Last Updated on 13th January 2026
Expat wealth management isn’t a one-time exercise or a process of seeking advisory support at a specific point. This is a common misconception where expats assume they only require assistance when planning a relocation, restructuring investments to maximise tax efficiency, or deciding how to transfer pension products across borders.
Our professional advisers work closely with clients over the long term, ensuring that, as foreign nationals establish themselves overseas, transition from working life to retirement, plan for the future, and pass their wealth to their children or loved ones, they make informed decisions at every step.
To illustrate how dedicated expat wealth planning might work and how it adapts over time to the individual’s priorities, expectations, and wealth, we’ve created a simplified timeline that highlights the value of independent guidance along the way.
Creating a Detailed Plan Before Relocating
Many expats first seek professional wealth management services when approaching a relocation – and this is a natural time at which to recognise that the complexities of cross-border taxation, tax residency, and international portfolios require careful management.
Each individual or family may have different needs, but wealth planning in advance of a relocation will often incorporate:
- Guidance around transferring investments and savings to a different country and currency.
- Help with structuring assets based on the tax liabilities arising in a new place of residency.
- Assistance with timing transactions and transfers, selling real estate, and investing in property or other assets overseas.
Expats may also rely on our wealth planning professionals for help selecting visa categories, ensuring they have clarity around their tax residency status, and when notifying HMRC of a change in their place of residence to ensure their affairs are all in good order.
Adjusting Investments and Assets According to Circumstances and Objectives
When foreign nationals have settled into their chosen place of residence, the need for ongoing wealth planning doesn’t stop. A portfolio of assets and investments will rarely remain diversified, within risk tolerance levels, or relevant to the individual’s requirements over time.
There are numerous reasons we might recommend making an adjustment, whether related to a higher or lower income or change in employment, rises and falls in interest rates and returns, volatility in markets and exchanges, and tax reforms.
International regulations and reporting rules can and do change, and staying ahead ensures expats understand the value and performance of their wealth, know their tax obligations, and can react accordingly without allowing new or emerging risks or inefficiencies to remain unaddressed.
Reviewing Retirement Wealth and Pensions
Pension planning is another ongoing task. It’s common for expats to perceive that one high-value pension fund, or a series of assets held for retirement, will be more than sufficient to support the lifestyle they expect.
In reality, pension and retirement management are fundamental to long-term financial stability, and our advisers can help in varied ways, such as:
- Continuing to update pension forecasts and projections
- Advising on alternative funds or products with beneficial returns
- Restructuring investments in response to changing risk exposure needs
- Balancing diversification across asset classes and locations
Many expats consider pension transfers at the time of relocation, using products such as Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (ROPS) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), but a large proportion also maintain pension assets in their home country, which may or may not be beneficial.
Chase Buchanan’s in-house retirement specialists can advise on exposure to significant taxes such as the UK Overseas Transfer Charge, and the long-term impact of retaining assets or funds in the UK, while ensuring clients understand their family’s future inheritance tax liabilities.
Rebalancing Portfolios to Account for Fluctuating Risks and Life Stages
We often talk about the need to monitor risk because it isn’t static and can change dramatically. This is both in terms of the individual’s risk appetite and the risk associated with specific products, markets, assets, or locations.
It’s also normal for expats to find that their attitudes towards risk will evolve. Those approaching retirement, for example, will typically be comfortable with far lower risk and greater certainty on their returns than a family investing for retirement several decades into the future.
Although long-term wealth planning isn’t about making constant changes or restructuring portfolios in response to short-term blips or market shifts, expats must understand how downturns will affect their wealth and know when to diversify.
Building Estate and Succession Planning Into Wealth Management
One of the biggest mistakes we see is when succession planning is overlooked or disregarded, perceived as something expats only need to deal with in later life or after retirement. This can mean losing out on opportunities to create well-designed, highly efficient strategies.
Estate planning is especially relevant for expats. Many hold assets in multiple countries with different inheritance tax laws, or may believe they can leave their wealth to any loved one they wish without accounting for forced heirship regimes, which are prevalent in European countries.
Comprehensive, timely estate planning is beneficial at any stage, and can include:
- Structuring assets and holdings based on their exposure to inheritance taxation
- Creating legally valid wills that are recognised in each relevant jurisdiction
- Setting up trust structures to ensure wealth is protected for children and other beneficiaries
Succession plans may be subject to change, and if wills, trusts, or asset structures need updating, our experienced wealth managers can provide the right advice to ensure these adjustments are made promptly and offer the assurance that your legacy remains protected, regardless of where your assets are held.
Access Further Information About Long-Term Expat Wealth Planning
Expats at any stage of their relocation, whether considering a move in the coming months or having lived overseas for several years, can benefit from professional advisory support to ensure their wealth is well-managed and optimised to provide the financial stability they require.
Chase Buchanan Private Wealth Management’s global advisory teams are always happy to discuss in greater detail the services we offer, and we publish regular educational articles and downloadable guides via our Knowledge Hub that you can review at your convenience.
© Chase Buchanan Private Wealth Management.
Chase Buchanan Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission with CIF Licence 287/15 and offers its services in the EU on a cross-border basis as per the provisions of MiFID.
Chase Buchanan Insurance Services, Agents & Advisors is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Insurance Companies Control Service with License No 6883 and offers services in the EU on a cross-border basis as per the provisions of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD).
Investing in financial instruments involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The value of investments may go up as well as down and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. You may lose part or all of your invested capital.
*Information correct as at January 2026
