At 69 years old, Elvira is enjoying retirement after having worked a good part of her life between Spain, Germany and England. He earns “close to 900” euros per month, an amount although he “doesn’t” like it, he considers consistent with his career, marked by long periods abroad and only 17 years of contributions in Spain. In an interview granted to NewsWorkreflects on the differences between European pension systems and the spanish modeland on the need to strengthen tax justice.
“There should be no hidden money in income tax returns and everyone should declare based on what they earn, no more and no less,” she explains when asked about her opinion about the current pension system. “And leave some money for the pension piggy bank and that that box is always full for future young people,” he adds, defending the importance of a solid and transparent fund that guarantees the benefits of the next generations.
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The difference between Spain and Europe
After having lived in different countries, Elvira considers that Spain still maintains a certain distance from its neighbors in fiscal and social matters: “Spain is four or five points, at least, far from what Germany, France or England could be,” she says. In his opinion, in other European countries the high tax burden is offset by solid social and public services: “In Germany “You can pay up to 55% of your salary,” he explains, “but you have a residence, a public school, public universities, incredible highways.”
Her testimony becomes more personal as she remembers how she and her husband managed their taxes during their time in Germany. “We exchanged tables at a certain moment and I kept 55% and he 48%,” he says. It refers to the Income Tax tables or tax classes that exist in that country, where the withholding percentage varies depending on income and family situation. “I was a teacher, I earned 2,000 euros and I earned 900 of the 2,000,” she explains, as an example of the tax burden they bore then.
The retiree has also lived in Peru, where she experienced a totally different model. “They refund your taxes there if you leave the country or if you want to collect them in a lump sum, but you don’t have a pension,” he says. “I remember a woman I had helping me around the house and she received $100 a month in pension. I don’t know if you can live with $100,” he concludes.
Elvira, who has been up close with different ways of understanding the welfare state, insists on the importance of each citizen contributing what they are entitled to and strengthening tax justice to guarantee the future of the system.