Buying UK property as a British expat used to be tricky – yet, thanks to mortgage products specifically created for this purpose, and new applications that calculate how much you can borrow, and that even give you an agreement in principle online, securing an investment property in the UK is easier than ever before. Since...

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....

Skipton International has launched an upgraded online calculator, giving expat mortgage customers a quick guide to loan options. The calculator uses information such as property value and rental income to show customers the maximum amount they would be able to borrow, along with estimated monthly repayment costs, based on Skipton’s mortgage offerings for the requested...

If you are an American have seriously delinquent tax debt, IRC 7345 authorises the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to certify that to the State Department. The department generally will not issue or renew a passport to you after receiving certification from the IRS.   Upon receiving certification, the State Department may revoke your passport. If...

We are quickly approaching the first of several US tax deadlines – and as an American abroad, it’s time to begin preparing to file your US expat taxes. Since your reporting and filing requirements can be a bit more complex while living abroad, being prepared well in advance can set your mind at ease when...

Greater economic uncertainty has contributed to the pound declining in value against the majority of major currencies in the past year, according to latest research from Lloyds Private Banking. Over the past 12 months, the pound has fallen in value – to varying degrees – against 56 of the 60 currencies analysed. This followed a...

Rules on UK lending introduced by the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority limit the amount expat buy-to-let property investors and landlords can borrow on new mortgages. The new rules are designed to slow the demand for UK buy-to-let investment by demanding buyers raise larger deposits. Lenders will have to test affordability using notional interest rates of...

A majority of UK expat buy-to-let mortgages are concentrated in greater London and the South East, according to new figures. Figures from lender Skipton International show up to 40% of expat mortgage customers are investing in buy-to-let property in Greater London, with another 25% in the South East of England. Just 10% of British expats...

Since 2009, CurrencyFair has been providing low-cost currency transfers, saving their customers up to 88% of the total cost involved, in a market which sees around $5 trillion transferred every single day. Having transferred over €4 billion to date, CurrencyFair is well positioned to increase consumers’ awareness of traditional banking practices (and fees!) in this...

If you’re a British expat with an international money transfer requirement, save by using a currency specialist. The British expat community has grown exponentially in recent times – in total, more than 5 million of us currently live abroad; with an estimated 123,000 jetting off to pastures new last year alone. By Smart Currency So,...

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...

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...