Let me share with you two case studies with expat investors.
One worked out great, the other kind of a nightmare.
Story 1: David’s €50,000 win
David lived in Germany and invested in a few ETFs.
His portfolio went up so he had profits of €150,000.
If he had sold while living in Germany, he’d owe €40K in taxes.
But… he moved to Georgia for work.
He didn’t even know it (because he didn’t do his research). . .
But Georgia doesn’t tax capital gains on foreign ETFs.
So when he finally sold his ETFs. . . he paid zero tax.
Saving €40k.
Tax “miracles” like this can happen, but let’s be real – they are rare.
If you don’t do your research, you are just as likely to have a problem like our second case story. . .
Story 2: Anna’s tax nightmare
Anna lived in the Netherlands.
She invested in ETFs for years.
Every year, even without selling her ETFs, she paid so-called “Box 3” tax. . .
About €20,000 total.
Then Anna moved to Spain… and started selling.
Spain said: “You owe 28% tax on your profits.”
Anna said: “But I already paid tax in the Netherlands!”
Spain: “That wasn’t capital gains tax. You need to pay.”
Now Anna MIGHT be able to argue her way out. . .
but it’s doubtful. . .
and it may take years of stress and big bills for lawyers.
🫣 The bad news: Moving countries without a plan can cost you a fortune.
⭐️ The good news: With a plan, expat investors often get even better results than locals.
I’m not talking about anything illegal or immoral like tax evasion or cheating.
I’m talking about knowing the rules and not making expensive mistakes.
That’s exactly what I cover in my full investment training program the Index Masterclass.
✅ How to prep your investments before a move
✅ When to sell and when to keep your investments
✅ Questions to ask your brokerage
✅ A checklist to avoid expensive tax traps
Click here to find out more.
I help busy Europeans become confident passive investors through a practical, step-by-step training program called The Index Masterclass.
Click here to access my free training for European investors.