Guest Post by Mike Foster After the recent article for US taxpayers, I thought it was only fair to include some financial information for UK expats. Expats dream of enjoying their time abroad, whether it's a short work assignment or a long-term move to retire. I often refer back to my first move, Tokyo Japan. First I sorted out my flights to get there, accommodation and even started to go on Expat forums to meet people. But there was one thing I struggled with -- finances and banking. No …
Use a VPN with your Tablet or Smart Phone
Recently I started using a VPN (virtual private network) on my Android tablet. If you're using your Android device (phone or tablet) on a public WiFi network, snoopers can glom onto your data so it's important to protect yourself. Especially if you're using your tablet to connect to bank accounts, a VPN is a very good idea. You can review the most important reasons to use a VPN here. As an expat, you've got another reason to use a VPN, even if you're on a secure WiFi network at …
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Tax Help for US Expats
Expat taxes seem to be a fast-moving target these days. For US citizens, the IRS is making changes and imposing absurdly punitive penalties if you don't dot every I and cross every T properly. Since this is the time every year when Americans at home and abroad have to pull together their financial information for the previous year and prepare their tax returns, I thought I'd offer a little tax help for US expats. Americans file with the IRS on April 15 every year. As an expat, you're entitled …
Where’s the Best Country to Retire Overseas in 2013?
Where's the best country to retire overseas? I get that question a lot. I wish I had a simple answer, but as long as people are different -- with different hopes, wishes, dreams, likes and dislikes -- there's no one-size-fits-all answer. And sometimes asking "which country" isn't the right question. Because different parts of a country can be very different. I mean, what do New York City and Podunk, Idaho have in common? Not much. Fortunately I can give you a place to start. Here are …
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How Las Tablas, Panama Celebrates New Year’s Eve
We just celebrated our first New Year's in Las Tablas, Panama, and this town certainly knows how to throw a party! Our evening started at about 10:30 PM. A Panamanian friend had invited us to join his family for dinner at that fashionably late hour. When we arrived, we found the entire neighborhood partying in the street. Neighbors were going back and forth with plates of food -- it's important to share on this date. Several people arrived at our friends' house carrying covered plates from …
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Foreign Legal Residency: Part of of Global Diversification
Guest post by Lee Harrison On December 17, I started my day at the airport in Panama City. Having arrived early, I was enjoying a cup of coffee and working on my laptop in the American Airlines gate area, waiting for their Dallas-bound flight. I'd had to pass though Panama's U.S.-style security--including shoe removal--which is unusual in a foreign country, but that was behind me. About two hours before flight time, 11 airline employees showed up in the departure lounge. Some fanned out to …
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