Showing 1-10 of 42 results
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Bringing your UK pension to sunnier climes
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 01/02/2015
» In our last article on UK private pension liberalisation, we looked at schemes in the UK and how they are affected by the latest government regulations. From April 6, 2015, any private pension scheme held in the UK may be liquidated and the entire pot withdrawn. While this is a very attractive option for many, the reality is that income tax will be levied on these proceeds at the individual’s marginal tax rate for that year. As a consequence, taking the pot in one go will not be as tax-efficient as taking staged drawdowns each year, or as required.
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When your house is not a home
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 02/11/2014
» Many expats have conflicting views of the difference between domicile and residence. One school of thought is that they are easily interchangeable, not realising the impact this may have when they die. The vast majority do not understand that probate will have a significant effect on the administration of their estate. Whether you like it or not, your domicile and the probate process are closely tied together.
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The intricacies of self-managed investing
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 01/06/2014
» Many expats manage their own investment portfolios and in doing so experience varying degrees of results. It would be easy to measure these as success or failure, but investment decisions do not really result in success or failure — they are simply subject to consequences.
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If it generates revenue, they will tax it
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 04/05/2014
» The economics of living our everyday lives can be painfully cruel for most people, from a financial perspective. Yet we often fall victim to the reality that we sometimes do things because they are for our own good even if they make no practical sense.
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Property and the power of leverage
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 20/04/2014
» Property is generally seen as a very secure investment. But are you aware that property can be used in some enterprising ways to achieve multiple financial goals simultaneously, at little or no cost to you as the investor? It just takes a little ingenuity to make this happen.
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Essential insurance planning
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 09/03/2014
» Hoping for the best is not the same as planning for the worst. Making provisions for eventualities that could happen to you is a very serious business.
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A different view of property investments
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 09/02/2014
» Property is a very popular long-term investment. This is because most expats own their home in their country of origin. It is thus second nature to be accustomed to property ownership. When living abroad one can find a multitude of different profitable investment opportunities, but property seems familiar; because of previous experience it gives investors a degree of comfort, helped further by its visible and physical presence.
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Essential expat health care
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 04/08/2013
» The majority of comments and inquiries from my last Net Worth article on expat pitfalls related to medical insurance. I note this with some interest as medical or health insurance tends to be a subject that expats love to hate, and certainly hate to think about. But it is something you should seriously evaluate.
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Balancing debt with investment and tax advantages
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 18/08/2013
» It pays to consider your options carefully when you have the opportunity to repay debt. Depending on your tax and investment situation, a careful analysis may yield surprising results.
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Offshore private pension transfers: growing clarity for QROPS
Spectrum, Andrew Wood, Published on 26/05/2013
» If you have ever worked in the UK, no matter what your nationality, you probably were enrolled in a private pension scheme to which your employer and maybe you made contributions. The UK government continues to tweak legislative changes affecting the expat's ability to move this pension offshore. On the surface, these changes appear to limit transfer options, but in reality they have strengthened the legal framework, offering expats continuing advantages.
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