News & Insights

Since its establishment in 2012, the Portugal Golden Visa has stood out as a prominent residency-by-investment program in Europe, designed to stimulate foreign investment. For many, however, understanding the updated Portugal Golden Visa scheme, which has seen significant shifts in recent months, can be rather headache-inducing. The program offers non-EU investors the chance to gain […]

Here are some of the best things about living in Portugal, with its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and welcoming atmosphere, has emerged as a top destination for expats from the US and UK seeking a change of scenery and a taste of the laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle. Living in Portugal offers a unique blend of modern […]

Making contingency plans for the unexpected is an essential part of wealth management. However, this aspect of financial planning should not be confined simply to strategising for the possibility of inflation, volatility, currency exchange movement and other macro factors; it should also account for personal factors. For example, how might your circumstances and goals change over time and are your retirement financial plans flexible enough to respond to these changes?

Examples of changes in personal circumstance include long-term care and medical costs, or large one-off capital expenses. And another important question, albeit loaded, is that of divorce.

There is good reason to address this question; 2017 data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that despite overall divorce rates for opposite-sex couples being at their lowest level since 1973, divorce among older people is actually rising.*

Italy has long been a top destination for anyone seeking a charmed life. A combination of rich culture and stunning landscapes have always made settling in Italy an attractive prospect, but the allure of Bel Paese has peaked in recent years. The appeal lies in the country’s flat tax regime, an increasingly strong magnet for […]

As globalisation continues to reshape our lives, the allure of living and working abroad has grown more vital than ever. Each year, thousands of people consider moving overseas, driven by the pursuit of new opportunities, adventures, and lifestyle changes. Navigating the complexities of such a significant life decision is crucial. The Expat Insider 2024 report […]

As expatriates living in France, understanding the nuances of the local tax system is crucial to effectively manage your finances and ensure compliance. Enjoy our guide to navigating French taxes in 2024 for expats. France is renowned for its comprehensive welfare system, funded by various taxes and social charges, which in turn offers residents a […]

There are many questions potential expats have when they are planning to move abroad or when they first arrive in their new country of residence. At Blacktower, with specialist expat banking financial advisers across Europe, in countries like France and Spain, and in Grand Cayman and USA, we have probably heard them all! In this guide, we're tackling the question of expat banking.

In a world where our financial stability impacts almost every aspect of our daily lives, it is more important than ever to preserve what we have worked so hard to achieve. Unless you're lucky enough to win the lottery, most of us have worked hard and for a very long time to achieve financial security and the lifestyle we want for ourselves and our families in retirement.

We all remember Robert Maxwell and the Mirror Group pension scandal in the early 90s when innocent working people woke up to the horror that their pension contributions had been used to subsidise his failing empire. The same happened when "Sir" Philip Green sold BHS for £1 in 2015, and this confirmed that even some of the biggest household names cannot be trusted with our retirement funds and financial future.