IAM Blog
Financial Planning Considerations for US Expats with a Foreign Spouse
Living abroad as an American expat with a non-US citizen spouse introduces some interesting financial planning questions relating to asset ownership, estate planning, and tax filing, and the decisions you make can have a significant effect on your finances. In this...
Navigating Education Saving and 529 Plans as a US Expat Parent
Living abroad as a US expat comes with a unique set of financial challenges, including saving for your children's education. In the United States, there are several tax-advantaged accounts designed specifically for education savings. The most popular type of plan are...
Managing Currency Risk for Americans Living Abroad
Expats frequently need to transfer money to and from the US for regular expenses or significant purchases like real estate. However, these international transfers expose them to foreign exchange risk due to currency value fluctuations. Furthermore, investments held in...
Considerations for US Expats Choosing a Financial Advisor
Being an American expat adds a layer of complexity to your financial planning. US reporting requirements, currency considerations and investing limitations combine to make financial planning quite different from living in the United States. Finding a financial advisor...
Can Americans Keep their US Brokerage or Investment Accounts when Moving Abroad?
The excitement of embarking on an international adventure is often accompanied by an unexpected financial hurdle. A significant number of US brokerage and investment firms are reluctant to hold accounts for US expats. However, this reluctance isn't on a whim; it stems...
Upcoming US Expat Investment Events
In partnership with Tax Samaritan, IAM is proud to be hosting 3 upcoming informational events for Americans living abroad in different regions of the world. Topics covered will include: 1 - In general, how does an investment strategy differ for expats? 2 - Should...
Retirement Planning for Americans Living Abroad
Living in a foreign country brings about unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to retirement planning. One such challenge faced by Americans planning on retiring abroad is navigating two different financial and tax systems. In this article, we will explore...
A Guide to Investing and Financial Planning for Americans Living in Thailand
Thailand, sometimes known as the "Land of Smiles," is a culturally vibrant country offering an array of investment opportunities. However, navigating the financial planning landscape as an American expat requires a detailed understanding of the opportunities and...
Considerations When Investing as a US Expat
Moving abroad is a thrilling and life-changing experience. It presents opportunities for adventure, career advancement, and the chance to immerse yourself in a different culture. However, alongside the upsides, there are particular financial challenges for Americans...
Financial Planning for US Expats: A Brief Guide
Living abroad is an exciting and rewarding experience, but for American expats, financial planning is typically more challenging compared to living in the States. This is due to cross-border issues such as currency fluctuations and living with two sets of regulations,...
Wells Fargo closing accounts for US Expats
In June, and again in August 2021, US brokerage firm Wells Fargo sent letters to many of its clients living outside the USA saying that they need to move their accounts to another brokerage firm by the end of September 2021. The letter states in part that “Wells Fargo...
Five Financial Issues That Affect US Citizens Planning to Move Abroad
Around nine million Americans live abroad, and thousands more join them every year. The most common reason why Americans move abroad is for a work placement, though others move abroad due to a sense of adventure or for romantic reasons. Moving abroad can have a...
Why US Expats Should Choose a Fiduciary (not Suitability) Standard Financial Advisor
US expats looking for financial advice are faced with a number of options. Financial advisors for expats who offer investment advice can be broadly divided into two groups though: those that comply with a Fiduciary Standard, and those that comply with a Suitability...
How do the New EU PRIIPs Rules Affect US Expat Investors?
Since January 1st 2018, any person or firm advising an EU resident, including US expats living in EU countries, regarding certain investments has to comply with new EU-wide laws known as the PRIIPs regulation. What is a PRIIP? A PRIIP is a Packaged...
How do the New European GDPR Rules Affect US Expat Investors in the EU?
US expats living in the EU are subject to EU-wide laws as well as national laws in the country where they live. One recent EU law that came into force that affects US expat investors living in the EU is General Data Protection Regulation, more often known as GDPR....
Merrill Lynch Closing Brokerage Accounts for US Expats
Merrill Lynch has recently been sending letters to many of their US citizen clients living outside the USA saying that their accounts will be closed as of October 1, 2016. The letter typically states the following: We have conducted an extensive review of our non-US...
Charles Schwab Closing Accounts for US Citizens
Over the last few years I have written a number of articles on why US brokerage firms are closing accounts for American citizens living outside the USA and how we help those affected address the situation. It seems the severity of this issue is increasing. Recently...
Investment Account Considerations for US Expats
Dealing with financial matters has become increasingly difficult for US citizens living outside the USA over the last few years as a result of what is called FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), which has led to both US and non-US financial institutions being...
SHARPEN THE SAW: FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR AMERICANS LIVING ABROAD
It is estimated that there are between six and seven million U.S. citizens living outside the USA. As many formerly “emerging” markets become more developed Americans are finding that life in places like Ecuador, Uruguay, and Thailand may offer a good standard of...
Managing Your US Retirement Account Once You Leave the USA
If you have worked in the United States it is likely that you have paid into a US retirement account such as an IRA (Individual Retirement Arrangement) or a 401k (a company-sponsored retirement plan). The question arises as to what should be done with such an account...