Archive for 2012
The UK tax office has set up an investigative task-force to track down expats who haven’t declared overseas property. The team will “mine” publicly available online information to discover people who own land or houses abroad. The UK tax authority (HMRC) has put together a team of 200 investigators. Their first task will be in […]
The advantages of getting a credit card go beyond paying with a piece of plastic instead of cash. As an expat, you should also check the additional services that go along with many cards. Imagine you are skiing in a foreign country. While descending the most vertiginous mountain something goes wrong. Even before you realize […]
As Albert Einstein said, filing tax returns is “too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher.” When you move countries, you should check whether double taxation could be a problem for you. If there are overlapping tax years, you might be in for a nasty surprise. What is double taxation?
All too often expats prove easy targets for financial fraud. They stand out in the crowd and are often much wealthier than locals. A perfect example is a recent spate of fraud cases in Thailand, where numerous wealthy expats have lost thousands of dollars to financial criminals. The Phuket Gazette reported the expats were targeted by […]
China continues forging ahead with tax reforms, raising the hackles of expats all over the country. The new social insurance tax, for example, is devouring 48% of some expats’ salaries, without providing much in the way of added benefits. Hence we read this income tax primer from China Briefing with great interest. It’s a handy […]
Pounds sterling are currently hovering at about EUR 1.20–the best rate they’ve seen since the summer of 2010 (and before that, December 2008). This has created some property bargains. Because of the favorable rates, French property can now be had for 10% less. According to data from Offshoreonline.org (which helps source euro mortgages for UK buyers) […]
Guernsey is being unfairly targeted by UK taxmen and the press, claims Peter Niven, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance. The Channel Island is fighting to preserve its QROPS business and reputation in the face of a new law intended to cut down on pension abuses. In a statement, Niven accused Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs […]
Moving your finances abroad is stressful, and many expats forget to ask the most important question: what do I need to do before I move and what can be done later? Our checklist helps you identify urgent actions–and will save you money, time and hassle in the long run.
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