Cuéntamo Blog

Your first quarter as an autónomo: a fiscal survival guide

May 18, 2026

Nobody explains this to you when you register as an autónomo (self-employed worker). They tell you to fill in form 036, to sign up for the RETA (the self-employed Social Security scheme), to take advantage of the tarifa plana (the flat-rate Social Security contribution for new freelancers) if you can, and little else. Three months later your first quarterly return arrives and the question is always the same: “And now, what exactly do I do?”.

VAT to offset from previous quarters: what it is and how it works

May 16, 2026

When an autónomo (self-employed worker) files the modelo 303 (the quarterly VAT return), the result of the settlement can be positive or negative. If it’s positive, you pay it to the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria). But if it’s negative –you’ve paid more VAT than you’ve collected– that balance doesn’t disappear: it’s carried forward to the next quarter to offset it. And if you reach the end of the year with an accumulated negative balance, you can ask for it to be refunded.

Modelo 303 with no activity: how to file it when you haven't invoiced

May 14, 2026

There are quarters when not a single invoice comes in. A bad month that drags on, a lull between projects, the start of an activity where you still haven’t closed your first client. And when the day comes to file your modelo 303 (the quarterly VAT return), the question is unavoidable: if I haven’t invoiced anything, do I still have to file it?

The short answer: yes. As long as you’re registered in the census of economic activities (modelo 036 or 037), the obligation to file the modelo 303 exists every quarter, with or without income.

The autónomo tax calendar 2026: every deadline and every model

May 12, 2026

If you’re an autónomo (self-employed worker), the tax calendar isn’t something you can leave for “whenever I remember”. Every quarter you have obligations with the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria), and the deadlines are firm. Missing a date, even by a single day, means surcharges and late-payment interest that are perfectly avoidable if you have the dates clear.

This article is a quick-reference cheat sheet. Save it to your favourites and check it every time the quarter close approaches.

What happens if you file your quarterly taxes late

May 10, 2026

Modelo 303: what it is, who files it, and how to fill it in step by step

May 8, 2026

How your investments are taxed in Spain: a practical IRPF guide

May 6, 2026

One of the questions that comes up most when someone starts investing is: and how do I declare this? The short answer is that the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Tributaria) wants its share of what you earn by investing. The long answer is that the system has its nuances, and knowing them can save you quite a bit of money.

This article explains in a practical way how the main investment products are taxed in Spain, without beating around the bush and without claiming to replace a tax adviser.

How to Start Investing from Scratch (Even If You Know Nothing About the Stock Market)

May 3, 2026

Investing feels a little daunting at first. Some people put it off for years because it seems too complicated, too risky, or too much of a “rich person’s game”. Meanwhile, their money has been quietly losing purchasing power sitting in a current account.

This article is for that person. No unnecessary jargon, no promises of magical returns, and no hidden sales pitch.

Why invest if I already have savings?

Because money sitting idle in a current account loses value over time. If inflation runs at 3% a year and your savings earn nothing, in ten years your purchasing power will have dropped significantly, even though the number in your account stays the same.

Deductible expenses for the self-employed under simplified direct assessment: the complete list (2026)

April 30, 2026

One of the advantages of being self-employed (autónomo) compared with an employee is that you can deduct the expenses necessary to carry out your activity before being taxed. That reduces the taxable base and, therefore, what you pay in IRPF (Spanish personal income tax).

But “expenses necessary for the activity” has a specific definition in tax law, and not everything that might seem deductible actually is. This guide gathers the most common deductible expenses under simplified direct assessment (estimación directa simplificada), with the nuances worth knowing.

How to Tell if a Savings Account Really Delivers What It Promises: Understanding APY vs. Nominal Interest

April 30, 2026

When a bank advertises a savings account at “4% interest,” that 4% is almost never what you actually earn on your money over a year. Or rather: it depends on what kind of interest rate that 4% is.

The confusion between the nominal interest rate and the annual percentage yield (APY) is one of the most common pitfalls in personal finance. Understanding the difference doesn’t require an economics degree; it just takes someone explaining it clearly once.