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Do Residents Of Puerto Rico Pay Any Federal Taxes
Yes, Puerto Ricans do pay some federal income taxes in addition to the local income tax they pay in Puerto Rico. They pay the federal tax that funds Social Security and Medicare tax). There are also exceptions to the general rule. Employees of the U.S. government must file a federal income tax return their income is understood to come from the States, so they may owe federal income taxes. And any resident of Puerto Rico who earns money from outside of the territory must file a tax return.
Healthcare In Puerto Rico
Since Puerto Rico is part of the U.S., your Medicare card works just as well as it would anywhere in the U.S. Private insurance is also a solid option for retirees. Its typically far less expensive than in the U.S. and carries lower co-pays and youll still have access to the same care you would stateside. Healthcare infrastructure is widespread in Puerto Rico, as there are over 90 hospitals on the island and plenty of clinics and pharmacies. That said, doctors offices and hospitals outside major cities tend to be more run down, with fewer doctors on staff and less equipment. Youll want to look in and around major cities, particularly San Juan, for the best healthcare.
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Desktop: Puerto Rico Excluded Earned Income
Puerto Rico has its own tax system, separate from the United States. The income a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico receives from Puerto Rican sources is not subject to U.S. income tax.
U.S. Citizens or resident aliens who are bona fide residents of Puerto Rico, i.e., meet the presence test, don’t have a tax home outside Puerto Rico, and don’t have a closer connection to the U.S. or another foreign country than to Puerto Rico, will file a tax return with Puerto Rico. They do not have to file a U.S. federal income tax return if all of their income was from sources within Puerto Rico, except that if they have income that is effectively connected with a trade or business in Puerto Rico, they must file either U.S. Form 1040-SS or Form 1040-PR to report their self-employment income and pay self-employment tax.
On the other hand, if a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico receives income from sources outside of Puerto Rico and/or income as a civilian or military employee of the U.S. Government in Puerto Rico, a U.S. federal tax return must be filed if the amount of income earned outside of Puerto Rico is more than the taxpayer’s filing threshold. Use the worksheet found in IRS Publication 1321 to determine if a federal tax return must be filed.
Bona fide residents of Puerto Rico who are required to file a U.S. federal tax return may be eligible to exclude their Puerto Rico source income on their federal tax return. Generally, the following types of income can be excluded:
Details About United States Federal Income Tax

Since Puerto Rico is part of the United States, all taxpayers in Puerto Rico are also subject to United States federal income tax, with a few exceptions. One exception, for the most part, is that individuals who are either residents of Puerto Rico for the entire year or individuals that only derive an income from sources within Puerto Rico typically are not subject to federal income tax.
Our Puerto Rico tax calculator calculates US federal income tax according to the optional criteria selected while also assuming that you are under 65 years of age. If this does not describe you, more options are available within our United States income tax calculator. Simply select any state and enter your salary along with your desired options to see your estimated federal income tax .
Just like with the Puerto Rico personal exemption, non-resident foreign nationals, are also not eligible for the federal standard deduction.
For more details about United States federal income tax, please visit our page on the United States.
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Summer All Year Round
Its nice to have a low cost of housing and maybe save on taxes, but the real reason you retire to Puerto Rico is that it is a tropical paradise. The weather forecast is quite simple: It is always 70-80 degrees with 70% humidity. Some months get 3 inches of rain while others get 5 inches.
The topography of Puerto Rico is varied, having both lowlands and mountainous regions. These elevation differences can cause some differences in temperatures and rain, but they are not significantly different.
Drawbacks Of Retiring In Puerto Rico
Hurricanes are a main concern for anyone considering retiring in Puerto Rico, and the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Although you can take steps to protect your home or rental property, catastrophic storms will inevitably come around. So if you decide to retire in Puerto Rico, make sure youre prepared for this risk. You should also be prepared to pay more in home or renters insurance due to the chances of a devastating storm.
Puerto Rico is popular for tourists and retirees alike, but its not without its downsides. The island is home to mosquitoes, scorpions, sand fleas, mongooses and other critters that can bite and spread disease. Public transport is widely regarded as poor.
Sanitation standards in Puerto Rico arent as rigorous as what youd typically find in the U.S., especially after Hurricane Maria. Swimming in or drinking tap water could lead to contracting a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis. Unless you live in a major area like San Juan, or even if you do, its best not to drink the tap water.
The Puerto Rican economy is also not particularly healthy, and many are still suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Even though the island is still considered a safe place to retire, violent crime rates have risen in the past few years.
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What About Rollovers Between Savings Arrangements That Are Qualified Under Both Us And Pr Rules
The only tax-deferred rollovers allowed under both the IRC and the P.R. Tax Code are those that occur between employer-sponsored retirement plans that are qualified under both IRC Sec. 401 and the P.R. Tax Code. In other words, tax-deferred rollovers are allowed between dual-qualified retirement plans only. IRC Sec. 401 plans include profit sharing/401 plans, as well as stock bonus, money purchase, target benefit, and defined benefit pensions plans. Such plans can be dual-qualified. IRC Sec. 403 and 403 plans, on the other hand, cannot be.
IRA requirements under the IRC and under the P.R. Tax Code are not compatible, however. So although a retirement plan may hold both qualifications, there is no such thing as a dual-qualified IRA. As such, tax-deferred rollovers are not allowed between a U.S. IRA and a Puerto Rico IRA, or between a dual-qualified retirement plan and an IRA from either jurisdiction.
Does Puerto Rico Honor Roth Ira Tax Free Withdrawals
Withdrawals from an IRA, 401, or other US tax deferred retirement account would not be covered by Act 22. So moving to the island wont lessen the tax on withdrawals. The situation is the same with Social Security and other pension income.
Puerto Rico has its own IRA system, with both traditional and Roth plans, but it is distinct from the US IRA system. Income from employment in Puerto Rico cannot contribute to a US IRA and vice versa.
For a resident of Puerto Rico, a distribution from a US Roth IRA would be taxable by the Puerto Rican government. That is unless the US Roth IRA liquidates and the proceeds are used to contribute to a Puerto Rican Roth IRA subject to contribution limits, which are similar to the US.
The opposite is true as well.
A distribution from a US traditional IRA to a Puerto Rico resident would be taxable by both the US and the Puerto Rican government, unless it is liquidated, and the proceeds are used to contribute, subject to contribution limits, to a Puerto Rican traditional IRA, in which case the distribution would only be taxable by the Puerto Rican government.
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Child Tax Credit Expanded To Residents Of Puerto Rico
Beginning with tax year 2021, eligibility for the Child Tax Credit expanded to residents of Puerto Rico with one or more qualifying children. The Child Tax Credit is up to $3,600 for each qualifying child for 2021 and up to $1,500 for each qualifying child for 2022.
Residents of Puerto Rico must file a federal tax return with the IRS to claim the Child Tax Credit, even if they don’t have a filing requirement and have little or no income from a job, business or other source. The credit can be claimed on:
Military Retirement Income Tax
Your military pension is taxed based on where you served. If you retired at 20 years and served 5 years in Puerto Rico and 15 years outside Puerto Rico then 2/3 of your retirement income would not be taxed in PR. However, this would be taxed federally. You may be able to deduct your federal tax from your PR tax.
All veterans are entitled to an additional personal exemption of $1,500. If married filing jointly and both spouses are veterans, the exemption is $3,000.
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The Puerto Rico Income Tax
Puerto Rico collects a state income tax at a maximum marginal tax rate of %, spread across tax brackets. Unlike the Federal Income Tax, Puerto Rico’s state income tax does not provide couples filing jointly with expanded income tax brackets.
Notably, Puerto Rico has the highest maximum marginal tax bracket in the United States. You can learn more about how the Puerto Rico income tax compares to other states’ income taxes by visiting our map of income taxes by state.
In general, United States citizens and resident aliens who are bona fide residents of Puerto Rico during the entire tax year, which for most individuals is January 1 to December 31, are only required to file a U.S. federal income tax return if they have income sources outside of Puerto Rico or if they are employees of the U.S. government. Bona fide residents of Puerto Rico generally do not report income received from sources within Puerto Rico on their U.S. income tax return. However, they should report all income received from sources outside Puerto Rico on their U.S. income tax return. Residents of Puerto Rico who are employed by the government of the United States or who are members of the armed forces of the United States also should report all income received for their services to the government of the United States on their U.S. income tax return.
How To Retire In Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is famous for its tropical climate and sunny beaches, which make it a particularly attractive vacation destination. But the island, which has a population of about 3.2 million, also boasts a number of financial perks for retirees looking for a place to settle down. Retiring here is an especially attainable dream for U.S. residents, as they wont have to go through the hassle of getting a visa. Lets break down the basics of retiring in Puerto Rico.
A financial advisor can help you create a retirement plan for your needs and goals in Puerto Rico.
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Alternative Basic Tax Income
Alternative basic tax income applies to selected types of income exempt from regular income tax. Generally, ABT applies to self-employed individuals instead of typical salaried employees who receive a W-2. ABT income is subject to Puerto Rican income taxes.
You can earn up to $25,000 in ABT income for free, and up to $50,000 will incur an ABT rate of 1%. ABT income in excess of $250,000 is subject to an ABT rate of 24%.
Puerto Rico And Federal Income Tax
Posted January 4, 2019
One of the common excuses for treating Puerto Rico differently from states is that Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax in the same way that stateside Americans do.
This is federal law.
At first glance, it appears that the federal law benefits Puerto Ricans. After all, who wants to pay income taxes? The truth is more complicated.
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Social Security In Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is covered under the United States social security system and as a result, employers and employees are subject to mandatory contributions to US social security and medicare.
However, Puerto Rico has its own disability insurance that taxpayers contribute to.
For more details about contributions to United States social security and medicare, please visit our page on the United States.
Can You Live On $1000 Per Month In Puerto Rico
A monthly budget of $1,000 per month in Puerto Rico is going to be tight and likely will not provide you with a comfortable retirement.
It is true that rental costs on the Island are the lowest in America, but the costs for everything else are equal or more than the American averages.
The average rental cost for a 1-bedroom apartment in Puerto Rico is $420 per month, and the average for a 3-bedroom apartment is $640 per month. The traditionally recommended rent-to-income ratio is 30%, so rent should take 1/3 of someones monthly pay.
- A 1-bedroom rental at $420, at a 30% rent-to-income ratio, means total income needs to be $1,400 per month.
- If you were to choose a 3-bedroom rental at $640, then your total income would need to be $2,100 per month.
- A $1,000 monthly budget would comfortably afford a $300 rental price. Rentals at this price are going to be in rough shape and/or in rough neighborhoods.
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What Taxes Do You Avoid In Puerto Rico
The government will not collect any money if you relocate to the island. There is no capital gains tax in addition to no capital gains tax. As a general rule, you must give 4% of your income to Puerto Rico. The tax break was implemented by a Puerto Rican politician who was dissatisfied with the state of life on the island due to years of high taxes.
Puerto Rico is attracting a slew of high-profile investors, including cryptocurrency investors, lawyers, hedge funds, and others. Nonetheless, some people may be overlooking potential hiccups and qualifying situations. There are no other benefits available to you unless you derive your income from Puerto Rico. Even if government agencies are overburdened, there will be plenty of audits. Puerto Ricos tax system is a hybrid of U.S. and Puerto Rican cultures. Individuals must have been out of the country for at least 15 years before applying for citizenship in Puerto Rico. To file federal taxes in Puerto Rico, you must file them with the IRS or the Puerto Rico Department of Finance.
Puerto Rico is targeting American mainlanders with a 4% income tax as part of its effort to attract them. Its an incredible benefit to avoid Californias 13.3% rate and the federal rate of 37%. Furthermore, there is no capital gain tax in Puerto Rico, nor is there any dividend tax.
Tax Deductions And Credits
It paysliterallyto look out for all the tax deductions and credits for which you may be eligible as a new resident of Puerto Rico.
Lets review adjusted gross income , which is a key concept to understand in tax planning. Your AGI is simply your total gross income, minus selected deductions . Your AGI determines your eligibility for other deductions and credits and affects how these figures are calculated.
Here are some of the most common additional tax deductions and credits that may apply to you.
Personal Exemptions
Youll be able to take a personal exemption of $3,500 for each individual taxpayer and $7,000 for married taxpayers. There is also an exemption of $2,500 for each of your dependents.
Charities
Contributions to certain qualified charitable organizations that provide services to Puerto Rican residents are deductible.
Children
The Child Tax Credit was expanded to Puerto Rico in 2021. As a bona fide resident of the island, you can now claim a credit of up to $1,500 for each qualifying child under the age of 18. However, the credit amount decreases upon reaching certain modified AGI thresholds consult Form 1040-SS for details.
Education
Contributions to Puerto Rican educational individual retirement accounts and interest on student loans are deductible as well.
Housing
Interest on your home may be deductible, up to the lower of $35,000 or 30% of your adjusted gross income. You can also deduct losses on your primary residence and some types of personal property.
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Reasons The Puerto Rico Tax Incentives Arent All Theyre Cracked Up To Be
Lots of offshore gurus are pushing Puerto Rico these days. As usual, the picture isnt quite as rosy once you dig below the surface.
Time to pull the shovel out on all this Puerto Rico hype. Lets get down below all the fancy marketing to look at how the Puerto Rico tax incentives actually work in the real world.
As youll see, living in Puerto Rico turns out to be a great deal for hedge fund managers, full-time traders, and certain other high net worth professionals. But for most expats and digital nomads, simply living outside the US entirely provides a much better tax deal.