by Expat Focus investment partner, Tom Zachystal On August 9th Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, made an unprecedented announcement (although I guess by now we should be used to unprecedented announcements from the Fed). He announced that the Fed would keep US target interest rates low for two years. Never before has … Read more
by Tom Zachystal (CFA, CFP), Expat Focus partner and President of Individual Asset Management You have worked hard to build a nest egg and would like to invest your money in order that it work for you to provide for the lifestyle you desire; but while searching for investments or investment advisors you find it … Read more
A number of readers have asked how the process of transferring UK pensions overseas typically works. In this part one of a two-part column we will look at the people and agencies involved in the transfer process and the various associated costs. In part two, we will look at the paperwork that needs to be … Read more
There are numerous issues that need to be addressed when moving to a new country and it often seems the more “developed” your new country of residence, the more important it is to understand and follow regulations. Individual Asset Management provides financial planning services to non-US citizens living and preparing to live in the United … Read more
In the first three articles of this series we examined what QROPS is, how it could benefit some expats (and others) and briefly how the system works. In the final analysis though, words can be confusing and there is no substitute for examples when it comes to showing how things work. Disclaimer: In all these … Read more
In previous articles we examined the principles of QROPS, and why QROPS could be advantageous to expats in certain circumstances. In this brief discussion, we’ll look at some of the ‘qualification’ and related issues that apply to those trying to move their pension savings out of the UK to a QROPS. QROPS – A ‘not … Read more
In the first article in this series, we outlined a little of the background to the UK government’s decision to permit pension fund transfers out of the UK to overseas arrangements in certain circumstances. We also had a brief look at what exactly a QROPS was. In this article we will look briefly at why … Read more
It is always a little sad when one has to start worrying about pensions. Expats are no different to most people in that the word ‘pensions’ reminds us that aging is inexorable and that we need to think about making some sort of provision for that period in our lives when work may be a … Read more
I love March. Rural France suddenly springs into life again as the temperatures rise. Here in Creuse we normally have long winters that last from early November until well into March. However, this year we swapped long for intense. The four weeks of le grand froid, the big freeze, were painful with temperatures down to … Read more
Having a few close friends is one of the key factors that determine how happy I am in my new host country. I have learned this after being an expat in S. Korea, Thailand now Germany. I’ve also learned that meeting new people is easy, but finding close friends? Not so easy, but possible with … Read more