Parental transfers keep accelerating

Parental transfers and gifts are continuing to push Greek tax receipts higher, while revenue from property sales is moving in the opposite direction. Data from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue show the two trends clearly in May 2026.

Taxes and fees assessed on gifts and parental transfers reached 6.82 million euros in May, up from 4.18 million euros a year earlier. That represents a 63.12% increase. The rise also held over the first five months of the year, when revenue reached 18.71 million euros, compared with 15.2 million euros in the same period of 2025, an increase of 23.1%.

The article links the strength of these transfers to the 800,000-euro tax-free threshold for transfers between first-degree relatives, which provides a strong incentive for families to move assets.

Property-transfer taxes declined in May. Taxes assessed on transfers of buildings and plots totaled 53.12 million euros, down 4% from a year earlier. The tax on residential and commercial property sales fell 2.7%, to 44.64 million euros from 45.89 million euros. Taxes on plots and farmland dropped 10.1%, to 8.48 million euros from 9.43 million euros.

The five-month comparison presents a different picture. Taxes assessed on transfers of buildings and plots reached 246.81 million euros from January through May, up 4.6% from 235.91 million euros in 2025. The article cautions that lower assessed transfer taxes do not automatically mean fewer property transactions, since some sales are exempt. First-home purchases, for example, qualify for exemptions up to set value limits when buyers meet the conditions.

Inheritance-related taxes and fees totaled 15.51 million euros in May, compared with 14.97 million euros in May 2025. For the first five months, they reached 61.86 million euros, up from 61.35 million euros a year earlier.