The Tax Day, organized by RTL in partnership with Ernster at Belle-Étoile, continues to be an invaluable source of information for Luxembourg taxpayers. This annual event offers a unique opportunity to ask specific questions to tax experts and receive clear and detailed answers. Today, we explore questions related to selling items on eBay, tax deductions after a divorce, and costs related to medical treatments.
Didn’t attend? Or missed the radio show? No worries, we’ve noted all the callers’ questions for you!
Selling on eBay – declare or not?
Jean-Mariewanted to know how it works when selling something privately on platforms like eBay or others. “Do we have to declare it or not? Apparently, there is a new law that obliges eBay and others to transmit this information to the tax authorities,” he asks.
Nicole Fletscher (Grant Thornton) responds: “First of all, I am not yet familiar with the new law. But in principle, if you buy privately, as long as it remains in your private estate, you have kept it for more than 6 months, and you did not buy it to make a profit, it is generally not taxable. However, if it is sold within less than 6 months, you are obliged to declare it, as a speculative gain may have been realized.“
Tax Deductions for alimony after divorce
Pierre, divorced since 1992, asks if it is possible to deduct alimony for the ex-partner from taxes.
Guy Schroeder (GSL Fiduciaire) clarifies: “Yes, it can normally be deducted from taxes. There are basically two different regimes. It depends on whether the divorce took place before January 1, 1998, or after. This means that if one divorced before this date, there is a different regime; it cannot be deducted as a special expense, but it can possibly be deducted as an extraordinary charge, according to the current conditions applicable to extraordinary charges. If one is divorced after December 31, 1997, whether by mutual consent or by judgment, then alimony can be deducted up to a total amount of €24,000 per year.”
Can cure expenses be deducted?
Marcel wants to know if the treatment and hotel costs for a cure can be deducted.
Ivonne Reckenwald (Grand Thornton) explains: “If you were alone, yes, you can deduct them. If the hotel was not just for you, then it must be allocated accordingly.” The expenses must be declared under Extraordinary Charges and a private percentage will be deducted. However, this depends on the amount of income.
We hope these answers have been helpful. Stay tuned for more information and feel free to contact us with any additional questions about your tax situation. We are happy to help!