Parental donations in Greece up 11% in 2025 due to €800,000 tax-free threshold

Parental property transfers and donations among relatives in Greece rose by 11% in the first half of 2025, reaching 152,000 transactions, as citizens rushed to take advantage of the €800,000 tax-free allowance for first-degree relatives.

The surge was driven by both the favorable tax framework and the digitalization of procedures through the MyProperty online platform.

State revenues from such transfers amounted to €152 million during the same period.

Under the current system, parents, children, spouses, and grandchildren enjoy a tax-free limit of €800,000. Any amount exceeding that threshold is taxed at 10%.

In contrast, second-degree relatives (such as siblings, in-laws, and nephews/nieces) benefit from a much lower tax-free cap of €30,000, with tax rates ranging from 5% to 20% depending on the amount. For distant relatives, taxation can reach up to 40%.

Points to Watch

Tax experts warn that even joint wedding bank accounts can be treated as donations, subject to a €6,000 exemption limit.

Despite the positive trend, around 7,000 parental transfers were canceled in the first half of 2025, mainly due to procedural errors.

Accountants emphasize three key precautions:

Transfers must be made exclusively via bank accounts, not in cash.

Donors must justify the origin of funds (“pothen esches”).

Rapid successive transfers through third parties may be considered tax evasion.