When is it mandatory to pay taxes on bank transfers over 500 euros?

Are Taxes Due on Bank Transfers in Italy?

Taxation in Italy affects every aspect of our lives, raising questions about whether bank transfers are subject to taxation when the amount exceeds 500 euros.
The good news is that typically there are no taxes on bank transfers as transactions, regardless of the amount, excluding the transaction costs charged by the credit institution.

Are Transferred Funds Considered as Income?

When receiving a bank transfer and the money flows into your current account, do these sums constitute income that needs to be declared? The answer, in this case, is negative unless the amounts are received for the sale of goods or services in a professional context.
Naturally, a merchant who receives a bank transfer for these purposes is required to pay taxes, not because of the transfer itself, but due to the income from self-employment, subject to personal income tax.

Taxes on Gift, Donation, and Refund Transfers

Aside from transfers used as compensation, let’s explore the taxes levied on sums transferred as gifts, donations, or refunds.

As previously mentioned, bank transfers are not directly subject to taxation.
However, there might be an “indirect” tax based on the consequences they entail.
In general, no tax is due upon receiving a bank transfer.
But if the transfer increases the average balance of your current account to over 5,000 euros, taxation is triggered.

Once a current account or savings account exceeds 5,000 euros, the obligation to pay stamp duty arises, amounting to 34.20 euros (for entities other than individuals, the amount is 100 euros).

Stamp duty is due only when the quarterly (or monthly, depending on the credit institution) average balance exceeds the 5,000 euros threshold.
The average balance is calculated by summing the daily balances for the entire period and dividing them by the number of reporting days.
The stamp duty of 34.20 euros is payable annually, and if the balance exceeds 5,000 euros only for certain months, the tax will be proportional to the period during which it exceeded the threshold.

Gift Tax on Bank Transfers

Another “indirect” tax that might affect transfer amounts is the gift tax.
If the bank transfer is a gift, it’s necessary to assess whether the amount falls under a low-value exemption.
If not, an official donation deed is required, and the gift is also subject to the relevant tax.

It’s unlikely that tax would be due on a gift from parents (only for amounts exceeding one million euros) or siblings (only for sums over 100,000 euros).
However, taxation is more likely for gifts from friends or more distant relatives, as the gift tax applies without exemption for amounts not considered low value.

Stamp duty and gift tax are the two taxes that could affect bank transfer amounts; in all other cases, even if the sum exceeds 500 euros, no taxation is due.