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Although the number has dropped slightly, British expats still account for a fifth of all house purchases by foreign buyers in France. The data released by BNP Paribas showed, between 2011 and 2012, the total number of transactions carried out by Brits fell slightly from 19.4% to 19.1%. Over the same period the total transaction […]

You can read countless books and guides about moving abroad, but they rarely prepare you for the reality of expat life. Advice and tips from expats ‘on the ground’ can provide valuable information about life as an expatriate, warts and all. HSBC Expat, home of the annual Expat Explorer Survey, has released an interactive online […]

In order to reduce the country’s national debt the French government has introduced several new tax rates. France’s newly elected president, Francois Hollande, has €1.7 trillion of national debt to contend with. With this in mind he recently announced plans to double potential capital gains tax. In addition, he also raised income tax on rent […]

The announcement by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin that he relinquished his U.S citizenship prior to Facebook’s IPO created a media storm. By becoming a Singapore resident, Saverin can take advantage of the zero capital gains tax levied in the country. This move means he can avoid paying a potential $67 million in taxes in the U.S. […]

Of the five million British expats around the world many continue to earn their income or pensions in sterling. This money, paid into sterling accounts, often needs to be transferred to other currencies. These expatriates need to move money regularly and safely to their current home. Large currency brokers usually offer deals for regular payments […]

According to financial experts, for many expats opening an offshore account is something left until after they move. However, once expats have arrived in their new country they find themselves busy with settling in and opening an offshore account falls down the “to-do” list. This means savings stay in low return accounts, often with unnecessary tax […]

According to the NatWest International Personal Banking (NatWest IPB) Quality of Life Index more British expats are moving to Asia than ever before. Whereas the number of people looking to move to Western Europe and the US is declining. The study noted a decrease of 11% in expatriates moving to the USA but an 18% […]

Expatriates have a lot to think about financially both before and after they move. According to Aidan Bailey of The Fry Group, there are three top mistakes expats commonly make. 1. Not being open with the tax authority – In Britain you need to inform the HMRC of your non- UK status. Fill in a […]

Real estate advisors CBRE have relased data showing investment capital continues to flow into the European market. Countries with strong economies and those outside the Eurozone are benefiting most. European property investment grew in the final quarter of 2011, reaching €9.4 billion. The market continued to attract regional and international investors despite an unstable economic […]

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 […]

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