While the Valencian Community joins the long list of regions where inheriting family wealth barely incurs any taxes, in Catalonia we remain trapped in a tax system that penalizes precisely those who have worked their entire lives to leave something for their children. The question is no longer technical, it's political: Why them and not us?
Why is it that in Valencia (Madrid, Andalusia, Murcia…) inheriting is almost free… and in Catalonia we still pay?
What's happening in Valencia (and in half of Spain)
Valencia has decided to offer a tax break of up to 99% on Inheritance and Gift TaxThis effectively means almost zero tax for inheritances between direct relatives and, in many cases, for family businesses.
It's not unusual:
- Madrid, Andalusia, Murcia, Galicia or Castile and León They have reduced this tax for years now, to the point of making it almost symbolic for most families.
- The argument is clear: It makes no sense to heavily tax again an asset that was already taxed when it was generated. (salaries, savings, housing, family business…).
Meanwhile, in Catalonia, and therefore in Barcelona: many families face a very different reality when a father, mother, or grandparent dies: You either pay... or you sell.
We're even going to take it to the realm of the truly seriousBecause in Catalonia, it's not just a matter of "either you pay... or you sell".
There are situations much harsher, more unjust and catastrophic which should be explained so that the reader understands the magnitude of the problem.
True stories of families paying a price that no one in much of Spain pays anymore. And yet, these stories continue to happen here, year after year.
1. Families who must renounce their inheritance because they cannot pay the tax
Yes, renounce it. Directly. We're not talking about the super-rich, but ordinary families who inherit a modest apartment in Barcelona and can't afford the tax burden. Their lifelong apartment. The one they were born in. And where their parents were born many times over! In regions with 99% tax breaks, this is unthinkable.
2. Children who have to take out a loan in order to keep the family home
There are cases where the heir must go into debt for years to pay a tax that would be symbolic in Valencia or Madrid. The paradox is brutal: going into debt to inherit what is/was already yours.
3. Small family businesses that close because the heir cannot afford the cost
Bakeries, bars, workshops, neighborhood shops… Businesses that have survived decades, even crises, but they don't survive inheritance tax. In Andalusia or Madrid, these businesses pass from parents to children at virtually no cost. In Catalonia, many die during the generational handover.
4. Inheritances that require the sale of the second home in the village
The typical grandparents' house in Berguedà, Empordà, or Priorat. A house that has been the emotional heart of the family for generations. In Catalonia, it often has to be sold to pay the property tax. In other regions, it's preserved without issue.
5. Siblings who inherit jointly… and end up fighting over the tax
When the inheritance is shared, the tax multiplies the problems:
- One can pay, another cannot.
- One wants to sell, the other wants to keep.
- One person takes debt, another refuses. Taxes don't just punish financially: family breaker.
6. Elderly people who live in an inherited apartment… but have to sell it because they can't afford the tax
This is one of the cruelest cases. Children or grandchildren living in an inherited home are forced to sell it upon the owner's death because they cannot afford the taxes. This doesn't happen in other regions. It does here.
Catalonia continues to pay to inherit what is already free in half of Spain.
How long will we accept being last in rights that others already enjoy?
Who decides on Inheritance Tax in Catalonia
This is key, because vague excuses won't do here:
- Jurisdiction over Inheritance Tax lies with the autonomous communities.
- In Catalonia, The Generalitat of Catalonia is the one that can change, reduce or practically eliminate this tax, through a law approved in the Parliament.
- That is to say: Catalan government + parliamentary majorityNot Madrid, not “Europe”, not an abstract entity.
If in Valencia, Madrid or Andalusia it has been possible to offer discounts of up to 99%, it is because Their regional governments wanted to do it and their parliaments voted for it.
In Catalonia, the tax remains. because the political forces that govern and those that support them have decided not to withdraw it or provide it with a broad subsidy.
That is the reality, beyond speeches.
In other words, if "tomorrow" the Generalitat says (approves) that the inheritance tax (and the gift tax, why not?) should be withdrawn: it would solve a large part of the rest of the lives of thousands of its voters and non-voters.
Shouldn't that be the premise of a politician?
Well, I'll leave it at that…
And let the party continue... we all pay for it, all Catalans, not just registered Catalans; of course.
Sorry, in this case it's "LA FESTA".
In Valencia, inheriting doesn't bankrupt anyone. In Catalonia, it often does.
It's time to demand a fair Inheritance Tax, or better yet: zero.
Why is this a problem for families in Barcelona and Catalonia?
For a middle-class family in Barcelona, Inheritance Tax can mean:
- Having to sell the family apartment in order to pay the tax.
- Get into debt to preserve a home or a small estate.
- give up an inheritance because the tax cost makes it unfeasible.
In most of Spain, inheriting costs pennies. In Catalonia, it can cost you your house.
We're not talking about vast fortunes with sophisticated structures, we're talking about:
- The parents' apartment in l'Eixample, Sants, Gràcia or Sant Andreu.
- The second home in the village.
- The small family business that is passed down from parents to children.
In other communities, that same heritage It is transmitted at almost no costNot here. Inequality is not only economic, it is territorial: Living in Catalonia makes inheriting much more expensive.
Comparative table of Inheritance Tax in Spain (2025)
“In half of Spain, inheriting is a right. In Catalonia, it remains a luxury.”
(Simplified data for immediate family members: children, parents, spouse. Approximate bonuses according to current regulations in each region.)
| City / Community | Inheritance Bonus | Is it taxed on family inheritances? | Real situation for an average family | Feeling for the citizen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia (Valencian Community) | 99% | Practically NO | Inheriting an apartment or savings is almost free | “My family doesn’t go bankrupt because of inheritance.” |
| Madrid (Community of Madrid) | 99% | DO NOT | Transfer of family assets without surprises | “Inheriting is not a problem” |
| Seville (Andalusia) | 99% | DO NOT | Protected family inheritances | “Family assets are respected” |
| Malaga (Andalusia) | 99% | DO NOT | Just like Seville: symbolic tax | “Inheriting shouldn’t cost money” |
| Bilbao (Basque Country) | 95% approx. | Very little | Reduced tax, manageable inheritances | “The system is reasonable” |
| Barcelona (Catalonia) | Between 0% and 60% according to assets | YES, and it can be A LOT | Many families have to sell their properties or go into debt to pay. | “Inheriting in Catalonia is expensive” |
How to read (and interpret) this table
- Barcelona is the only major city on this list where inheriting can bankrupt you.
- While in Valencia, Madrid, Seville or Malaga the tax is symbolic, here it remains one of the tallest in Spain.
- Bilbaoeven with its own tax system, It protects families much more. that Catalonia.
- The difference is not technical: It's politics.
- And the decision depends Only with MIDA Professional Nail Care of the Generalitat and the Parliament.
How much more do you pay in Barcelona, for example, than in Madrid?
Without inventing exact figures (because they depend on kinship, reductions, pre-existing assets, etc.). What I can give you is a tentative and realistic estimate, based on how the Inheritance Tax works in Catalonia for Inheritances from direct relatives (Inheritances from parents to children. Approximate amounts, with standard reductions applied.).
In Valencia, Madrid, Seville, Malaga or Murcia, inheriting €100.000 costs less than a dinner.
In Barcelona, that same inheritance can cost you several thousand euros.
These figures help the interested party understand the magnitude of the problem compared to communities where the bonus is 99% (i.e., where they would pay between €0 and €100).
| Value of the inheritance | Catalonia (approx.) | Regions with a 99% discount (Valencia, Madrid, Andalusia…) |
|---|---|---|
| € 50.000 | Between €0 and €1.000 | 0 € - 50 € |
| € 100.000 | Between €1.000 and €3.000 | 0 € - 100 € |
| € 200.000 | Between €4.000 and €8.000 | 0 € - 200 € |
| € 300.000 | Between €8.000 and €15.000 | 0 € - 300 € |
| € 500.000 | Between €15.000 and €30.000 | 0 € - 500 € |
| € 1.000.000 | Between €30.000 and €70.000 | 0 € - 1.000 € |
If other communities protect their families, why are we still paying for what they have already eliminated?
Whose responsibility is it that this continues?
It can be said bluntly:
- Direct responsibility:
- El Government of the Generalitat, which proposes and maintains the fiscal framework.
- La majority of the Parliament of Catalonia, which approves or rejects tax reforms.
- Political responsibility:
- The parties that have governed in recent years and have decided not to move towards a broad bonus model like that of other communities.
- The forces that, being able to influence governments or budgets, They have not set the elimination or heavy reduction of the tax as a red line.
It's not a technical problem.
It is a political decision sustained over time.
And it affects everyone, rich and poor. Upper class, middle class, lower class…everyone.
The wealthy will almost always avoid losing their homes due to this tax, for example; but the poor will struggle to maintain their homes while wondering why, if they had lived in Madrid, Valencia, etc., they would not have had to pay anything or almost nothing.
Well, there you have it, the right person and the one responsible.
It's not about economics, it's a political decision. And it will only change when we demand it together.
What can Catalans and Barcelonans do if we want "Zero Tax"?
If we want to enjoy a model similar to that of Valencia, Madrid, or Andalusia, it's not enough to just complain at the dinner table. There are concrete things we can do:
- Let's inform ourselves and make noise
- Talk about the issue seriously: family, friends, social networks, neighborhood associations.
- Share data, comparisons, and real-life examples. Social pressure starts with conversation.
- Demand clear commitments from the parties
- Ask directly:
- “Does your party commit to reducing the Inheritance Tax by up to 99% for direct relatives?”
- Do not accept vague answers. Either yes, or no.
- Ask directly:
- Vote with this issue in mind
- In regional, municipal and general elections, remember who defends what.
- Reward those who clearly commit to a profound tax reform.
- Supporting platforms and associations
- Join or collaborate with groups that work specifically for the reduction or elimination of Inheritance Tax.
- The more of us there are, the harder it will be to ignore the demand.
- Taking the debate to Barcelona, neighborhood by neighborhood
- Neighborhood organizations, merchants' associations, professional associations…
- Barcelona has symbolic and media weight: If the issue becomes central here, the pressure on the Government will multiply.
What's all this doing in Vamos.Barcelona?
Because Barcelona is not just about leisure, culture and plans—It's also the place where we live, work, and build the legacy we want to leave for future generations. That's what we're exploring in our newly launched Urban Life section, where we believe in discussing, sharing opinions, critiquing, praising, and so on, about our surroundings; without necessarily focusing on what to do in Barcelona. Because, ultimately, it does affect us; it affects us.
And in this case, regarding the donation tax in Barcelona (and any town in Catalonia), it is no longer about left or right, or about comic strips.
Let's not be fooled by flags, from either side, or by movies, or any other nonsense. This tax is unfair to Catalans and could amount to a fortune, generated from the hard work of our parents (who probably also paid it). For example, we pay for an apartment before, while, and after we own it—good heavens!
From Vamos.Barcelona, which was created to connect people with the best the city has to offer, it also makes sense to open spaces to talk about how political decisions affect our daily lives:
- This way we can leave the apartment to our children. “It should be the norm for families to be able to leave their homes to their children without fear of a tax hit.”
- This is how a small neighborhood business can survive generational change. “The survival of a small neighborhood business through generational change should not depend on a disproportionate tax.”
- Inheriting in Barcelona should be a peaceful process, not a tax nightmare. “Inheriting in Barcelona should be a smooth process, not a suffocating financial burden.”
Valencia has already made its move. Many other regions have too. In Catalonia, the ball is in the court of the Generalitat and the Parliament.
The question is simple and direct:
Do we want to continue being one of the communities where inheriting is expensive... or are we going to demand, once and for all, a practically zero Inheritance Tax like the one already enjoyed by millions of Spaniards?
Vamos.Barcelona Editorial Team | David Guiu, CEO Director
