When it comes to expat investing, the array of options available can be both exciting and overwhelming. Among the plethora of investment vehicles, structured notes have gained considerable attention. But what exactly are structured notes, and more importantly, should you consider investing in them? Let’s dive in.
Navigating pension options can feel like a maze. Whether you’re eyeing retirement or simply planning ahead, understanding how to efficiently access your pension tax-free cash is crucial. Here’s a straightforward guide on why you might not want to withdraw your pension commencement lump sum all at once and how doing it in phases could benefit you and your family.
Do you have assets in more than one country? Do you know how your Will will be treated in different jurisdictions? From forced heirship in Europe to the role of executors in Asia, here’s what you need to know.
I have been living outside the UK for 23 years. I rarely get homesick. But last weekend it hit me hard. While I’m not packing my bags just yet, I realise that many expats eventually do. Thinking of returning to the UK? Prepare yourself to face a unique set of financial challenges and opportunities. It is always best to start planning as early as possible. Here are 10 financial action points to get you started.
Picture this: you’ve spent a lifetime building memories, accumulating assets, and nurturing relationships. Then, in a blink of an eye, you’re gone. Your life’s work, potentially left to the winds of chance. That’s the harsh reality for those who pass away without a will.
Imagine packing your bags, bidding goodbye to the dreary weather, then suddenly finding yourself slapped with an unforeseen £186m tax bill. This isn’t a fictional horror story – it’s the shocking reality British magnate Alan Sugar faced when he tried to dodge the UK tax net by relocating Down Under.
If you are going to be living or working outside of the UK for a period of less than 5 years, you need to be sure that you don’t fall foul of HMRC’s Temporary Non-Residence Rules.
For British expats moving or living abroad, there are many traps and pitfalls in the UK’s complex tax regime to be aware of. Based on my experience, these are the top five tax mistakes, assumptions and statements that are made, and how to avoid making them.
If there is a possibility that you might receive an inheritance in the future, it is important to be aware of the following four things. Keep them in mind for future reference.
Welcome to my comprehensive review of “Millionaire Expat: How to Build Wealth Living Overseas” by Andrew Hallam. He is a staunch advocate for financial independence and international living. In this ground-breaking book, he takes us on a captivating journey that challenges conventional wisdom and explores the possibilities of achieving financial independence while living abroad. Let’s get stuck in!
When anticipating an annual bonus, it is natural to envision all the things you want to purchase or start planning a lavish vacation. However, it is worth taking the time to step back and contemplate how you intend to use such a windfall before it lands in your bank account. Consider how your bonus can best serve you and your objectives in both the short and long term, regardless of the amount you earned.
Whenever I speak to clients about investing, I always talk about having an emergency fund equivalent to 6 months of expenses first. Sometimes life can present you with a situation where you need quick access to money and without a financial safety net it can threaten your financial well-being and cause a great deal of stress.
Millions of UK pension pots are lost or forgotten, largely because people now change jobs far more often than in the past. With many workers holding multiple pensions from different employers, it’s easy to lose track of older schemes over time, leaving significant retirement savings overlooked.
This month (October) is cyber security awareness month. What has cyber security got to do with your retirement you may ask? Everything, is the answer. Online scams are everywhere. I read about them all the time. You don’t want your well-thought-out retirement plan being torpedoed due to a lack of online hygiene. With that in mind, here are 8 tips for ensuring that you stay safe from scammers.
You have probably been told on numerous occasions that you should have a Will. Indeed, doing so may have been on your mental to-do list for months or years. However, you haven’t yet gotten around to it. This may just be due to the hustle and bustle of day-to-day expat life. It may be that you aren’t really sure how to get started. Nonetheless, making a Will is one of the most important things we can do.
When we live back in our home country, managing currencies is all pretty straightforward. We are paid in our home currency, we pay your bills in our home currency, and most of our investments are likely in our home currency. In this case, we generally have very little currency risk. The problem we have as expats, however, is that we have too many choices.
The number of remarriages in England and Wales increased by 418% in the half-century between 1969 and 2019. The data also shows that second marriages are usually more likely to be successful than first marriages. Maybe remarriages aren’t simply the triumph of hope over experience after all. However, there is still plenty of potential for conflict over financial matters, especially where multiple sets of children are involved.
Life insurance doesn’t automatically work the same way when you live abroad. This guide explains your expat life insurance options, common pitfalls, and how to put the right cover in place to properly protect your family.
As the old saying goes, the only sure thing in life is death and taxes. Having a Will in place can at least help mitigate the emotional stress of the former. However, it is crucial that any Will is kept up to date with changing personal circumstances. In this post, we will look at the impact of marriage and divorce on an existing Will.
Studies show that expat divorce rates are much higher than average. In addition, while divorce is complex at the best of times, for expats it can be even more challenging. For example, there is the matter of where to get divorced. In the country of residence or the home country? What happens if the 2 parties have different nationalities? Where then? At the end of the day, every marriage and divorce is different. There are no hard and fast rules…

