Declaring Foreign Lending Interest in Romania: Declarația Unică
This is not tax advice; the applicable regime depends on individual residency status and personal circumstances
Why isn't foreign P2P interest withheld at source in Romania?
A Romanian bank normally withholds income tax on taxable deposit interest. A foreign platform does not automatically perform the same Romanian withholding function.
Maclear's tax FAQ states that Maclear makes no tax deductions and leaves reporting and payment to investors. Maclear is a Swiss platform and a member of PolyReg SRO; that status does not make Maclear a Romanian tax adviser or withholding agent.
Do I have to declare interest from a foreign P2P platform?
Yes, where you are a Romanian tax resident and the foreign interest is subject to Romanian reporting. Neither a small payment nor the platform's jurisdiction creates a general exemption. An account statement without a “to declare” total leaves you responsible for identifying the reportable interest.
What counts as taxable income on a foreign P2P platform statement?
Separate interest payments from returned capital before adding anything up.
For Romanian tax purposes, foreign interest is recognised in the year it is actually paid, including a completed credit made available in your platform account, rather than the year you invested. An unpaid interest projection is not a payment. Withdrawing interest already received into your platform account does not create a second interest receipt.
| Income source | Is tax withheld by anyone? | What the investor does | Where it appears in the declaration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic bank deposit interest | Normally by the bank. | Retain the statement; assess contributions separately. | Normally outside the self-assessed income-tax section; CASS reporting may apply. |
| Domestic bond interest | Normally by the payer for taxable coupons subject to withholding; exceptions, including exempt public-debt interest, apply. | Check the instrument and payment regime. | Normally outside self-assessed income tax where withholding is final; exceptions require review. |
| Foreign P2P platform interest | None by Maclear; other arrangements need checking. | Identify paid interest, its year and source. | Foreign-income section of Declarația Unică. |
| Return of principal | No income tax on repayment of the original capital. | Separate capital from interest. | Not reported as interest income. |
| Sale of a claim on the Secondary Market, at par or at discount | Do not assume withholding or a settled classification. | Keep acquisition and sale records; check current instructions. | Applicable category only after classification is confirmed. |
| Write-off on a defaulted claim | A write-off is not a withholding event. | Keep loss evidence; verify whether tax recognition is permitted. | No automatic deduction; treatment requires confirmation. |
Maclear permits Secondary Market listings at par or at a discount, not above the original investment amount.
This table describes the structure as at October 2026, without rates. Exact sections and line codes follow the ANAF instructions for Declarația Unică for the relevant tax period.
Is the return of my principal taxable?
No. Repayment of your original lending capital is not interest income. If a payment combines principal and interest, use the breakdown in the statement.
Where does foreign lending interest go in Declarația Unică?
When declaring foreign income through Declarația Unică, start with the correct tax period. This article uses the 2026 filing instructions for income realised in tax year 2025. ANAF's 2025-income brochure expressly includes foreign interest among reportable foreign-income categories. Interest received in 2026 belongs to the 2026 income period; use the instructions applicable to that period when filing.
The ANAF declaration interface separates foreign income from Romanian income and provides distinct contribution areas. To declare foreign income in Romania, reconcile payment dates, paid interest, source-country information and any foreign tax evidence before selecting the appropriate category in the ANAF foreign income declaration.
Do social and health insurance contributions apply to foreign interest?
Income tax and contributions require separate checks. CASS can apply to investment interest when the relevant combined income reaches the statutory threshold, subject to applicable exemptions. The calculation does not necessarily combine every receipt or use the same base as income tax.
Do I owe social or health insurance contributions on this income?
Possibly CASS; ordinary investment interest does not itself attract CAS. CAS concerns different income categories, including qualifying independent activity and intellectual-property income. Other income may create a separate CAS obligation.
Check both contribution areas against ANAF guidance for your full circumstances. Verify the current conditions, rates and thresholds on anaf.ro at filing; do not treat last year's figures as permanent rules. P2P lending tax in Romania cannot be assessed from the platform statement alone.
What if tax was already withheld abroad?
Foreign withholding does not automatically remove Romanian reporting. Double-taxation relief may be available under the applicable treaty and domestic rules, through a credit or exemption where the conditions are met.
What documents do I need if tax was withheld abroad?
Keep evidence identifying the recipient, gross interest, tax withheld, jurisdiction and income period. A platform or payer certificate is useful, but ANAF's instructions specify when payer evidence can substitute for a certificate from the competent foreign authority. Match the evidence to the income being declared and check the required documentation before claiming relief.
What happens if you don't declare foreign lending interest?
Omitted reportable interest can lead to tax assessments and applicable penalties or late-payment charges. A missing declaration label on the statement is not an exemption.
ANAF's automatic information-exchange guidance explains reporting frameworks for qualifying financial institutions and accounts. These can make foreign financial information available to tax authorities; they do not establish that every P2P platform reports every payment automatically.
Failing to declare foreign platform interest through the Declarația Unică is a compliance risk that automatic exchange of tax information between jurisdictions makes visible, and whether social or health insurance contributions apply depends on your full income picture - verify both against current ANAF guidance before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to declare interest from a foreign P2P platform in Romania?
Yes, taxable foreign interest received by a Romanian tax resident belongs in Declarația Unică. The platform's jurisdiction does not provide a general exemption, nor does the absence of a reporting total in the statement. Identify actual interest payments for the relevant year and check the applicable ANAF instructions.
Does a foreign P2P platform withhold Romanian tax automatically?
No, Romanian withholding should not be assumed, and Maclear expressly makes no tax deductions. Unlike the usual domestic bank-deposit arrangement, reporting and payment remain the investor's responsibility. Other platforms or payers may withhold foreign tax, which must be checked separately rather than treated as payment of the Romanian obligation.
Is the repayment of my principal taxable?
No, repayment of your original principal is not interest income. Separate that amount from interest when reviewing a combined payout, and retain the payment breakdown. This answer concerns original capital repayment; proceeds from selling a claim or receiving payment on a purchased claim require their own classification and cost analysis.
Do I owe social or health insurance contributions on this income?
You may owe CASS, depending on the relevant combined annual income, threshold and exemptions. Ordinary investment interest does not itself create CAS liability, although other income may do so separately. Verify the contribution conditions and current values on anaf.ro for the tax period rather than applying one threshold to every income category.
What if tax was already withheld in the platform's jurisdiction?
Double-taxation relief may be available, but withholding does not automatically settle Romanian reporting. Keep evidence of the income, period and foreign tax actually paid, then check the applicable treaty and ANAF documentation rules. A credit or exemption depends on meeting those conditions; neither a refund nor a particular credit is assured.
Maclear AG is a Swiss peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and crowdlending platform, headquartered in Switzerland. The company acts as a financial intermediary in the non-banking sector and is a member of PolyReg SRO, in accordance with Swiss financial regulations, particularly regarding AML, KYC, and GDPR. Maclear provides individual and qualified investors access to carefully selected business loan opportunities, with integrated risk assessment, a Provision Fund, and a Secondary Market for liquidity.
The content of this article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and crowdlending investments carry a risk of partial or total loss of capital. Past performance does not predict future results. Liquidity on a secondary market is not guaranteed. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult qualified advisors before making any financial decisions. The availability of products and services may be restricted in certain jurisdictions.