Expats are some of the most capable people I know.
It takes serious ambition and courage to move to a new country.
But here’s the problem:
Most expats stay financially vulnerable their entire lives.
They jump from pension system to pension system, never building real retirement savings.
They get lost in local tax rules and worry: “What if I move again? Will my investments be a mess?”
Even though these are often high-earning professionals making €60k to €100k+…
Even though they have the income to achieve financial freedom faster than almost anyone.
They never get started.
Year after year, their money sits in bank accounts earning nothing.
While inflation eats away at their wealth.
Meanwhile, their less ambitious friends who stayed home are building retirement wealth systematically.
Here’s the good news:
I’ve worked with thousands of expats in the Index Masterclass – my training program for European investors.
And I’ve seen the same thing again and again.
If you understand a few basics, investing as an expat is very doable.
The first step is figuring out your tax residence.
When you move between countries, you can’t just choose where to pay taxes.
Every country has rules that determine when you’re supposed to pay tax there.
So when you move from Country A to Country B, you need to:
- Figure out the tax residence rules in both countries
- Resolve any conflicts between them
- Know exactly on what date you switch tax obligations from A to B
- Only then worry about what taxes you actually owe
A great starting point is the PwC Wax Summaries database – they are available free online.
But if you’re not a tax expert, the jargon can be overwhelming.
That’s why I included a simple step by step investment tax training for expats in the Index Masterclass – my training program for beginner investors in Europe.
Around half our members are expats and nomads.
We cover everything you need to know about investments, brokerages, and tax rules when moving between countries.
And we’ve got a database of local rules for 34 European countries.
For expats who want to start investing, it’s a huge time saver.
Go here to check out the program
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.