English-Speaking Tax Consultants in Portugal

Portugal Tax Planning, Compliance & Cross-Border Advisory for Expats

Moving to Portugal, or already here? If you're unsure how tax residency, double taxation treaties, or NHR/IFICI rules apply to you, you're likely overpaying, under-reporting, or both. We fix that.
TaxBordr is a Lisbon-based boutique firm exclusively serving Americans, British, Germans, and Canadians with tax exposure in Portugal—whether planning a move, already resident, or managing ongoing cross-border ties. Founded and led by a Portuguese native with postgraduate specialization in taxation and Big 4 international experience (EY Portugal foreign investor team and KPMG US client matters), we only take on complex cross-border cases that local accountants and general expat firms cannot handle.
Book a Tax Consultation
⛨ Consultation fee credited toward any engagement over €1,500
hero-telmo (1)
Telmo Ramos, Founder
250+ Clients
15+ Countries
4.6 on Trustpilot
4.9 on Google Reviews
100% Tax Dispute Success Rate Since 2022
English-Speaking Team

Who it’s for

US, UK, South African, Canadian, and EU expats. Digital nomads. Freelancers. Business owners. Retirees. HNW individuals moving to or already living in Portugal.

The Cross-Border Tax Problems Expats Hit in Portugal

HP-problems
01

Residency trigger confusion

You’re moving to Portugal or you’ve just arrived, and you’re not sure whether you’ve already triggered tax residency. The 183-day rule sounds simple until you realise it’s not the only test. Get the start date wrong and you could face full-year worldwide tax exposure.

02

Two advisors, zero coordination

Your home-country accountant says one thing. Your Portugal accountant says another. Neither has looked at the other’s return. You’re the one facing double taxation when the treaty credits don’t match.

03

Multi-stream income, unclear reporting

Pensions, ISAs, RSUs, rental income, crypto, and more. You’re unsure how Portugal will tax each stream, what choices you should consider, or what you actually need to report on Anexo J.

04

IFICI/NHR regime risk

Year two compounds what year one ignored. Your IFICI application window closes. NHR status needs active defence. Miss a deadline or file incorrectly and you may lose tax optimization opportunities.

05

The cost of "I'll sort it later"

Your move to Portugal creates planning opportunities that only exist during the transition. Pre-arrival restructuring, timing of disposals, regime elections. Wait too long and some disappear entirely. What remains can usually be corrected retroactively, but at greater cost and complexity than planning it right the first time.

06

You planned the arrival but not the departure

Most people focus on what Portugal requires and overlook what their home country triggers when they leave. Exit taxes, deemed disposals, pension reporting changes, notification deadlines. Get the departure wrong and you may create problems in both jurisdictions before your first Portuguese filing is even due.

One Firm. Full-Scope. No Gaps.

These problems have a common root: no single advisor owns your full cross-border position. A home-country accountant sees one return. A Portuguese contabilista sees the other. Nobody connects the two, and the gaps compound. Taxbordr owns the Portugal and cross-border side entirely. Every engagement is fixed-scope: defined deliverables, clear fee, and a written Position Memo you can share with any advisor, institution, or authority.

What We Handle

Who We Work With

us-pt

US, UK, South African, Canadian & EU Expats

Moved or moving to Portugal with income, assets, or pensions back home.

nomad-pt

Digital Nomads & Freelancers

Working remotely from Portugal for clients or employers abroad

investor-pt

Business Owners Relocating to Portugal

Running or starting a business while managing a cross-border move

retirees

HNW Individuals & Retirees

Relocating with investment income, retirement funds, or complex portfolios

Who’s Behind Your Tax Position

Telmo Ramos is the founder and technical lead of Taxbordr. A licensed tax advisor registered with the Ordem dos Economistas (Cédula No. 16379), Telmo holds a Master’s degree in Taxation and international tax certificates from Luxembourg. He trained at KPMG Luxembourg on EU treaty work and at EY Lisbon on Portuguese domestic practice with foreign income dimensions. Every planning engagement, advisory opinion, and sign-off goes through him personally.

Taxbordr is not a generalist firm that occasionally handles expat returns. Portugal and Cross-border tax consulting is all we do. Big 4 methodology at boutique scale. Direct founder access. No junior handoffs. And a written deliverable you can share with any advisor, institution, or authority.

Ordem dos Economistas — Cédula No. 16379
MSc Taxation (Portugal)
KPMG Luxembourg — EU & International Tax
EY Lisbon — Portuguese Tax Practice
International Tax Certificates (Luxembourg)
Fluent English & Native Portuguese

Join hundreds of expats from 15+ countries who stopped guessing and started planning

Consultation fee credited in full toward any engagement over €1,500
Book a Tax Consultation
TaxBordr is a Lisbon-based boutique firm exclusively serving Americans, British, Germans, and Canadians with tax exposure in Portugal—whether planning a move, already resident, or managing ongoing cross-border ties. Founded and led by a Portuguese native with postgraduate specialization in taxation and Big 4 international experience (EY Portugal foreign investor team and KPMG US client matters), we only take on complex cross-border cases that local accountants and general expat firms cannot handle.

How It Works

Step 1

Diagnose

Book a consultation. You leave with a Position Memo: your residency status, risks, opportunities, and next steps.
consultation
Step 1
Step 2

Plan

We build a detailed tax strategy — including formal tax memos where your situation demands it.
implement
Step 2
Step 3

Implement

We handle filings, registrations, and coordination with your home-country advisor.
Step 3
Step 4

Protect

Ongoing compliance, deadline tracking, and defensive documentation if AT asks questions.
Group 169
Step 4
One-off consultation · Annual compliance · Full advisory retainer

What Clients Say After Filing Season

“I had a CPA in New York and a contabilista in Lisbon. Neither had ever looked at the other’s return. For three years, my equity compensation was taxed at full progressive rates when treaty credits should have applied. Telmo showed me the gap in the first 30 minutes and sent my CPA a coordination summary with the specific treaty articles. The first-year correction recovered €11,200. What I valued most was that both filings now tell the same story.”
— James W., software engineering director, US → Lisbon (2023)
“I’d been freelancing from Lisbon for a year without any formal tax position. I was afraid to ask because I assumed the answer would be expensive. Telmo’s consultation laid out three options with the tax impact of each. He recommended sole trader under the simplified regime — no entity needed, total setup cost under €300. He could have sold me a company formation. Instead he told me I didn’t need one. That’s why I’ve referred four other freelancers to him since.”
— Ava C., UX designer (freelance), Canada → Lisbon (2023)
“We booked expecting to need the full annual package. Twenty minutes in, Telmo told us our situation didn’t warrant his fees and referred us to a local contabilista he trusted. A year later, when my wife started receiving UK pension income, we came back. This time the cross-border complexity was real. The fact that he turned us away the first time is the reason we trust him completely now.”
— David & Laura M., retired, UK → Algarve (2021)

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Will I be taxed twice if I move to Portugal but still have income in the US, UK, South Africa, or Canada?

You may still have filing obligations in both countries. In many cases, tax treaties and foreign tax credit rules are designed to prevent full double taxation, but only if your filings are aligned correctly. We coordinate the Portugal side with your home-country position so you don’t overpay or misreport.

If I stay more than 183 days in Portugal, when do I become tax resident and what income gets taxed?

You can become Portuguese tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in a relevant 12-month period or if you maintain a home in Portugal as your habitual residence. Once resident, Portugal generally taxes your worldwide income. If you moved mid-year, your residency start date is critical.

Is NHR still available, or do I need IFICI (NHR 2.0) in 2026?

The original NHR regime was repealed for new entrants from January 1, 2024. IFICI is now the main incentive route for eligible profiles. We assess your facts first, then confirm whether IFICI or another strategy is the right path.

As a digital nomad in Portugal, should I stay self-employed, use my home-country company, or open a Portuguese company?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The right structure depends on residency status, income type, client location, and social security. We compare options side by side so your setup is both tax-efficient and compliant.

Do you coordinate with my home-country accountant (IRS/HMRC/SARS/CRA), or do I need two separate firms?

Yes, we coordinate directly with your home-country advisor so both filings follow one consistent cross-border strategy. This avoids common mismatches on treaty positions and foreign tax credits.

How much does expat tax advisory in Portugal cost, and what’s included?

Pricing depends on scope: one-off strategy, annual filings, or full cross-border support. We define scope, deliverables, timeline, and fee before work starts so you know exactly what’s included.

How are RSUs, stock options, and other equity compensation taxed when you move to Portugal?

Equity compensation often spans multiple jurisdictions depending on where you were resident during the vesting or exercise period. We map each tranche to the applicable treaty provisions and Portuguese domestic rules to determine the correct allocation, ensuring you don't pay tax on income that should be taxed elsewhere.

Do you handle company formation for digital nomads in Portugal?
Yes. We advise on structure selection (LDA, unipessoal, freelancer registration), regime eligibility, and the tax implications of each option for cross-border income.
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Your global life shouldn’t wait on tax uncertainty

Join hundreds of expats who got clarity on their Portugal tax position. One conversation is all it takes to know where you stand.
Consultation fee credited toward any engagement over €1,500
Book a Tax Consultation
Questions before booking?
info@taxbordr.com
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