Tips on Making Safer Investments as an Expat

If you’ve lived and worked abroad for a long time, investing your hard-earned money may have crossed your mind many times. For individuals near retirement age, investing their savings or pension is an excellent strategy to amass enough funds for a comfortable lifestyle. Although there are many investment opportunities, expats have the added challenge of being unfamiliar with the market. On the other hand, investing their money in the home country could involve regulatory restrictions.

If you find yourself in this predicament and would like some tips on investing while at the same time minimising risks and reducing the impact of tax on your earnings, here’s what you need to know.

Have a long-term investment plan

Thinking about your long-term plans is the first consideration before investing. For expats, employment arrangements can change in an instant. But if living and working abroad appears to be a long-term circumstance, then looking for a suitable investment is indeed a smart financial step. However, if you’re based in Singapore now and plan to retire back home in the UK, for example, then looking for real estate in the UK and other investment options should be in your plan. According to TailorMade Pensions, it’s crucial to understand the implications of making significant decisions such as buying a house or opening a bank account in a different country. Having a financial advisor helping you with these decisions will help in looking at the big picture, especially analysing the risks.

How important are taxes?

Depending on the country where you live or work currently, there may be tax breaks for expat investments. However, taxes work differently if you invest abroad or in your home country. What most people typically do is maintain an offshore account for their funds. Of course, it’s still essential to understand how the process works to ensure that you’re following all legal banking regulations.

Pension investments are excellent for future retirement

You can’t rely on your pension to fund your retirement lifestyle. But, since you are expecting to receive a pension, why not invest in it? A private pension works like a savings account, with the added benefit of reduced taxes. If you’re receiving a pension from your home country and would like to invest in opportunities abroad, make sure to seek the assistance of a financial advisor. Being compliant with regulations is critical if you want to protect your investment and avoid problems in the long run.

Stocks and bonds

Investing in stocks and bonds is popular for expats living abroad. Wherever you are in the world, there are plenty of opportunities to consider. Stocks are considered to be the riskiest option, while bonds are relatively low-risk. Nevertheless, those who are thinking about a more aggressive means of growing their money typically turn to these two options. Researching the market and understanding everything that you can about investing in stocks or bonds is crucial. The process may be slightly different in a foreign country, which is why you need to be more restrained before jumping in.