Spotlight On … Karen Ogilvie – Head of Compliance

FRIDAY 24 JUNE 2016: The British electorate has given its verdict on the UK’s membership of the European Union in no uncertain terms. In spite of the more emotional appeals to the contrary, this is not a disaster. On this extraordinary day, it is worth remembering that on the 20 February 2016, when David Cameron announced that the EU referendum would take place, the FTSE 100 index was at 5950, the 10 year Gilt yield stood at 1.41% and the sterling/dollar exchange rate was 1.44. At lunchtime on Friday June 24 the FTSE 100 is trading at 6060, the 10 year gilt yield is 1.07% and the dollar exchange rate is 1.37. On the face of these numbers you could be forgiven for not knowing what has taken place in the past 24 hours.

Your des-res might be a gorgeous sea-front apartment overlooking the med, or a rural stone cottage nestled amongst the vineyards of Burgundy, but wherever you live, once you are settled, understanding whether you are domiciled, non-domiciled or resident can be a bit confusing. However, clarity is essential: the amount of tax you pay hinges on knowing the difference and the relevance of each non-dom status versus residency status.

Firstly, don’t just guess your residency or non-dom status, because if you get it wrong, you could pay too much tax or pay it in the wrong place, and failure to pay can lead to large fines and penalties. Sadly, mis-payments are not tolerated; your tax planning may be well-intentioned, but if you don’t pay the correct amount of tax in the appropriate jurisdiction, you could be in hot water, so it is vital to get it right.

Generally, we recommend that you speak to a financial adviser working in your local region who will understand the jurisdictional rules applicable to your location and personal situation, but as a brief guide, read on and we will explain the fundamentals.