing to work for their AZ-based employer. This arrangement raises specific tax and compliance questions that must be addressed before the move.
A well-structured pre-departure process can significantly reduce your total tax burden and avoid costly compliance failures. Key steps for Arizona residents preparing to move to Spain include:
Why specialist advice matters: Moving from Arizona to Spain involves simultaneous US federal, AZ state, and Spanish tax obligations. General advisors typically lack the cross-border expertise to optimise all three at once. Jacob Salama advises Arizona nationals moving to Spain on the complete picture — from pre-departure planning through the first Spanish IRPF return and beyond.
Moving from Arizona to Spain involves complex US-Spain tax interactions that general advisors miss. Jacob handles every private client case personally.
The content on this page is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal or tax advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Tax laws change frequently and their application depends on individual circumstances. Always obtain specific professional advice before taking any action. Jacob Salama — Salama Legal SLP — is a registered Spanish lawyer (Colegiado nº 11.294, ICAMálaga) and is not authorised to provide US or UK legal advice.