Tax residency in Bulgaria, where both personal and corporate income tax rates are 10 %, is a popular option for quite some time for many EU and non-EU citizens. Recently British citizens doing business and travelling in EU countries are anxious about their rights after Brexit. Over one million Brits are now already living outside the Island all over Europe.

The draft Withdrawal Agreement between the UK government and the EU envisages that British citizens will keep the right to live and work in the country where they reside at the time of the withdrawal. Both parties confirm that this has been surely agreed and further amendments in this section of the Withdrawal Agreement are not expected. Moreover, the negotiators agreed that there shall be a transitional period of 21 months (from 29 March 2019 until the end of 2020) before UK leaves the EU completely. So, according to the last draft of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK citizens residing on the basis of EU law before the end of the transitional period will maintain the residence rights they currently enjoy, under the currently applicable conditions and limitations. This protection includes also rights which are in the process of being obtained: citizens will be able to acquire the right to permanent residence after five years of lawful residence, even if the five-year period is completed after the end of the transition period. So, if you are a British citizen trading with EU partners, travelling around Europe or you are self -employed, providing services to EU clients, or you simply need to lower your taxes, and you wish to become a Bulgarian (tax) resident benefiting from current EU laws and the rights they give, you have a little time to do it. read more

Participation is a commercial company implies various rights to the shareholders, the main being the right to dividend. According to Bulgarian Commercial Act shareholders in a Limited Liability Company are entitled to receive part of the profits in the form of dividends. Distribution of interim dividends (based on current year profits) is prohibited. Companies are allowed to distribute only accumulated profits from past fiscal years.

In the common practice the balance profit is distributed among the shareholders in proportion to their shares. In other words, if in a limited liability partnership there are two partners each holding 50 %, that means that they will receive equal share from the profit, unless otherwise agreed. “Unless otherwise agreed” is a key phrase here, as it gives opportunity to shareholders to stipulate different shares of profit. These stipulations shall be made in writing on the company’s Articles or Operating Agreement. So, practically there are no legal limitations to disproportional distribution of profits in a Limited Liability Company, in case all shareholders agree on that. In all cases, in order to be effective and legally binding, the decision for distribution of profits in the form of dividends should be taken by the General Meeting of Shareholders and duly recorded in writing in the company’s documentation. read more