Living and Working Abroad

Practical guidance for British individuals going to live and/or work abroad. The book complements our title Advising British Expats, which is more technical and which is aimed at the professional adviser.

The first two chapters address the practicalities of preparing to live abroad, including considerations such as schooling, accommodation, employment contracts, familiarisation, and dealing with furniture and possessions. Guidance is also included in relation to documentation, travel and relocation costs, and dealing with UK investments.

The third chapter advises the individual on important considerations on arrival in the overseas country, including bank accounts, embassy registration, buying or leasing property, whether a foreign will is necessary, and avoiding problems with local laws about bribery, money laundering and such matters.

Financial issues are often paramount for the expat. The fourth chapter deals with pensions, investments and offshore bonds. Chapter 5 looks at offshore trust options.

Chapter 6 considers the many UK tax considerations faced by an individual going abroad. The book does not purport to be an in-depth tax guide, but does flag many important tax considerations for the expat, covering everything from domicile and residence issues, to income tax, NIC, CGT, inheritance tax and the letting of the UK property.

The last chapter still has a focus on tax matters, this time in relation to the individual returning to the UK. Topics covered here include dealing with HMRC and acquiring a property back in the UK.