News & Insights

Portugal has been named “Economy of the Year” for 2025 by The Economist, topping a ranking of the 36 richest countries in the world and overtaking last year’s leader, Spain. The achievement marks a major milestone for Portugal at a time when the country is already attracting global attention for its quality of life, booming […]

The Algarve has been crowned World’s Best Beach Destination 2025 at the World Travel Awards, securing this title for the fourth time and setting an unprecedented global record. With this latest win, the Algarve becomes the only beach destination ever recognised in four editions of the awards (2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025), surpassing internationally acclaimed […]

A new year always brings a sense of renewal, and 2026 could stand out as a moment for those considering life after work. Recent tax reforms, shifting cost-of-living dynamics and lifestyle priorities are prompting thousands of UK retirees to reassess where they want to spend the next chapter of their lives. For many, Spain has […]

As 2026 approaches, many UK retirees are taking a fresh look at their long-term plans and asking whether the coming year might be the right moment to reshape their lifestyle. Portugal continues to stand out as one of Europe’s most desirable retirement destinations, offering warm weather, a relaxed pace of life, strong healthcare, comparatively low […]

A new year brings space to rethink priorities and imagine a different rhythm for the years ahead. As 2026 approaches, many UK retirees are looking across the Channel and asking whether this is the moment to pursue a long-held dream: retiring to France. With its celebrated culture, outstanding healthcare system, varied landscapes and historically stable […]

Understanding how average salaries compare across major global markets is crucial for internationally mobile professionals and retirees planning their next move. While salary alone never tells the full story—taxation, living costs and lifestyle all matter—the numbers provide an important baseline for evaluating financial expectations abroad. This report focuses on six core markets: the UK, France, […]

We are delighted to welcome Majbritt Bridges to the Blacktower team as Country Manager, Switzerland. Majbritt brings an exceptional blend of financial expertise, international experience, and entrepreneurial leadership. With a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s in business management, and fluency in English, French, Spanish, and Danish, she combines global perspective with deep technical insight. Majbritt spent 15 years […]

For many British expatriates, supporting a spouse or partner in later life is a key financial consideration. This often raises a practical question: can your pension be transferred to your husband or wife, either during your lifetime or on death? In most situations, UK pensions cannot be directly transferred to another person during life. However, […]