Are you a Brit living in, or moving to Sweden? Are you unsure of how to navigate the complexities of managing your pensions across borders? Whether you’re entangled in the web of the UK’s State and private pensions or exploring the multifaceted Swedish pension landscape, understanding the nuances of each system is crucial. In this guide, I will explore the options, obstacles, and opportunities that await you.
As we move into 2024, the financial landscape continues to evolve. For expatriates or individuals with UK pension funds living abroad, the question of how to best manage these retirement savings remains a pressing one. Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) have been a popular choice since their inception in 2006, but are they still a viable option in today’s financial climate? In this post, we will delve into the current state of QROPS and assess whether…
As an expat, navigating pension options can be complex, particularly when it comes to understanding Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS). If you already have a QROPS, it is crucial to stay informed about the latest developments and alternatives. What Is A QROPS? A QROPS is an overseas pension scheme where UK pension plans can be transferred. They have been a common option for expats in recent years but in many cases using a QROPS has…
Are you feeling uneasy about your current QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme?) It’s not uncommon.I have spoken to numerous expats who have to find themselves questioning the performance and suitability of their QROPS. But fear not! Here’s a comprehensive guide to understanding the intricacies of QROPS and steps you can take if you’re not entirely satisfied with your current plan. Understanding QROPS: Aligning It With Your Goals The core purpose of a QROPS is…
A pension is typically the second largest asset that someone owns (after the family home).
However, they often get overlooked when people think about passing on their wealth, as they fall outside of an estate for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes.
Understanding pensions and what to do when you inherit one can be tricky too, with various options and considerations depending on the type of pension and your circumstances.
This blog…
Today is Pension Tracing Day. When it comes to financial planning, pensions often lie at the heart of long-term security. However, with job changes, relocations, and the hustle and bustle of life, many of us lose track of these essential financial safety nets. Enter Pension Tracing Day – a day dedicated to helping people reconnect with their lost or forgotten pensions.
Are you a UK citizen planning on retiring to Greece? If so, you’ve come to the right place! In this comprehensive guide, I will ensure that you have all the information you need to make informed decisions and smoothly transition into your Greek retirement.
Dubai has long been a popular destination for expat professionals. However, back in 2018, the authorities in Dubai decided that they wanted to encourage retirees to live there too. So they launched a Retirement Visa. From tax exemptions to healthcare benefits, the retirement visa is a comprehensive package that guarantees a comfortable retired life in Dubai. But with so much information available online, it can be overwhelming to navigate the ins and outs of the retirement visa.
Depending on when you retire and how long you live, your retirement could potentially last for 3 decades or more. However, most retirements can be broken into three stages, each of which is typically 5-10 years in length. Furthermore, each stage has its own spending characteristics. Understanding these stages can help you feel more comfortable in knowing what your spending in retirement may look like.
In the Spring Budget of 2023, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, announced that the pension Lifetime Allowance would be scrapped. This decision was totally unexpected and has significant implications both for pension savers in the UK and those of us who live overseas and retain UK pensions.
If you’re a British expat it’s easy to let the State Pension fall off your radar. In fact, most expats simply accept that periods abroad will result in gaps in their contribution record and write their State Pension off.
Retirement might seem like a distant dream or it may seem like an oncoming freight train. Whichever the case, it is never too early or too late to start planning for it. If you are age 50 or older, it is time to buckle up and get serious about saving for the future. But don’t worry, I’m here to guide you through this journey with a sprinkle of good humour and a dollop of practical advice.
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.
Are you looking to retire to Canada from the UK? I recently started working with a client who did so. Here are 5 things he told me that he wished he knew before doing so.
There are more than 500,000 retired Britons overseas, who are losing out as a result of the UK’s “frozen” policy on State Pension payments. In the UK, pensioners benefit from something known as the “triple lock”. As a result of this, State Pension payments increase by the greater of two-and-a-half per cent, price inflation or average wage growth. This means that State Pension payments retain their worth as time goes on.
It has been estimated that there could be about 2.8 million lost or forgotten pension pots in the UK, worth an average of £9,500 each. I.e. over £26.6 billion in total. This is hardly surprising. The days of working for one employer for 40 years and then retiring with a gold carriage clock are over. Research suggests that average workers will now have 11 different jobs during their life. As people move from job to job more and more frequently,…
There has been much chatter in the media recently about Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter. One of the less-covered aspects of the story is the fact that he is funding a large part of the deal through margin loans. But, what are margin loans and how can we mere mortals use them to our benefit too? Margin loans (also known as lombard loans) are an effective way for individuals to borrow low cost, short term money.
The idea of a pension is relatively straightforward. It is the trading of a lifetime of hard work in return for some degree of security in retirement. At the end of the day, whether in Poland or the UK, what most of us want is to enjoy our retirement years without counting the pennies or groszy. Unfortunately, the reality is that, thanks largely to decades of government meddling, pensions can be incredibly complicated.
Yes, you can live abroad and save into a UK pension scheme. However, there are limits to the tax relief you can claim on your contributions. If you move overseas, for the next 5 tax years you can still make pension contributions of up to £3,600 a year and get tax relief. This assumes you have no earnings taxed in the UK. If you continue to have earnings taxed in the UK, tax relievable contributions can be based on these…
Unfortunately, there is no reliable rule of thumb when it comes to the amount of money that should be saved for retirement. It all depends. Every situation is unique, so this number is different for every person, and it depends on your individual circumstances.