April the 5th has come and gone and we are now into the new UK tax year. The dust has settled after the rush for expatriates to either commence benefits for UK pensions or transfer to a Qualifying Recognized Overseas Pension Scheme or QROPS arrangement. The reason for the latest ‘silly season’ is the further […]
QROPS legislation changes
There have been quite a few QROPS legislation changes during 2015. There is always a gap in what we know about things and how they actually work. Let’s start the year with a recap of developments in the world of QROPS. The more informed we are, the better decisions we make! The good news is […]
Your UK pension pot and the lifetime allowance.
Thinking of adding to your UK pension pot? http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/think-twice-before-putting-any-more-money-into-your-uk-pension-advises-axis-strategy-consultants-414924.php
Pensions and divorce: How Assets Are Divided Between Couples
How are pensions split in a divorce? http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/divorce-and-pensions-how-assets-are-divided-between-couples-413370.php
QROPS developments in 2015
Alas the summer has passed and it’s now time to take stock of QROPS developments in 2015. Things don’t stand still in life; the same can be said of the QROPS regime. Since we last reported, there have been some significant changes imposed by HMRC on QROPS providers and the jurisdictions they operate from as […]
Time to modernise your pensions?
From time to time you may decide to upgrade your possessions; why not modernise your pensions? Our computer software programs are upgraded automatically (even if we’re not quite sure why). We improve our homes, cars, golf clubs and wardrobe, but how many of us check our pensions to make sure we’re maximising opportunities and minimising […]
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 […]
Lifetime Allowance: £1.25 million doesn’t go as far as it used to!
Lifetime allowance gets squeezed again! The recent UK budget was the usual mish-mash of the Chancellor giving with one hand and taking back with the other. The perceived success of a budget often revolves around who spots which measures and how they are subsequently affected. So, if a tax ‘giveaway’ such as the increase in […]
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 […]
Latest developments in QROPS legislation
It is important to keep up to date on the latest developments in QROPS legislation. Nothing seems to stand still in the world of UK pensions. The new flexible pension regime announced in the 2014 Budget has had a ‘knock-on’ effect on another area of the UK pension industry i.e. Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes […]
Pension changes in 2015 – Unintended consequences or a lack of foresight?
There’s nothing a politician loves more than to surprise the electorate with ‘good news’. We’ve become accustomed to so much bad financial press over the last few years that anything appearing to be good news tends to lift the spirits of grass-roots supporters and suppresses criticism from the opposition. Pension changes in 2015 The new […]
European migration and pensions: the revolving door
Few current political issues attract as much controversy as immigration. Previously little known political parties have sprung up all over Europe voicing their concerns on the subject. Established parties are desperately trying to modify their policies to reflect the variety of public opinion, whilst the EU stands firm on the founding principle of freedom […]
The impact on pensions of a yes vote on Scottish independence
Much has been written about Scottish independence, however, no aspect of financial planning is more important than the impact on pensions of a yes vote. As the deadline approaches, uncertainty abounds, with one side seemingly keeping their fingers crossed that everything will be alright, and the other predicting a doomsday scenario. As ever, the real […]
QROPS case example
This article looks at a QROPS case example, and examines the technical aspects of such a vehicle. A QROPS or Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme is quite a mouthful, but put simply it is a transfer of an individual pension fund from one country to another. EU legislation exists which enables these transfers, although individual countries can decide for themselves […]
UK pensions: eggs in a basket
It is welcome news that under new UK pension legislation we are no longer obliged to purchase an annuity upon retirement. It is important therefore for expats to consider alternative ways to access their UK pensions? Greater choice Rather than buy an annuity, individuals can opt for either a ‘capped drawdown’ or ‘flexible drawdown’ of […]