Insights

Financial Literacy for Expatriates

Written by Cross Border Wealth | Jul, 23, 2020 - 10:00 AM

It’s so crucial to get yourself into a financially stable position. If you’re an American expatriate, or if you’re planning on moving abroad soon, then your financial decisions will be especially important. Living abroad can be challenging in some ways, but it can also be an amazing experience. Examine the information below so that you can become more financially literate as an expatriate. 

 

Currency Exchange Rates

Currency exchange rates need to be considered because they have a direct impact on your finances as an expatriate. Your funds that are coming from America will need to be exchanged to whatever the local currency is in your new country. You could also want to learn about exchange rate fees at your bank as well as how easy it will be to transfer funds to people back home if necessary. Go over exchange rate issues with the professionals and ensure that you take this into account when planning out your financial future. 

 

Standard of Living/Living Costs

The standard of living might be different in certain parts of the world. The living costs of average citizens in different nations could be drastically different than what you’re used to in America as well. Some places might be more expensive while others might be less expensive. Learn about how much things will cost and create a financial plan that will work for you while allowing you to maintain a comfortable standard of living. 

 

Saving for Retirement

Saving for retirement is crucial for your future and you should start doing it now. Remember that you need to take extra steps to roll over an American 401(k) account properly and that some retirement accounts might be taxable when you move to a new country. You want to set up a retirement account that will work well for you in your current country. Set up a plan to save money each month and do things by the book. 

 

Taxes

Taxes will likely be problematic if you don’t take the time to figure things out. Many expatriates struggle to understand what they’re responsible for in terms of taxes. You still need to pay American taxes and you’ll also need to pay taxes in the country that you’re living in. If you need help figuring this out and coming up with a tax plan, then you should work with professionals as soon as you can.