Could this be the end of cold calling for pensions? Way back in the early 1980s we saw the emergence of a new breed of financial adviser; the cold calling direct salesman. Eager new recruits were handed a telephone directory and told to call as many unsuspecting victims they could in order to secure appointments […]
Double Taxation Treaties and Overseas Pension Transfers
Double Taxation Treaties (DTTs) are legal mechanisms between countries which ensure individuals and companies do not pay tax twice on the same trade, asset or income in both the country of source and that of residence. As such, if a British person who is tax resident in Spain holds assets in the UK, the DTT […]
Brexit impact on the city of London
Ever since the UK voted to leave the EU, there has been speculation about the Brexit impact on the city of London. Latest research from Reuters suggests that up to 9,000 jobs may be relocated. Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris are considered to be the most likely destinations. Relocating abroad Moving to a new house and/or […]
Election 2017: What’s in store for pension legislation?
Just when we thought that electioneering was the favourite pastime of politicians on mainland Europe, up pops Theresa May with her shock announcement of a UK general election to be held in June. Should we be concerned about changes to pension legislation? The answer is probably yes. If the Tories win as predicted, I expect them […]
Investigation into investment funds
It seems that every time we open the financial press, there’s a new story about failed funds. My recent investigation into unsuccessful investment funds suggests that failure is often caused by managers rolling the dice once too often. Some are just bad ideas where the fund manager was trying to make a ‘silk purse from […]
Pension fraud and how to protect yourself
Ever since the UK government introduced The Pensions Act 2014, incidents of pension fraud have been on the increase. The reasons behind the introduction of ‘pensions freedoms’ are both worthy and necessary. However, this has not detracted fraudsters from exploiting the legislation. Almost 2 1/2 years after the event, the government and regulator are still […]
Common Reporting Standards – threat or opportunity?
Common Reporting Standards are coming to a place near you. It is not just the wealthy that need to worry……! The International Consortium of Journalists (ICJ) unearthed a global can of worms with allegations of large-scale tax evasion following their investigation into what are now known as The Panama Papers. Slowly, governments around the world […]
Brexit means Brexit means……..?
The meaning of Brexit may escape us all Following the UK’s momentous decision to leave the EU, pundits and commentators enjoy a feeding frenzy in the media, hanging on every word uttered by the main players. The Prime Minister’s “Brexit means Brexit” statement was supposed to clear the air and unify the government position on […]
Minimising retirement income tax in Spain
Retirement income tax in Spain One of the most important decisions expats need to make when retiring to Spain is how to take pension benefits from their retirement plans. Pension legislation seems to be in a state of constant flux these days. Only by keeping on top of changes in tax and pensions regulations can […]
Pensions and interest rates
Pensions and interest rates: the good, the bad and the ugly news! The old saying goes, ‘I have good news and bad news, which would you like to hear first?’. Given this choice, a majority prefer to hear the bad news first. The recent reduction in UK interest rates to 0.25% in response to pressures […]
Retiring to the Algarve
Retiring to the Algarve in Portugal can be an attractive proposition for many expats. Along with the obvious lure of the ‘sun and sea’, there is also the added benefit of low taxation for retirees. Tax competitiveness is a well-established way of attracting the people you want to work or live in your country. The […]
Sink or swim: Brexit and expat pensions
Wouldn’t it be great if, amongst all the excitement and hype, British expats had some information that could actually be of use to them regarding the pending EU referendum? There are many retired British expats in Europe; there are also many Brits currently working in the EU. Unfortunately, there is a distinct lack of clarity […]
The Netherlands 30 percent ruling
If you are willing to work in the Netherlands and have a specific and scarce expertise, you may end up being rewarded by the Dutch government with a significant tax break in the form of the 30 percent ruling! If you meet the conditions of the Netherlands tax ruling, you and your employer can apply […]
UK pension changes: reasons to be cheerful
Whether you live in France, Spain, Canada, Australia, or some other far-flung region of the world, there are reasons to be cheerful for British expats about changes in the UK pension system. As we start the new UK Tax year, let’s take the opportunity to recap on some of the reforms and see how UK […]
Tips on how to transfer funds abroad
No such thing as a free lunch, or is there? From time to time we all find ourselves having to transfer funds abroad. I myself had to transfer a fairly modest amount recently and decided to check the many specialist currency exchange companies to see if I could better the rate quoted to me from […]