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Who can claim Italy’s €60 public transport discount?

Italy's €60 public transport ‘bonus’ is available again from Monday, but with some changes. Here’s who can claim the discount this year.

Published: 3 April 2023 16:53 CEST
Updated: 17 April 2023 09:09 CEST

Tram in Milan

The Italian government has relaunched its €60 public transport discount, but who exactly will be able to claim the bonus this year? Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP

A discount on the cost of a bus, metro or train pass is available from Monday, April 17th, under Italy’s relaunched transport bonus (bonus trasporti).

This year’s discount comes in the form of a one-off 60-euro voucher to be used towards the purchase of a monthly or annual transport pass – unlike the 2022 version, which could be claimed on a monthly basis.

READ ALSO: Metro, bus or tram: How to use Milan’s public transport

But who exactly will be able to claim the discount in 2023?

While last year’s bonus was available to anyone with a personal income of up to 35,000 euros a year, this year’s discount will only be available to people earning 20,000 euros a year or less.

Eligibility for the bonus is exclusively dependent upon personal income and not household income (which is calculated as an ISEE number).

So, for the sake of argument, while a student might belong to a family whose annual ISEE is over 20,000 euros, they will still be able to claim the bonus so long as their personal income doesn’t exceed that figure.

The €60 voucher can be used towards the purchase of any monthly or annual public transport pass. Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

Apart from that, the claiming process will largely be the same as last year.

You’ll need to apply on the official website using your SPID or CIE (Electronic ID Card) credentials and codice fiscale (tax code), and select the relevant transport operator.

READ ALSO: Bonus asilo: How to get help with the cost of childcare in Italy

You’ll also be asked to declare via an auto-certificazione (self-certification form) that your annual income is equal to or lower than 20,000 euros a year.

After that, you’ll receive an electronic voucher which can be used when purchasing their transport pass.

Vouchers will be valid for the purchase of monthly or annual passes, but can only be used once.

The discount is expected to remain available until December 31st, 2023.

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How much should you pay your Italian accountant to do your taxes?

If you ask someone in Italy who a commercialista is, you may get several different answers: accountant, consultant, financial advisor or administrator.

In fact, they can be all of these at once as, along with the patronati, they’re residents’ first port of call when dealing with the complex bureaucratic processes surrounding almost anything official in the country.

Commercialisti are also the people who can file and submit your yearly tax returns for you.

If you live in Italy or generate income in the country, you’ll likely need to file your taxes once a year during the so-called dichiarazione dei redditi (‘income declaration’).

Unlike in other European countries, where it’s fairly easy for taxpayers to file tax returns independently, doing this can be very tricky in Italy, not least because of the complicated language being used.

And mistakes can cost you dearly as the Italian taxman could charge you hundreds or even thousands of euros if you submit late, forget some details or enter the wrong information.

That’s why many around Italy choose to hire a commercialista. But how much should you pay for their services?

Overview

Commercialista fees can vary greatly depending on the type of services you need and the complexity of your financial situation.

If you’re an employee with a single source of income and are seeking help with filing taxes, or claiming tax deductions or incentives, fees will be on the low end of the spectrum.

But if you have multiple sources of income, or have foreign income or assets and are subject to taxation in multiple countries, the commercialista will need expertise in international tax law, which may significantly raise costs.

READ ALSO: The Italian tax calendar for 2024: Which taxes are due when?

If you are a freelancer or the owner of a small business, you may need monthly consulting and regular services such as bookkeeping and VAT reporting. In this case, services may be bundled in an annual package.

Finally, if you own a large business or corporation, you may need to hire more than one commercialista to deal with payroll management, VAT declarations, and corporate tax filings.

Please note that the cost of a commercialista can also vary by region as prices tend to be higher in large metropolitan areas such as Milan or Rome, while you may find particularly advantageous rates in small towns and less populated areas around the country.

Annual tax returns

According to financial advice platform Fiscozen, income tax filing services generally start at €120 but can rise to over €700 depending on your personal situation.

Generally speaking, tax filing fees are higher if you’re a VAT number holder (or partita Iva) as this entails more work on the part of the commercialista (think of all the invoices issued and claimable VAT detractions) compared to an employed individual or pensioner.

Paying taxes

Most types of taxes in Italy (from income to property taxes to waste collection charges) must be paid by completing and submitting form F24 (modello F24) with Italy’s tax office.

A commercialista can do this for you, with services costing between €15 and €30 per form, according to online investment advisor Moneyfarm.

Registering a new business

Freelancers and business owners in Italy are required to register with Italy’s tax office by getting a VAT number (known as partita Iva).

If you’re starting out as a freelancer, hiring a commercialista to get your personal VAT number and set up an electronic invoicing system on your behalf will cost you €150 on average, according to Fiscozen.

Fees will be higher if you’re starting a new business as this generally involves more paperwork and compliance with a number of tax requirements.

In this case, a commercialista’s services may cost anything between €300 and €500, though you’ll also have to factor in the payment of a number of taxes (including up to €200 for the Certified Start of Business Report, or SCIA).

‘Year-long administration’

As mentioned earlier, if you are a freelancer or a business owner, you may need monthly consulting services, as well as regular bookkeeping, VAT reporting and – if you have employees – payroll management.

In this case, commercialista services may be bundled in a gestione annuale (‘year-long administration’) package.

According to Fiscozen, a 12-month package for freelancers operating under Italy’s flat tax scheme costs €60 a month on average (€720 a year).

But costs can be much higher for freelancers working under the so-called regime ordinario (‘ordinary regime’) and business owners.

In this case, you may pay anything from €2,000 to €4,000 a year depending on: number of clients, business size and number of employees (if applicable).

How can I find a commercialista?

All commercialisti in Italy must be registered with national association CNCDEC (Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili).

The association’s website gives you the option to look for registered professionals in your area (see an example via the screen grab below).

A screen grab of the search tool on Italy’s national ‘commercialisti’ association’s website. Source: Consiglio Nazionale dei Commercialisti

As with most things in Italy however, word of mouth is key, so make sure to ask friends and family for recommendations if you can.

Alternatively, online forums and message boards for foreign nationals in Italy often share names of professionals that are particularly experienced in international tax law.

Finally, you can also find a list of commercialisti working in your area in Italy’s pagine gialle (Yellow Pages).

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