Our story.

Filing my Portuguese tax return was always something I'd put off. Even in year three, with two correctly filed declarations behind me, I'd sit in front of the laptop, open Portal das Finanças, see a wall of Portuguese, and not know what to do.

My struggles with Portal das Finanças were multiple. I never really knew which annex I was supposed to use. Most of the documentation was in Portuguese and the translations I found seemed inaccurate to me. Other expats and expat blogs only ever covered their own specific scenario. And most of all, I didn't know what the consequences of making a mistake actually were. In a system I had never navigated, I was extra cautious not to make a wrong move, which meant I ended up making no move at all. When I did submit, it always felt like a coin flip. Did I include everything? Did I forget something? Did I make a mistake? That tension only got resolved when AT finally confirmed the declaration was correct.

This year was the same. Even though I knew the tax window opened on April 1st, I wouldn't touch it until sometime in May. And even then, that same old feeling crept up again. But this time I decided something had to change. That's when I started building Simples.

As much as I've grown to love this country and the people in it, the bureaucracy is the one thing that still makes it hard. Anyone who's been here long enough has been on the receiving end of the "qual papel?" joke. Declaring your taxes might not be on paper anymore, but it still felt the same to me.

I set out to build Simples to finally make expat life in Portugal more simple. Because when friends abroad ask me if they should move here, I have to be honest with them. It's not easy. But it doesn't have to be.

If you're filing this year and you're stuck, try the free check or book a call. I'll walk you through it personally.