For expats who are not resident in the Canary Islands and intend on drawing down income benefits in the coming months, and wish to avoid being subject to emergency tax, we recommend you contact HMRC in advance, in order to obtain a personal tax code and thereby automatically claim any personal allowances due. Please note that this process can take some time.
Malta:
At the moment, if your Pension Fund is held under the jurisdiction of Malta there is no flexibility available with regards to accessing your Pension Funds early (at the age of 55 years), however, new primary legislation has already been passed to mirror the aforementioned developments in the UK. Following discussions with the Malta Financial Services Authority, further updates and guidance are expected later this year. It is expected that most Maltese Schemes will be offering flexibility no later than 1st January 2016.
Gibraltar:
If your Pension Fund is held under the jurisdiction of Gibraltar, flexible access is currently under discussion with HMRC. At this stage the 70 / 30 rule still applies, with drawdown subject to capped income of 150% of GAD rates.
Isle of Man:
Currently, the Isle of Man is looking to add flexi-access to its legislation. This will be debated in the Manx Parliament this Autumn. In the meantime the 70 / 30 rule still applies, with drawdown subject to 150% of GAD rates.
Flexi-drawdown plans set to impact delisted QROPS in Guernsey
If, on the other hand, your Pension Funds come under the jurisdiction of Guernsey, your ability to access flexi-drawndown may be affected by new legislation, especially if your scheme has been delisted QROPS. If you are unsure about this, please contact us NOW so that we can review your circumstances and advise how this will affect you.
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.

One of the best pieces of semi-financial advice I ever received was about buying clothes: buy good quality (obviously) and then have the garment altered to fit me specifically; sound financial and sartorial sense. Of course, this means going a little further than one might normally when buying a new outfit, but it’s a little extra that I think is more than justified in the end. Ready-to-wear clothes are great without doubt, but having something that fits you perfectly gives a continued feeling of satisfaction with every wear, it’s so worth it. There are parallels to be made in my professional life as well; it’s such a pleasure to be able to offer clients advice and products that are tailormade to their requirements and fit their circumstances perfectly.