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 are enjoying 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 […]
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 […]
How the Brexit vote affects your British pension in France
Check out the latest blog on Brexit: www.thelocal.fr/20160720/how-the-brexit-vote-affects-your-british-pension-in-france
Retiring to the Algarve, the ‘Florida of Europe’
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 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 a substantial number of Brits currently working in the EU. Unfortunately, there is a distinct lack […]
Pensions for expats living in the Netherlands
Check out our latest blog on pensions for expats living in the Netherlands: http://dutchtaxadvice.nl/blog/expat-pensions-netherlands/
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 […]
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 […]
How to protect your investments
There are currently around 30,000 investment funds available globally that invest in a myriad of asset classes. However, since the financial crisis we have seen a new breed of fund launched onto the market. Many, if not all, claim to be the alternative to traditional investments and the answer to volatility, downside risk and market corrections. […]
Forgot to apply for the 30% in the Netherlands?
The 30% ruling in the Netherlands is a tax incentive granted to foreign workers, possessing specialist skills, that come to work in the Netherlands. The maximum duration of the ruling for expatriate employees is 8 years. It is not unusual however for expats to be unaware of their eligibility for this tax break. The reason may be as […]
30% ruling benefits for contractors in the Netherlands
Oil & Gas and IT contractors are in prime position to take advantage of the 30% ruling in the Netherlands. Application for the tax break, offered by the Dutch government to expat contractors possessing specialist skills, should be considered as an essential part of financial planning. Partial Non-Resident Status When an expat relocates for work purposes […]