That said, there is certainly no harm in thinking about QROPS now, particularly in light of the spiralling pound and the need to consider the impact on foreign currency exchange rates – British expats should take whatever steps are necessary to preserve both their spending power and their existing retirement financial plans. And for those who have been thinking about becoming expats, with the future of freedom of movement in doubt, now is the time to do it – whether you are thinking of moving to Spain, France, Portugal or elsewhere in the EU.
One thing is for certain; with the economic uncertainty created by Brexit there is likely to be a both a massive surge in expat numbers and a dramatically increased demand for HMRC QROPS. This is because QROPS provides an opportunity for expats to transfer their pensions to a reliable and secure scheme outside of the UK but in English. QROPS investors also benefit from flexible investment opportunities, flexible taxation options and the, current, ability to withdraw a lump sum of up to 30%.
This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.
The later part of the 20th century saw its fair share of financial bubbles. There was the property bubble, stock market bubbles, and then the dot com bubble of 2000, just to name a few. In each instance, people paid exorbitant amounts for things that shouldn’t have been worth anything like the going price. But this is nothing new – look back at the Dutch in the 17th century when already pricey tulip bulbs experienced a twentyfold price explosion in just a single month.
Expat wealth management concerns could play a major part in the Brexit debate over the next few months as the estimated two million UK nationals living abroad in the European Union consider their pension and healthcare entitlements.