expat network

5 Tips For US Expats: How To Maximize Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

A US citizen living and working abroad can use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion as a shield against US taxes. Here is how to maximize the value of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) in 2018. This article has been written exclusively for Expat Network by American Expatriate Tax Consultants Qualifying for FEIE An individual...

Does My Employer Have To Deduct Tax In The UK?

I may be going to work offshore in Brunei on a 4 on 4 off rota. The money is tax free from Brunei but I have concerns as I will be going back to the UK in my time off.  Is my employer obliged to pay the British tax? Jason Porter of Blevins Franks advises...

Where Am I Resident For Tax Purposes?

What is my tax status? I have been an expat since 1982 in the Falklands then the Philippines, apart from one year back in the UK in 1989. I believe I am not resident of the Philippines but a ‘tourist’. The Falklands is paying me a pension and the RAF is about to.  Jason Porter,...

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...

establishing credit on arrival in america

Establishing Credit On Arrival In America

Establishing credit on arrival in America is vital. The lack of a credit score has implications in many areas as it restricts your ability to set up phone contracts, rent a property, sign up utilities, obtain a credit card and many more key taks when arriving in the US to live. Creditworthiness does not easily cross...

Saudi Arabia And UAE Introduce 5% VAT

The Middle East has long been associated with tax-free living, but from January 1st United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia 5% VAT on most goods and services. The introduction of VAT follows the recommendation from the IMF that oil-exporting countries in the Gulf introduce taxes as one way to raise non-oil revenue.  Forbes reports that...

British Expats And The Statutory Residence Test

Tax residence is not an issue that most of give much thought to.  As a British taxpayer you are subject to tax on your worldwide income and any capital gains unless you are not UK resident.  So when you spend all or part of the year abroad the issue comes in to sharp relief as...

Non-Resident Capital Gains Tax 

Are you non-resident for UK tax purposes and own UK residential property? If so, did you know that if you sell your UK property you have an obligation to file a Non Resident Capital Gains Tax Return (NRCGTR) within 30 days of conveyance? This is the case even if you do not make a gain...

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...

New Mortgage Range For British Expats

Offshore bank Skipton International has launched a new range of mortgages for British expats. The Guernsey-based bank is offering two new fixed rates For borrowers looking for a remortgage of £300,000 or more, the rate is fixed at 3.99% for five years. Smaller loans between £100,000 and £300,000 come with the higher rate of 4.49%...