expat network
business

Should I Start My Business In The US Or In Belgium?

I’m an expat who has been living abroad for seven years. As I’m married to a Belgian citizen, I’m also a Belgian resident with right to work in the EU. I would like to start my own business as a freelance copywriter but am wondering if it’s more beneficial to start a business in the...

split year

How Does The Split Year Calculation Work?

I am entitled to a split tax year. I run a property letting business outside of the country. I was resident in the UK for 21% of the tax year. Do I declare 21% of the annual net income earned to HMRC following the calculation of the year’s net profit. Trevor Wilkes, Principal of Trewtax Services responded...

malta healthcare

Healthcare In Malta

Malta’s state healthcare system is of a high standard (ranked recently as 5th in the world) and is available to all residents of Malta, including foreigners who have moved to Malta, free at the point of delivery. EU citizens can get free healthcare with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The public heath services are...

cyprus

Cyprus Investing To Draw In Wealthy Expats

Cyprus is a small island in the Eastern Mediterranean with a rich history and culture spanning 10,000 years.  It is one of the oldest civilisations in the Mediterranean, situated at the crossroads of three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa.  This unique geographic position has played an important part in its turbulent past throughout history....

best options

What Are The Best Options For Moving Money Abroad?

Today there are many options for moving money abroad and making the most appropriate choice depends on how much you are moving and whether you will be sending regular amounts.  Short Term Travel Credit cards or holiday cash can cover short term holiday requirements, but if you are planning to buy a house or cover...

food & drink

The Cost of Food & Drink, Recreation And Entertainment In Australia

In her article Swati Iyer looks at the cost of living in Australia.  Here we cover the costs of food & drink, recreation and entertainment. Taken from an article written by Swati Iyer for Instarem Food & Drink As with many other items, the prices of food and drink items vary across Australia. On average,...

public transport

What Is The Cost Of Getting Around In Australia?

In her article Swati Iyer looks at the cost of living in Australia.  Here we cover the costs related to using public transport and running a car in Australia. Taken from an article written by Swati Iyer for Instarem How Much Does Public Transport Cost In Australia? Many cities in Australia have reliable and efficient...

local tax

Update On The Spanish Local Tax “Plusvalía Municipal”

Real estate transfers in Spain can be subject to local Tax on the Increase in the Urban Land Value (“Impuesto sobre el Incremento de Valor de los Terrenos de Naturaleza Urbana” or “Plusvalía Municipal”). This mandatory municipal tax is levied on the increase disclosed in the value of urban land whenever urban land located in...

high risk

The Importance Of High Risk Insurance Cover

As businesses work hard to expand internationally and expats choose to travel further afield to counter the impact of the challenges they are seeing in many of the more traditional and domestic markets, there has been a marked increase in international travel for business and work to more remote and austere environments with the hope...

banking

Banking In New Zealand

There are five major banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac) and a number of smaller banks in New Zealand.  There are also credit unions and savings banks (similar to building societies or savings and loans) which offer many of the same services and, like banks, are supervised by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand...

greenback tax

Streamlined Filing: How to Catch Up on Your Taxes Penalty-Free

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 30th and join Greenback Expat Tax Services for a FREE, live webinar on how to utilize the Streamlined Filing Procedures to catch up on 3+ years of late taxes, penalty-free.  Host David McKeegan, Co-Founder of Greenback will be joined by one of Greenback’s Streamlined Filing experts, and they will...

taxation

Taxation Of US Expats: The Basics

The basic principle is that Americans living and working abroad are subject to the same tax rules as those who remain in the US.  Americans are subject to US income tax on their worldwide income.  There are the additional reporting requirements of FATCA and FBAR (see Five Things American Expats Need to Know About Foreign...