Financial Planning for Expatriates — Wherever You Are in the World
Moving abroad changes everything about your finances. Wherever you are moving from, and wherever you are going, tax obligations rarely end cleanly at the border — cross-border tax and residence, double-taxation risk, pension portability, estate planning across jurisdictions, international banking, and multi-currency assets all need specialist attention. We have guided internationally mobile professionals and investors — British expats, Non-Resident Indians and globally mobile families — for over 32 years, from Cyprus to Singapore.
Why expat financial planning is different
What changes the moment you move abroad — and what a properly structured expat plan puts back in place.
- Your tax obligations do not end automatically — most countries run a statutory residence test you must satisfy before your home-country tax net releases you (the UK’s SRT is one example)
- Inheritance and estate tax can follow you: the UK now taxes the worldwide estate of anyone UK-resident for 10 of the last 20 years, with a multi-year tail — other countries charge on domicile or on where the asset sits
- Home-country bank accounts are often closed or restricted once you are non-resident, wherever 'home' is
- Tax-privileged home wrappers can lose their advantage abroad — a UK ISA takes no new contributions and may be taxed where you now live, and the same applies to equivalents in other countries
- Life insurance and protection written in one country may not pay out on a claim in another
- A single-country will may be invalid or incomplete once you own assets across borders
What good expat planning achieves
A clean exit from your prior tax residence
A documented break from the tax net you are leaving — an SRT analysis for the UK, the equivalent statutory test elsewhere.
An aligned pension strategy
Pensions aligned to your new country of residence — SIPP, QROPS or NT coding for UK pots, and the equivalent treaty treatment for pensions held elsewhere.
A compliant portfolio
An internationally compliant investment portfolio structured for your new tax residence, not your old one.
A multi-jurisdiction estate plan
A joined-up estate plan with valid wills and appropriate structures across every country you hold assets in.
Cross-border banking & FX
International banking and FX solutions to manage cash flow across currencies and borders.
Protection that travels
International protection cover that stays valid wherever you live.
Expat financial planning by country
Tax rules, visa options, pension treaty positions, and investment restrictions differ significantly by country. Select your destination for tailored guidance.
Moving to or from India? Our dedicated Non-Resident Indian hub covers NRE/NRO banking, RNOR timing and DTAA relief. Considering residency or a second citizenship by investment? Explore the citizenship & residency routes.
UAE
Tax-free living, Golden Visa, global business hub
- 0% income tax
- 0% CGT
- Golden Visa from AED 2m
Cyprus
Non-dom regime, EU membership, low flat tax
- Non-dom: 0% on dividends & interest
- EU member state
- 15% corporate tax
Spain
Beckham Law, Andalusia flat tax, digital nomad visa
- Beckham Law: 24% flat rate
- Digital Nomad Visa
- Golden Visa closed (Apr 2025)
Thailand
LTR visa, 0% tax on foreign income, affordable living
- 0% tax on foreign-source income (LTR)
- 10-year LTR Visa
- Low cost of living
Greece
7% flat tax non-dom, Golden Visa €400k–800k
- 7% flat tax on foreign income
- Golden Visa from €400k
- EU residency
Portugal
D7 visa, IFICI regime, citizenship in 5 years
- D7 Passive Income Visa
- IFICI: 20% flat rate
- Citizenship after 5 years
Malta
Non-dom €5k min tax, Global Residence Programme, no IHT
- Non-dom: €5k min annual tax
- No inheritance tax
- Global Residence Programme
UK Expats
British nationals living abroad — pensions, tax, banking
- UK pension management abroad
- UK tax exit planning
- Expat banking
Indonesia / Bali
Second Home Visa, digital nomad hub, income tax planning
- Second Home Visa: 5 years
- 4-yr foreign-income exemption (experts only)
- KITAS work permit
Singapore
Territorial tax, Employment Pass, Asian financial hub
- Territorial tax: 0% on foreign income
- No CGT, no IHT
- Employment Pass
Check your residence position — or explore residency by investment
Already know where you are headed? Jump straight into the statutory residence test for your destination and see where you stand — and which part of the test decided it.
A second residency or passport as part of the plan
Several destinations here — Greece, Portugal, the UAE and Malta among them — pair their tax regime with a golden-visa or investment-migration route. Explore the citizenship & residency hub, or check eligibility for a specific programme.
Tools & tests for expats
Free interactive tools for the decisions that turn on residence, timing and currency — from statutory residence tests to treaty relief, cost-of-living and FX.
Residence Tests by Country
Work through the statutory residence test for the UK, India and 19 other countries in minutes.
Open Cost of livingCost of Living Comparison
Compare the real cost of living between where you are now and where you are heading.
Open Treaty reliefDTAA Article Finder
Find the double-tax treaty article that applies to your income type and country — and the relief it gives.
Open CurrencyFX Transfer Calculator
See the true cost of an international transfer and what a specialist broker saves against the bank rate.
Open Net worthNet Worth Calculator
Pull assets and liabilities across countries and currencies into a single, clear picture.
Open RNOR timingRNOR Expiry Calculator
For returning NRIs: pinpoint when your Resident-but-Not-Ordinarily-Resident window closes.
OpenThe six challenges every expat needs to address
Wherever you are moving, these six areas require attention. The specifics differ by destination — but the framework is universal.
Tax Residency
Moving without formally breaking residence in the country you are leaving is a common and costly mistake. Each country runs its own statutory test — the UK’s SRT, India’s residential-status rules and around twenty others — and it decides where your income, gains and estate are taxed.
Find your country’s residence test →Pension Planning
Pensions rarely move as cleanly as you do. A UK pot may stay put as a SIPP or transfer to a QROPS, with NT coding and drawdown shaped by the treaty; a pension held elsewhere carries its own portability and withholding rules. Destination, pension type and the double tax treaty all drive the outcome.
Explore pension options →Estate Planning
Where your estate is taxed depends on the country. The UK now taxes the worldwide estate of anyone UK-resident for 10 of the last 20 years (40% above the £325,000 nil-rate band), with a multi-year tail; others charge on domicile, only on assets situated there, or not at all. Multi-jurisdiction wills, structures and lifetime gifting all play a role.
Explore estate planning →Currency Risk
Assets in one currency, income in a second and liabilities in a third create real FX exposure. Multi-currency accounts, forward contracts and currency-matched investments can all reduce it — whatever your base currency.
FX transfer calculator →International Investments
Tax-privileged home-country wrappers — UK ISAs and some onshore bonds among them — often become inefficient or non-compliant once you are non-resident. Internationally compliant portfolio bonds, offshore funds and global platforms are the standard alternatives.
Explore investments →Banking
Banks in your former home routinely close or restrict accounts for non-residents. International and offshore accounts, multi-currency cards and specialist FX brokers replace high-street banking for expats managing money across borders.
Explore banking →Tools for expats and internationally mobile individuals
Residence Tests by Country
Work through the statutory residence test for the UK, India and around twenty other countries.
Open tool 02Statutory Residence Test (UK)
Check whether you have left the UK tax net.
Open tool 03Cost of Living Comparison
Compare the real cost of living between where you are now and where you are heading.
Open tool 04Net Worth Calculator
Pull assets and liabilities across countries and currencies into a single picture.
Open tool 05RNOR Expiry Calculator
For returning NRIs: pinpoint when your Resident-but-Not-Ordinarily-Resident window closes.
Open toolExpat financial planning — FAQs
What financial planning do I need as an expat?
Expat financial planning covers several interlocking areas: establishing your tax residence in the country you are leaving and the one you are joining, reviewing your pensions for cross-border portability (for a UK pot that may mean keeping a SIPP, considering a QROPS or obtaining an NT coding notice — pensions built up in other countries have their own rules), restructuring investments into wrappers that are efficient where you now live, making sure your protection and life cover remain valid abroad, updating your will for assets held in more than one country, and managing currency risk across income and assets. The right answer depends heavily on your destination, your origin, your domicile position and where your wealth sits — which is why the detail differs so much from country to country.
How do I avoid double taxation living abroad?
Two countries can both tax the same income, because each applies its own residence rules independently of the other. Relief usually comes from three things: becoming genuinely non-resident in the country you have left (for the UK, by satisfying the Statutory Residence Test), relying on the double tax treaty between the two countries, and — where the treaty applies — letting its tie-breaker decide which country has the primary taxing right, working through permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode and nationality in turn. Some income stays taxable at source regardless of residence, such as UK rental income and certain UK pensions. Getting specialist advice before you move is far easier than unwinding a tax position afterwards.
What happens to my pension if I live overseas?
Your pension does not disappear when you move abroad, but it needs reviewing against your new country’s rules and the relevant treaty. A UK SIPP can stay in the UK with drawdown paid overseas — often with no UK withholding tax once you obtain an NT code under the applicable double tax treaty. A QROPS (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme) transfers a UK pension to an overseas scheme and suits some people, but the Overseas Transfer Charge (25%) applies in many circumstances, so it is not right for everyone. Pensions built up in other countries carry their own portability, tax and withholding rules. The right approach depends on the pension type, your destination and your long-term plans.
Does inheritance or estate tax follow me when I move?
Sometimes — and how it is decided varies by country. The UK moved to a residence basis on 6 April 2025: if you are a long-term resident (broadly, UK-resident in at least 10 of the previous 20 tax years) your worldwide estate is within UK Inheritance Tax at 40% above the £325,000 nil-rate band, and a multi-year tail keeps non-UK assets in scope for some years after you leave. Other countries base the charge on domicile, on where an asset is situated, or levy no inheritance tax at all. Because two countries can both have a claim and the connecting factor differs, this is an area where specialist advice matters.
How do I manage money in multiple currencies?
Holding assets, income and expenses across currencies calls for a combination of tools: a multi-currency bank account to hold balances without automatic conversion, a specialist FX broker for large transfers (typically 1.5–3% cheaper than a high-street bank), forward contracts to lock in a rate for a future commitment such as a property purchase, and an investment portfolio structured around the currency you actually spend in. Currency risk belongs in your financial plan from the start, not as an afterthought — whatever your base currency.
Ready to plan your finances as an expat?
Whether you are planning a move, moving between countries, or have lived abroad for years without a proper review — speak to a specialist who sees the whole picture: exiting your prior tax residence, pensions, investments, estate planning, and banking across borders.
The information on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute personal financial or tax advice. Tax rules, visa regulations, and treaty provisions change — information may become out of date. Always verify current rules and seek qualified professional advice before making any financial decisions. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may receive back less than you invest.
Continue across the rest of Global Investments
Expat planning rarely stops at one country. These sibling hubs cover the pieces that travel with you — pensions, wider financial planning, banking and second-residency routes.
UK Pensions
QROPS, SIPPs, DB transfers and drawdown for UK nationals living abroad.
Visit PlanningFinancial Planning
Cross-border wealth, retirement and estate planning across jurisdictions.
Visit BankingInternational Banking
Offshore and multi-currency accounts for non-residents managing money across borders.
Visit CitizenshipCitizenship & Residency
Golden visas, residency- and citizenship-by-investment routes worldwide.
VisitGet expert expat financial planning advice
Tell us where you are moving from and where you are heading — or where you already live — and we will connect you with a specialist who understands both countries' rules and how to bring them together.