expat network

As An Expat, Why Do I Pay Tax On My UK Pension?

Are you tax resident in the UK? I have lived in Thailand for 12 years and am now 74. I have only been back to the UK once in that time so I consider myself non-resident in the UK. I have been paying UK tax on a private pension since the age of 66 though...

Do I Need To File A UK Tax Return As A Retired UK Expat?

I am a UK retired expat and left the UK in 2006 and have been travelling since then. I divide my time between Asia and Europe, no longer than 3 months in any one country at a time.  I have not filled in tax returns, in that time, but am now looking to settle in...

Tax On Return To The UK?

We are in the process of considering a return to the UK. We left in April 2015 and we are resident in the Philippines. If we return we plan to sell our property in the Philippines to use as payment for a property in the UK. The question is, will the money to be transferred...

How Do I Land A Job In The Middle East?

I am looking for a job in the Middle East, ideally the UAE, and wondered if you might have some tips about how to go about this? I have experience in the finance, medical and engineering sectors. Rebecca Steele, from expat financial advisers AES International, based in Dubai, answered this. “Having been a job seeker...

Tax To Be Paid Twice On Overseas Earnings?

I left the UK for India on 5 March 2017 to work on a two-year contract. My salary is paid into an Indian bank account in rupees and I transfer funds back to the UK. I am thinking of returning to the UK early in December 2017, but I fear I may be taxed in...

US Expat Tax Webinar

Do I Have To File US Tax Return From Abroad?

I am an American citizen who has lived in Mexico for 20 years. An accountant told me that if I spend only 30 days out of the US a year, I don’t have to pay federal income tax. Is this true? If it is, then do I have to file a tax return every year?...

Free Healthcare After A Move To Spain?

As a couple we are considering a move to Spain. I am 57 and eight years in from breast cancer, and my husband is 69 with a pacemaker. We are just starting to look and wanted any advice you can give. Andrew Apps of expat financial advisers Bellwood Prestbury answered this question. As an expat,...

Should I Bill Through A Company Or Direct?

I’m working with a German contractor, billing it for my services through my UK limited company. I have heard that after two years contracting by German law they need to employ me direct. Is this correct? Nick Broughton of Capital-GES answered this enquiry. “If you are working in Germany on a contract for any...

Will Care Visits To UK Affect Our Tax Status?

My wife and I have permanent residence in Bermuda. We are returning to the UK for maybe several months to assist with the care of my elderly father. Will we become resident in the UK at some point and subject to UK taxes? Jason Porter of expat financial advisory firm Blevins Franks answered this question. “Basically, if...

Property Or Pension For Retirement Savings?

My wife and I have been expats since 2000 and are likely to return to the UK this year. We have invested in UK property as a ‘retirement fund’ but have heard that new capital gains tax rules may affect our returns. We have been offered a qualifying non-UK pension scheme (QNUPS) as an alternative....

Do You Need An Offshore Bank Account?

The answer is, you may not. But Iain Yule reckons that most British expats will at some stage, if not throughout their time abroad, find offshore banking useful in a number of ways. First and foremost is the potentially huge tax saving you can make by placing your savings offshore. To take the example of...

Tax On A Move Back To Canada?

I am a Canadian non-resident in the Czech Republic. I plan to return to Canada in two years’ time to finish working and eventually retire. I filed a T1 General form for 2015 as I had a small amount of interest income from a bank account I hold in Canada. Must I always report interest...