expat network

Expats – Plan Your Retirement Abroad

Many expats having spent a proportion or all of their career abroad get used to a different climate and lifestyle and do not feel drawn back to their home country when considering their retirement. There are many options for retiring and it is a very personal decision on where to retire. For some retiring where...

Why Expat Tenants Need Home Insurance

Even before you moved to Hong Kong, you may have heard about the highly unaffordable rent in the city, which always ranks top among the world’s most expensive housing markets. This perennial problem has become so extreme that a resident needs to spend 19.4 years without any other expenditure in order to be able to...

Don’t Miss the US Tax Compliance Boat – OVDP Ends Sept 2018

If you are an American citizen or green card holder living abroad who has unreported assets and income, time is running out to take advantage of a critical Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) tax compliance program. Written exclusively for Expat Network by Kevin Sweeney, Senior Counsel, Chamberlain Hrdlicka Here’s why. Effective September 28, 2018, the...

Looking To Transfer Your Expat Pension?

Expats generally have the right to transfer their pension abroad into a qualifying scheme. For some, the benefits of doing so are manifold. However, there are risks, and it’s fair to say that you need to tread very carefully when considering all your options, as a significant tax charge can apply in certain circumstances. Written...

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.