News & Insights

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.

Effective wealth management is about many things but it can perhaps be boiled down to two essential elements: protection and (or) growth.

Whether you prefer to emphasise protection or growth will depend largely on your circumstances, goals, and attitude to risk. One part of this is determining whether you want your investments to create the security of income or the flexibility and reinvestment potential of a lump sum.

Investors are typically split around 50-50 on this question, which is why it is no surprise to learn of a recent Aegon survey of 1,300 investors which found that 58% preferred insurance plans to pay monthly income rather than a lump sum at maturity.

In an era where digital threats are evolving rapidly, safeguarding your online presence is paramount. Our essential cyber security tips offer comprehensive guidance to protect your personal and financial information from cyber threats, ensuring peace of mind in the digital world. Cyber Security Best Practices: Stay Safe Online Secure Your Data: Regularly back up critical […]

At time of writing, Brexit ‘negotiations’ are ongoing with a matter of weeks remaining before the UK’s exit from the European Union. All UK firms operating in the EU will be impacted and that includes those providing financial services also.

So how does this affect Cyprus residents and your relationship with financial services providers in the UK?

Assuming the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement by 29th March then UK financial advisers will be unable to service their clients who are resident in Cyprus and all other member states outwith the UK. This is because UK firms have previously been able to ‘passport’ their services across the EU. If there is no deal then such passports will effectively be torn up.

Having entered 2024, the UK’s pension landscape stands on the brink of significant transformation. The past year has been a watershed for pension policy, marked by groundbreaking reforms and unexpected policy shifts. UK pension changes for 2024 herald both opportunities and challenges for savers, making it crucial to stay informed and adapt strategies accordingly. Below, […]