Banking, pensions and tax in Colombia
Colombia taxes residents on worldwide income, but pensions, including those from abroad, are taxed only above 1,000 UVT a month, about 52 million pesos in 2026.
How your pension reaches a Colombia bank, what Colombia taxes, and what you still report at home. Checked against official sources on Oct 7, 2026.
- Tax on a foreign pension
- 0% up to a cap Foreign pensions exempt up to 1,000 UVT a month. Tax Code art. 206; PwC Tax Summaries. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Top rate, local income
- 39% Over COP 1,622,757,000 (31,000 UVT). Tax Code art. 206; PwC Tax Summaries. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- US Social Security
- Direct deposit SSA POMS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- UK State Pension
- Frozen GOV.UK. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- Canada OAS
- No agreement Canada.ca. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
- US FBAR
- Over $10,000 Combined foreign accounts at any time in the year. FinCEN. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Getting your pension paid in Colombia
United States
Social Security
Yes. Social Security can be paid straight into a bank in Colombia by international direct deposit: Colombia is on SSA's list of direct deposit countries, through a multi-country bank contract.
SSA POMS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
United Kingdom
State Pension
It can be paid to you in Colombia, but Colombia is not on GOV.UK's list of countries where the State Pension goes up every year, so it stays at the rate you first receive there.
GOV.UK. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Canada
Old Age Security
Paid while you live outside Canada if you lived in Canada for at least 20 years after age 18. Canada has no social security agreement with Colombia, so time in Colombia does not count toward OAS.
Canada.ca. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Other countries: check whether your pension can be paid abroad, whether it keeps rising with inflation there, and whether your country has a social security agreement with Colombia.
How Colombia taxes you
You are tax resident in Colombia after 183 days, continuous or not, within any 365 days, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at 0% to 39%. Pensions are taxed only on the part of the monthly payment above 1,000 UVT (52,347,000 pesos in 2026). Since the 2022 tax reform (Ley 2277) this rule also covers pensions and retirement annuities obtained abroad, provided you meet the conditions to draw a pension under Colombia's Law 100 of 1993. Other foreign income, such as interest, rent and dividends, is taxed at the progressive rates. The income tax scale:
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to COP 57,058,230 (1,090 UVT) | 0% |
| COP 57,058,230 to 88,989,900 (1,090 to 1,700 UVT) | 19% |
| COP 88,989,900 to 214,622,700 (1,700 to 4,100 UVT) | 28%, plus 116 UVT |
| COP 214,622,700 to 453,848,490 (4,100 to 8,670 UVT) | 33%, plus 788 UVT |
| COP 453,848,490 to 993,022,590 (8,670 to 18,970 UVT) | 35%, plus 2,296 UVT |
| COP 993,022,590 to 1,622,757,000 (18,970 to 31,000 UVT) | 37%, plus 5,901 UVT |
| Over COP 1,622,757,000 (31,000 UVT) | 39%, plus 10,352 UVT |
Tax Code art. 206; PwC Tax Summaries. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
What US citizens still report
US citizens file a US return on worldwide income wherever they live; there is no US income tax treaty with Colombia. Two reports cover money held abroad:
| FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) | Over $10,000 combined, any time |
| Form 8938, single, living abroad | Over $200,000 at year end or $300,000 any time |
| Form 8938, married filing jointly | Over $400,000 at year end or $600,000 any time |
FinCEN; IRS. Checked Oct 7, 2026.
Pension and tax questions
Can I get US Social Security paid in Colombia?
Yes. Social Security can be paid straight into a bank in Colombia by international direct deposit: Colombia is on SSA's list of direct deposit countries, through a multi-country bank contract.
Will my UK State Pension go up each year in Colombia?
It can be paid to you in Colombia, but Colombia is not on GOV.UK's list of countries where the State Pension goes up every year, so it stays at the rate you first receive there.
Is my pension taxed in Colombia?
No, up to a high cap. Colombia taxes a pension only on the part above 1,000 UVT a month (52,347,000 pesos in 2026), and since the 2022 reform that applies to pensions from abroad, if you meet the conditions to draw a pension under Colombia's Law 100 of 1993. US citizens still file a US return.
Do I still file a US tax return?
Yes, US citizens file on worldwide income wherever they live, and report foreign accounts on an FBAR once they pass $10,000 combined at any point in the year.
Can I get US Social Security paid in Colombia?
Yes. Colombia is on Social Security's list of international direct deposit countries, so payments can go straight into a bank in Colombia.
Is my foreign pension taxed in Colombia?
Only above a high cap. A pension is taxed only on the part over 1,000 UVT a month (52,347,000 pesos in 2026), and this covers pensions from abroad if you meet the conditions to draw a pension under Colombia's Law 100 of 1993. Other foreign income of a resident is taxed at 0% to 39%.
When do I become tax resident in Colombia?
After 183 days in Colombia, continuous or not, within any period of 365 days. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
Does the UK State Pension go up in Colombia?
No. Colombia is not on GOV.UK's list of countries where the State Pension rises every year, so it stays at the rate you first receive there.
