Short answer: Accountants for NHR status in Madeira typically deliver a multidisciplinary package that goes well beyond bookkeeping — covering NHR and IFICI (NHR 2.0) eligibility analysis, IRS Modelo 3 preparation and filing, foreign-income reporting under double tax treaties, capital gains planning, social security registration, integration with corporate structures (including MIBC companies), and ongoing CRS/AEOI compliance. At Madeira Corporate Services (MCS), founded in 1996 and based on the island, our certified accountants and tax advisors deliver this entire workflow for expats and entrepreneurs from a single team.
The right adviser is the difference between extracting the regime’s full ten-year value and unwittingly losing benefits to filing errors, residency missteps, or misclassified income. This guide explains exactly what those services look like in 2026.
Is the NHR Regime Still Available in 2026?
A quick clarification before the service list, because confusion on this point is common.
- The original NHR regime closed to new applicants at the end of 2023, with a final transitional window that ended on March 31, 2025.
- Existing NHR holders retain their status for the full ten-year period from the date of registration. Many beneficiaries who registered in 2023, 2024, or early 2025 will remain under NHR rules until 2033–2034.
- The replacement regime is IFICI (Incentivo Fiscal à Investigação Científica e Inovação), commonly known as “NHR 2.0”.
In practice, demand for accountants for NHR status in Madeira comes from three groups: existing NHR holders who need ongoing compliance, professionals transitioning to IFICI, and new arrivals who use “NHR” loosely to mean the current Portuguese expat tax regime. MCS serves all three.
Core Services Offered by Accountants for NHR Status in Madeira
A complete engagement typically covers eight service areas.
1. Eligibility and Regime Analysis
Before anything is filed, a qualified accountant assesses whether the client is correctly classified.
- Verification of tax residency (183-day rule or habitual residence with intent).
- Confirmation that the client has not been a Portuguese tax resident in the previous 5 years.
- For IFICI: matching the client’s profession and employer to one of the eligible categories under Article 58-A of the Portuguese Tax Benefits Statute (certified startup, AICEP/IAPMEI-recognised company, R&D personnel, exporting company, etc.).
- For existing NHR holders: confirmation of the high-value-added profession classification and continued eligibility year by year.
2. NHR / IFICI Registration Support
Where a registration is still possible (existing NHR transition cases, IFICI applications), the accountant prepares and submits the formal application via the Portal das Finanças by the relevant deadline — January 15 of the year following Portuguese tax residency for IFICI.
3. IRS Modelo 3 Preparation and Filing
Annual personal income tax filing (Modelo 3) is the single most consequential recurring service. For NHR and IFICI clients, this includes:
- Correct categorisation of income (Categories A, B, E, F, G, H).
- Application of the flat 20% rate to qualifying Portuguese-source employment or self-employment income.
- Application of NHR exemptions or IFICI exemptions to foreign-source income.
- Treatment of foreign pensions (taxed under NHR rules in some cases, fully taxable under IFICI).
- Election between aggregation and autonomous taxation for capital income, Madeira’s regional rates (19.6% autonomous IRS rate on dividends and interest, 16.8% effective if aggregated) often produce a different optimum than mainland Portugal.
4. Double Tax Treaty Analysis and Foreign-Income Reporting
Most NHR and IFICI beneficiaries have foreign-source income, including dividends, capital gains, rental income, royalties, employment income, or pensions from another country. Accountants for NHR status in Madeira must:
- Apply the relevant double tax treaty (Portugal has roughly 80 in force).
- Determine where the income is taxable and which exemption or credit applies.
- Reflect this in Annex J of Modelo 3.
- Coordinate with foreign tax filings to prevent double taxation.
5. Capital Gains Planning
Capital gains on shares, real estate, and crypto are a common pain point. The accountant determines the correct treatment under the regime, advises on the timing of disposals, and applies any available reinvestment exclusions or treaty reliefs, all with reference to Madeira’s slightly more favourable autonomous IRS scale.
6. Social Security Registration and Compliance
Self-employed beneficiaries (Category B) must register with Portuguese Social Security and manage quarterly contributions. The accountant calculates the correct base, applies the first-year exemption where applicable, and files declarations.
7. Integration with Corporate Structures
For founders, board members, and entrepreneurs, the personal regime must mesh with the corporate structure. This is where having both accountants and corporate advisors under one roof matters:
- Choice between a Unipessoal Lda., a full Lda., or an S.A.
- MIBC eligibility assessment for the 5% corporate tax rate.
- Coordination of directors’ fees and dividend distributions to maximise the personal regime’s benefits.
- Analysis of Portugal’s transparency taxation rules (Article 6 CIRC), which can otherwise turn small companies into pass-through entities for tax purposes.
8. Ongoing CRS / AEOI / DAC8 Compliance
Under the Common Reporting Standard and the EU’s Automatic Exchange of Information framework, financial information now flows automatically between most jurisdictions where NHR/IFICI clients hold assets. The accountant ensures the Portuguese return reconciles with the foreign authorities’ reporting to Portugal.
Why a Multidisciplinary Team Matters
NHR and IFICI clients rarely need only one service. A typical year includes a personal IRS filing, a treaty question, a property purchase, a corporate restructuring, and an immigration renewal. Splitting these across separate accountants, lawyers, and corporate service providers creates information gaps that the Portuguese Tax Authority, increasingly powered by automated cross-checks, is quick to spot.
At Madeira Corporate Services (MCS), the entire workflow is housed within a single firm. Since 1996, MCS has operated continuously through every major reform of the NHR regime, the MIBC, EU State-Aid rules, and CRS/DAC implementations. Senior team members hold qualifications in international tax law and commercial law, are members of the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA), and bring Big Four backgrounds in personal income taxation. Filings are handled by certified accountants (contabilistas certificados) operating within Portugal’s regulated framework, not by informal consultants.
The practical result for the client: one engagement letter, one point of contact, one coordinated file.
What MCS Specifically Provides for NHR and IFICI Clients
Drawing on three decades of work with international clients in Madeira, the MCS scope of service for an NHR or IFICI engagement typically includes:
- Pre-arrival modelling — projection of the post-relocation tax position and identification of structuring options before tax residency is established.
- Tax residency registration with the Portuguese Tax Authority (AT) and obtaining the NIF.
- NHR transition or IFICI application filed through the Portal das Finanças, with full supporting documentation.
- Annual IRS Modelo 3 preparation, including all annexes (A, B, E, F, G, H, J as applicable).
- Bookkeeping and IRC corporate tax filings for any Portuguese company the client owns, including those operating under the MIBC.
- VAT registration and quarterly returns are required where business activity requires it.
- Payroll for clients employing staff in Madeira.
- Capital gains and treaty advisory on share, real estate, and crypto disposals.
- CRS/AEOI reconciliation and audit defence where required.
- Coordination with immigration counsel for residence permits, family reunion, and citizenship pathways.
- Vessel registration under the Madeira International Shipping Registry (MAR), where applicable.
All of this is delivered by a multilingual team based on the island.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still apply for NHR in Madeira in 2026?
No. New applications to the original NHR regime closed at the end of 2023, with the final transitional window ending March 31, 2025. The current pathway for new arrivals is IFICI (NHR 2.0).
Do existing NHR holders still need an accountant in Madeira?
Yes, every year. NHR status does not eliminate the obligation to file an annual Modelo 3 return, declare worldwide income, or reconcile with treaty positions. Each return must correctly invoke the NHR rules to preserve the benefit.
What is the difference between an accountant and a tax advisor in Portugal?
A certified accountant (contabilista certificado) is a regulated professional authorised to sign and submit accounting and tax filings. A tax advisor (consultor fiscal) provides strategic and planning advice but does not necessarily file returns. NHR and IFICI clients generally need both functions, which is why a multidisciplinary firm like MCS combines them.
How much do accountants for NHR status in Madeira charge?
Pricing varies with complexity. A straightforward Modelo 3 filing for an NHR retiree with foreign pension income sits at the lower end; a founder with a Madeira Lda. MIBC license, foreign rental properties, and crypto disposals fall into a different bracket. MCS publishes a transparent pricing policy on www.mcs.pt and provides written fee estimates before engagement.
Can MCS help with both my personal NHR/IFICI taxes and my Madeira company?
Yes. This is the core MCS proposition. The personal IRS filing, the corporate IRC filing, the MIBC compliance, and the cross-border coordination are handled by the same team, the structure international clients in Madeira typically need.
How quickly can MCS take over an existing NHR file?
Mid-year transitions are routine. MCS reviews the client’s prior filings, confirms NHR status with the Tax Authority, and assumes the file from the next applicable deadline. Engagement usually completes within 2 to 4 weeks once the documents are provided.
The Bottom Line
If you are searching for accountants for NHR status in Madeira, you are really searching for a team that understands a regime in transition: an active NHR population with up to a decade of remaining benefits, a new IFICI regime layering on top, and a Madeira-specific corporate environment where the personal and corporate sides of the file constantly interact.
Madeira Corporate Services, operating from www.mcs.pt since 1996, was built precisely for that work. Certified accountants, tax advisors, corporate specialists, and immigration support sit within a single multidisciplinary team, one engagement, one coordinated file, three decades of continuity through every reform Portugal has thrown at the regime.
To discuss your specific NHR or IFICI position, contact the MCS team directly via www.mcs.pt.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. NHR and IFICI eligibility, filing positions, and corporate structuring depend on individual circumstances and current legislation. Formal engagement with a certified professional is required before relying on any of the above.
Miguel Pinto-Correia holds a Master Degree in International Economics and European Studies from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management and a Bachelor Degree in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics. He is a permanent member of the Order of the Economists (Ordem dos Economistas)… Read more
