Passport To Wealth®

Your Indian Bank Account Has to Become an NRO Account

A US citizen inherits a family property in India. A mutual fund he's held for years suddenly won't accept him as an investor anymore. His old Indian bank account becomes illegal to keep in its original form. None of this is a mistake, it's what happens when two entirely separate financial systems collide. Amol Desai, CFP® and CFA and founder of Perceptive Wealth Advisors, joins the podcast to unpack exactly this, drawing on his own journey as a first-generation immigrant from India and the cross-border planning practice he built around it. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - From engineering student to cross-border financial advisor 03:17 - The wealth and education assumptions behind first-generation immigrants 05:45 - Why NRIs are legally required to convert their Indian bank accounts 08:30 - NRE versus NRO: what each account is actually for 12:15 - How Indian mutual funds became a US tax problem nobody saw coming 15:36 - A $180,000 lesson in gifting versus waiting for inheritance 27:24 - What to ask before hiring a cross-border advisor ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Amol Desai is a CFP® and CFA, founder of Perceptive Wealth Advisors, and a member of the Passport To Wealth® Directory. He specializes in US-India cross-border financial planning for first-generation immigrants, work he began after navigating these exact challenges himself. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Connect with Amol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amol-desai Visit Amol's Directory page: https://www.passporttowealth.com/amol-desai ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network

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The Expat Money Playbook Launch Week Special

The Expat Money Playbook is officially out today. In this launch week special, Arielle Tucker steps away from the usual guest format to share her own story and read Chapter One aloud. She covers her own path to Switzerland, how she landed in US tax compliance during the exact week FATCA hit Swiss banks, and why she wrote this book collaboratively rather than alone. Then she reads Chapter One: starting with why, the Values First Expat Exercise, and the SMART goals framework. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - From bored 24-year-old to trailing spouse in Switzerland 03:17 - Landing in US tax compliance the exact week FATCA hit 06:00 - Why she wrote this book with dozens of contributors, not alone 09:00 - Chapter One: starting with why, not logistics 15:36 - The Values First Expat Exercise 20:38 - SMART goals: turning a dream into an actual plan 24:34 - Where to find the book and the free companion toolkit ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE BOOK ────────────────────────────────────────── The Expat Money Playbook, published by Wiley, is Arielle Tucker's first book, written with contributions from dozens of cross-border professionals. Available now wherever books are sold . ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── JOIN THE LIVE AMA ────────────────────────────────────────── This Tuesday, October 6, 1:00 PM EDT, join Arielle and a panel of cross-border experts live for a full AMA, simulcast on Facebook and YouTube. Bring your questions about the book, moving abroad, or cross-border planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PassportToWealthOfficial ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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How to Register to Vote From Abroad

Every American living abroad has the right to vote in federal elections, yet every cycle, a meaningful number of ballots never make it home, not from apathy, but from a form that arrived late, a lost ballot, or simply not knowing a backup option existed. Ada Shen from votefromabroad.org, who has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas register, request, and return a ballot, joins the podcast for a fully nonpartisan, procedural walkthrough of how voting from abroad actually works. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Yes, Americans abroad can vote, and here's what's actually on the ballot 01:32 - The one form that registers you, requests your ballot, and updates your info 04:43 - Why "last resided" isn't a choice, it's a rule 09:27 - Getting your ballot by email, and the deadlines that matter this cycle 15:07 - The backup ballot almost nobody knows they can use 25:14 - Clearing up the biggest misconception: voting and taxes are separate ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Ada Shen has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas navigate voter registration and absentee voting through VoteFromAbroad.org, guiding voters through registration, ballot requests, and the specific rules that apply to citizens living outside the United States. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Visit VoteFromAbroad.org: https://www.votefromabroad.org ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory

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The Path From Work Visa to German Passport

A YouTuber built a channel documenting American life in Germany, then leveraged it into an actual self-employment visa, and eventually German citizenship, without ever going through a traditional employer sponsor. Donnie Ashburn, a dual American-German citizen and content creator, joins the podcast to walk through his path from dependent visa to self-employment to citizenship, and what he'd tell anyone considering the same route. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Quitting two jobs, traveling nine months, and landing in Germany by chance 02:43 - COVID and the moment "backup plan" stopped being hypothetical 08:10 - What Germany's self-employment visa actually required, dollar for dollar 21:18 - Why becoming self-employed meant giving up his wife's EU Blue Card 23:11 - The real bureaucratic weight of running a business in two countries at once 27:35 - Why he pursued German citizenship as insurance, not just a milestone ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Donnie Ashburn is a dual American-German citizen and content creator living in Germany's Pfalz region. He built a YouTube channel documenting life as an American in Germany, later turned that platform into a self-employment visa, and became a naturalized German citizen in 2025. He now helps other content creators navigate Germany's self-employment visa route. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Subscribe to Donnie's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PassportTwo ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook"

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How to Prepare for Long-Distance Financial Caregiving

A valid, properly signed power of attorney still isn't a guarantee a bank will honor it. Beth Pinsker found that out the hard way while managing her mother's care and finances from several states away, an experience she turned into "My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving." Beth, a CFP and award-winning journalist, joins the podcast to walk through what financial caregiving actually looks like day to day, why one family member usually ends up doing it whether or not they agreed to, and what changes when the people involved live in different countries. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - The distance every caregiver feels, whether it's states or oceans away 01:26 - How a "temporary" trip turned into nine months of caregiving 06:22 - Big-picture money talks versus the daily bill-paying reality 09:19 - Why one person always ends up "the doer" in every family 11:59 - What changes when trustees and heirs live in different countries 21:14 - The power of attorney fight that took three appointments at the bank, and the one document every family needs before a crisis ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Beth Pinsker is a CFP and award-winning journalist who has covered personal finance for outlets including MarketWatch and The Wall Street Journal. She managed her own mother's care and finances from several states away and wrote about the experience in "My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving." ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Order My Mother's Money: https://bethpinsker.com ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Estate Planning for Americans Retiring in France

France can tax an American's retirement income at zero. It can also be one of the least forgiving countries in the world to die in. Both are true, and most families only learn the second half after they've already moved. Vincent Berthier de Bortoli, a French tax attorney and STEP member whose clients are now almost entirely American, joins the podcast to explain how the US-France tax treaty actually works, why France has no legal concept of an "estate," and why a US trust can quietly turn a 0 percent tax situation into a 31.4 percent one. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Why Americans are moving to France right now 02:35 - Inside the US-France tax treaty: pensions, IRAs, and Roth accounts taxed at zero 07:31 - Why dying in France is never a good idea, tax-wise 10:22 - Inheriting from a US parent while living in France, and the six-year tax holiday 13:47 - The one-euro filing rule most Americans don't know about 17:56 - Why French tax authorities almost always come after a US trust ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Vincent Berthier de Bortoli is a French tax attorney and STEP member based in the French Alps. He has practiced tax for nearly a decade, founded his own French tax practice in October 2023, and now advises a clientele that is roughly 90 percent American families relocating to France. He also is a member of the Passport To Wealth® community. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth VBDB Website: https://www.vbdbtax.com/en/international-tax-attorney Vincent's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentbdb ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory

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Can You Use a 529 Plan for a University Abroad

Can a 529 plan actually pay for university outside the United States? Some foreign schools qualify for tax-free withdrawals. Most do not, and most families do not find out which is true for them until they are already trying to spend the money. Kaitlin Krozel, CPA and founder of Krozel Capital, joins the podcast to walk through how 529 plans work for American families abroad, what qualifies as an eligible foreign university, the new K-12 withdrawal rule, and the wealth tax risk a 529 can create once a family moves to certain countries. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Can a 529 actually pay for university abroad? 02:11 - What a 529 plan is, and why state choice affects your deduction 09:50 - How living abroad changes 529 strategy in real time 14:42 - The new $20,000-a-year rule for K-12 international school tuition 18:09 - How to check if a foreign university actually qualifies 24:25 - The wealth tax risk most families do not see coming ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Kaitlin Krozel, CPA, is the founder of Krozel Capital, where she works with American families living abroad on cross-border tax and college planning. Kaitlin has spent years helping expat parents figure out how 529 plans hold up once a family leaves the United States, and she is raising her own two children across multiple countries. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Check Student Aid Eligibility: https://www.studentaid.gov List of Eligible Foreign Universities: https://www.savingforcollege.com Find Krozel Capital: https://www.krozelcapital.com ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Cross-Border Financial Planning for Americans in Singapore

Americans living in Singapore sit inside one of the most favorable tax environments for Roth conversions anywhere in the world. No capital gains tax, no dividend tax, and the conversion itself isn't taxed locally. Most are not using it, and most of their advisors do not even know it is available. Anne-Marie Regal founder of Avrio Wealth, built one of the first dual-licensed MAS and SEC fiduciary practices for US-connected families in Singapore. She shares what that planning opportunity looks like in practice, what the CPF gets wrong for Americans, and the financial mistakes she unwinds with new clients every week. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:52 — How Ann Marie built a fiduciary practice for Americans in Singapore 06:21 — MAS financial advisor license vs capital markets license 10:32 — Why a US-based advisor eventually stops working from abroad 16:48 — The Roth conversion window Americans in Singapore are not using 22:00 — CPF: excellent for Singaporeans, problematic for US taxpayers 28:06 — The most common financial mistakes US expats make in Singapore ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Anne-Marie Regal, CFP®, is the founder of Avrio Wealth, a fiduciary financial planning firm with offices in Singapore and New York City. Avrio is dual-licensed with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the SEC, and focuses exclusively on US-connected globally mobile families. Ann Marie has been based in Singapore since 2007 and built one of the first fee-only cross-border planning practices for Americans in Asia. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions.

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Raising Kids Across Three Countries as an Expat Parent

Her mother-in-law's advice was that crying helps babies develop their lungs. The advice from home was the opposite. Sasha Romary was raising her first child in Paris, caught between two cultures that agreed on almost nothing. In this episode, Sasha shares what it was like becoming a mother in France, then Singapore, then Germany, and what pushed her to become a sleep and parenting coach: the isolation of getting contradictory advice in two languages, the shame of a crying baby in a quiet Parisian café, and the much harder fight to get a child who didn't fit the local school system the support he needed. She and Arielle also get into how a child's age changes what kind of school will actually work abroad, and why "home," for a family that moves often, ends up being less about the address and more about the traditions a family carries with them. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – Becoming a Parent in Three Different Countries: One Expat Mom's Story 01:15 – Becoming a First-Time Mom in Paris, Far from Family 05:56 – French Parental Leave for Business Owners: What to Expect 08:15 – Navigating Conflicting Parenting Advice Across Two Cultures 16:03 – Advocating for a Child Who Doesn't Fit the Local School System 19:32 – Why Your Child's Age Changes What School Works Best Abroad 24:41 – Why "Home" Abroad Has Less to Do with Location Than You'd Think ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Sasha Romary is a parenting and sleep coach who became a first-time mother in Paris and went on to raise her two sons in Singapore and Germany before returning to France. She now supports other expat parents navigating parenthood across cultures. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH™ ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth™ is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Follow Sasha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasharomaryparenting/ Book a Free 30-min Parenting Call: https://www.sasharomary.com/parent-coaching Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Order "The Expat Money Playbook"

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Understanding Your Why Before an International Move

He'd spent years as a certified financial planner telling clients that the numbers matter. Then he moved his own family to Portugal, and found out the numbers were never really the hard part. In this episode, Mark Moberg shares what happened when his wife's company relocated the family to Lisbon: the six rough months his kids went through, the guilt of leaving an aging parent behind, and the concept from his book, The Life Arbitrage, that he now believes matters more than any spreadsheet, giving yourself permission to actually go through with the move. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – Moving Abroad for a Spouse's Job: What Families Need to Know First 03:22 – Why Most Families Move Abroad Before Running the Numbers 05:42 – Giving Yourself Permission to Relocate Your Family Abroad 09:44 – How Family Reactions Impact Estate Planning and Gifting Before You Move 12:52 – When Family and Friends Disagree About Your Move Abroad (and Why That's Normal) 22:41 – How Your Identity Changes When You Move Abroad ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Mark Moberg is a certified financial planner who moved his own family from Tampa, Florida to Lisbon, Portugal for his wife's job. He now works with Americans planning their own moves and is the author of The Life Arbitrage: Permission to Have Dessert. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats looking for trusted, fiduciary support. We connect globally mobile Americans with expert, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Order Mark's Book: https://www.thelifearbitrage.com Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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International Tax Planning for Marriage, Divorce, and Inheritance

Most people never ask what happens to their estate plan, their prenup, or their inheritance if they move to another country, and that assumption can cost families everything. This episode digs into exactly that gap. International tax attorney Christine Concepción joins Arielle to unpack how residency rules, inheritance tax, prenups, and trust structures behave differently once a US family crosses a border. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Cross-border Estate Planning: Who Needs It and Why 05:55 - US Estate Tax vs. Inheritance Tax Abroad 09:30 - How an Unplanned Inheritance Becomes Taxable in the US 12:38 - Why Your Prenup Might Not Hold Up After Moving Abroad 18:09 - Dividing Foreign Company Shares in a Divorce Settlement 26:20 - Why US Trust Structures Often Fail Once You Move Abroad ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Christine Concepción is an international tax attorney whose practice covers cross-border tax planning, estate planning, pre-immigration planning, expatriation, FBAR compliance, and tax controversy for individuals, families, and closely held businesses. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Connect with Christine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineaconcepcion Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Raising Bilingual Kids in Colombia as an American Family

A safety incident at her kids' school was the last straw. Within months, one family had traded the US for Medellín, Colombia, and started building a life around a completely different set of values. Alyssa Bolaños grew up between cultures long before she ever considered leaving the US permanently. In this episode, she shares how she and her husband decided where to raise their two boys, why they picked Medellín specifically, what surprised them about safety once they arrived, and how they built their residency status around their children rather than a spousal visa. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – Raising Global Kids: How Expat Families Choose Where Home Is 04:36 – The Safety Incident That Pushed One Family to Leave the US 09:33 – How to Choose a Walkable City with Easy Access to Nature 14:28 – What Daily Life and Safety Actually Look Like in Colombia 20:33 – How to Get Residency in Colombia Through Your Children 23:07 – Healthcare Costs After Leaving the US Healthcare System ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Alyssa Bolaños is the bilingual Latina creator behind Casa Belanos. She moved with her husband and two young boys from the US to Colombia, by way of a three-month world-schooling program in Uruguay, and shares the realities of raising global, bilingual kids online. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH™ ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth™ is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Follow Alyssa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casabolanos/ Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Trump Accounts Explained: Who Qualifies for the $1,000 Deposit Abroad

A Trump Account, officially called a 530A account, is a new federal retirement account for children, funded by a $1,000 seed deposit for every eligible US citizen baby born between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2028. For US expat families, the eligibility rules and account-opening process raise questions the law doesn't answer yet. Cross-border tax advisor Christie DuChateau, EA, of BNC Tax joins host Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA to break down who actually qualifies for the $1,000 seed deposit, what it takes to open and fund one from outside the US, and where the process breaks down for parents with a foreign address or a child without a US Social Security number. Christie and Arielle also compare notes from opening their own accounts, one through the Trump Account app and one through the web at trumpaccounts.gov, with different results for foreign addresses and phone verification. They cover how a Trump Account stacks up against a 529 plan, a UTMA, and a kids' Roth IRA, and explain why it may be one of the only ways for a US citizen child living in Europe to legally hold a US ETF. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – What Is a Trump Account and Who Is It For? 02:31 – Who Qualifies for the $1,000 Trump Account Seed Deposit 05:16 – How to Open a Trump Account from Outside the US 16:07 – Funding a Trump Account Without a US Bank Account 20:12 – Trump Account vs. 529, Roth IRA, and UTMA: What's the Difference 25:09 – How a Trump Account Lets US Citizen Children Abroad Buy US ETFs ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Christie DuChateau is a tax advisor with BNC Tax, based in the Netherlands, working with US expat families on cross-border tax planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner with Connected Financial Planning, based in Switzerland, helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify; it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH™ ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth™ is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with fiduciary, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ Follow Christie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christietalkstax/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Why Americans in Europe Can't Buy US ETFs (And the Workaround That Does)

Can you keep buying US ETFs after you move to Europe? Austin Davidson found out the answer is more complicated than it should be. Most Americans moving to Europe don't realize that a regulation called MiFID II can quietly cut off direct access to the ETFs they've always used. In this episode, Austin Davidson, an American investor living in Germany, shares exactly what happened when his brokerage account stopped working the way he expected, and Blair Hoover, founder of Choose Your Own Finance, breaks down why the restriction exists, who it actually targets, and what Austin did to start investing again. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – Why Americans Abroad Lose Access to US ETFs 05:48 – MiFID II and the Professional Investor Exemption Explained 09:33 – Investing Options for Americans Blocked From US ETFs 15:01 – How to Learn Options Trading for Cross-Border Investors 19:18 – The Legal Way to Acquire US ETFs Using Cash-Secured Puts 26:01 – Rebuilding a US ETF Portfolio After Losing Direct Access ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUESTS ────────────────────────────────────────── Austin Davidson is an American living in Germany who lost direct access to US ETFs when MiFID II came into force in 2019. He spent years exploring workarounds before learning to use options strategies to legally acquire US ETF shares again. Blair Hoover is a financial independence coach and founder of Choose Your Own Finance, where she helps clients navigate the practical realities of cross-border investing and personal finance. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH™ ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth™ is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── RESOURCES MENTIONED Options Education: https://www.optionseducation.org/strategies/acquire-stock SMB Capital's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg0ts5NGr0o&t=207s ────────────────────────────────────────── STAY CONNECTED Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Arielle Tucker, CFP® operates as a fiduciary in accordance with applicable professional regulations. Mentioned in this episode: Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory

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Using AI to Prepare for a Cross-Border Move

Can ChatGPT replace a cross-border financial advisor? Aditi Kapadia, CFA, CFP® says not yet. Most people using AI for a cross-border move are getting confident, plausible answers to the wrong questions. In this episode, Aditi Kapadia, a cross-border financial planner serving US-Canada families and one of the most AI-forward advisors in the industry, joins host Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA to break down how AI is changing financial planning, where it's dangerously incomplete, and how to use it well before you ever book a call with an advisor. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 – Introduction: Aditi Kapadia, CFA, CFP®, founder of WealthIQ 01:08 – From robo-advisors to cross-border planning 03:36 – Why clients now show up with "I asked ChatGPT" already in hand 04:48 – ChatGPT connecting directly to bank accounts 05:57 – How accurate is AI really — and why the question matters more than the answer 08:29 – Cross-border planning as a series of "ginormous decisions" AI can't prioritize 12:32 – Compliance, client data, and moving carefully on AI 16:30 – The hidden cost of DIY cross-border tax planning 17:38 – How to use ChatGPT to prepare for your first advisor meeting 20:07 – "Is my situation complex enough for cross-border planning?" 22:20 – Why the most "optimal" AI answer isn't always the right one for you 26:06 – The one thing AI can't give you: accountability ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Aditi Kapadia, CFA, CFP® is the founder of WealthIQ, where she serves US-Canada cross-border families. A Canadian living in the US, she previously built a robo-advisory investment product and is known as one of the most AI-forward voices in cross-border financial planning today. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH™ ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth™ is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. STAY CONNECTED Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth/ ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Arielle Tucker, CFP® operates as a fiduciary in accordance with applicable professional regulations. Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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What's Ahead for Americans Building a Life Abroad: Season 4 Kickoff!

Season 4 of Passport To Wealth™ is here, and it's picking up right where the conversation matters most: what actually happens to your money, your family, and your identity once your life crosses a border. Host Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA is a certified financial planner, IRS enrolled agent, and fellow US expat living in Switzerland. In this short kickoff episode, she previews everything coming this season. What's ahead in Season 4: US Social Security for expats: what you need to know before and after you leave Currency exchange and currency risk for globally mobile families The promise and the limits of AI when it comes to answering complex cross-border tax, legal, and immigration questions Cross-border planning in Singapore Building a family life in Colombia Caring for aging parents who live on a different continent Practical tax and financial planning guidance for anyone who is already abroad, planning a move, or just trying to understand what life outside the US could look like This season also marks a major milestone. Arielle's new book, The Expat Money Playbook, is now available for pre-order through Wiley. It's a practical roadmap for Americans navigating the financial, tax, and lifestyle decisions that come with moving abroad, full of checklists and frameworks to make the process less overwhelming. The goal of Passport To Wealth™ has never been just to help you move abroad. It's to help you build wealth and a life that actually aligns with your values, wherever in the world that life happens to be. Whether you're dreaming about leaving, already living overseas, raising a family abroad, planning for retirement, or just trying to make sense of the cross-border rules that follow Americans everywhere, this season is for you. Subscribe to Passport to Wealth wherever you listen to podcasts. Watch the full video conversations on YouTube. Pre-order The Expat Money Playbook at passporttowealth.com. Mentioned in this episode: Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network

How Americans Build a Life Abroad: Carl Richards on Risk & Mindset

Carl Richards is a certified financial planner, the New York Times Sketch Guy, and the author of Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches. He moved from Utah to New Zealand with his family in a matter of weeks. His wife bought plane tickets ten days after hearing about a friend's available house. Ninety days later, they had moved. This episode covers: How Carl became the New York Times sketch guy (a desperate drawing on a whiteboard) Why showing up and being consistent matters more How Carl's wife pulled the rescue cord and moved the family to New Zealand The detox from US money and work culture that Carl did not see coming Moving teenagers abroad during a senior year of high school Why New Zealanders ask about holidays and weekends, not jobs The French cafe lesson: you think this is about money. It is about food. The worry list: a blank page. Nothing is helped by worrying. The cognitive load of a simple grocery store in a new country Carl's daughter's advice: you thought you were going to have an adventure without it being hard Why Carl would spend his savings again without thinking twice Carl and host Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA discuss why most of what we worry about never happens and why moving abroad does not require a perfect plan. Resources Read Carl's latest book Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches Subscribe to the Passport to Wealth newsletter: passporttowealth.com/contact Find a vetted cross-border advisor: passporttowealth.com/directory Are you a qualified professional serving US expats? Apply to passporttowealth.com/join Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Stay up to date on what's happening globally.... Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Moving to Europe as a US Expat: Taxes, Incentives, and the Mistakes That Are Hardest to Fix

Christian Gulizzi is a cross-border tax advisor licensed in the United States as a CPA, in Germany as a Steuerberater, and in Italy as a Dottore Commercialista. He was born to an Italian and German parent, grew up navigating cross-border complexity, and built his entire academic and professional career around it. He currently lives and works from the Italian Riviera. This episode covers: The biggest misconception Americans have about taxes when moving to Europe Why leaving money in US accounts does not protect it from European tax authorities The 183-day rule and why it does not mean what most people think How German residency can begin on day one simply by having a home there Why a US LLC provides no protection from the tax authority where you are physically working Italy's €300,000 foreign flat tax for high net worth individuals The 7% flat tax for retirees moving to southern Italian towns under 30,000 inhabitants The Impatriati regime: up to 90% income exemption for workers and researchers The Forfettario regime: 5% flat tax for self-employed people earning under €85,000 Why German courts have blocked tax incentive regimes as unconstitutional Italy vs. Germany inheritance tax: €1 million exemption at 4% vs. €400,000 at 19-33% Christian's single most important piece of advice before any move to Europe Why pre-immigration planning is critical: fixing mistakes after residency is almost impossible We discuss the specific misconceptions that create the most expensive problems for Americans moving abroad, the legal incentive regimes Italy offers that most people never find in time to use, and why the country you choose to move to is itself a financial decision. Resources Connect with Christian on LinkedIn Subscribe to the Passport to Wealth newsletter: passporttowealth.com/contact Find a vetted cross-border advisor: passporttowealth.com/directory Are you a qualified professional serving US expats in Europe? Apply to passporttowealth.com/join Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Stay up to date on what's happening globally.... Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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Visas, Taxes & Healthcare in France: A Paris Immigration Attorney Explains

Daniel Tostado is a naturalized French citizen, a dual-qualified attorney (US and France), and the founder of Tostado Avocats, an immigration law firm dedicated to helping Americans navigate the French legal system. He moved from San Diego to France in 2010, completed a French master's degree, passed the bar on both sides of the Atlantic, and has since built a practice focused exclusively on French visas, residency permits, and citizenship pathways. He also runs a winter homeless shelter for refugees in Paris. This episode covers: The four main visa categories for Americans moving to France (visitor, student, entrepreneur, and family-based) Why the visitor visa is the most popular route and who it's right for The legal gray area around remote work for US employers on a French visitor visa How the Franco-American tax treaty protects American assets including Roth IRAs France's healthcare system and how Americans access it from day one The entrepreneur visa: what France wants to see in your business plan Why selling your US home after establishing French residency can trigger unexpected capital gains Naturalization by marriage and the timeline to a 10-year residency card How quickly you can realistically get a French visa (spoiler: faster than most countries) We discuss the legal pathways Americans actually use to move to France, the tax and healthcare systems that await them, and the cultural realities of building a life in a country that does not automatically trust the stranger. Resources Follow Daniel on Instagram @tostadoavocats Listen to our episode with Céline Flores-Tavukcuoglu Are you a qualified professional serving US expats in France or Europe? Apply to passporttowealth.com/join Subscribe to the Passport to Wealth newsletter: passporttowealth.com/contact Find a vetted cross-border advisor: passporttowealth.com/directory Mentioned in this episode: Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Stay up to date on what's happening globally.... Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

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The $60K Estate Tax Trap for Non-US Citizens Holding US Assets

Hui-chin Chen, CFP®, is the managing partner of Jade & Cowry and has spent her career working with globally mobile families across Asia-Pacific; including her own, as the spouse of a US diplomat who has lived across multiple countries and tax systems. She is one of a small number of practitioners who understands both the technical US tax obligations that reach across borders and the cultural dynamics that make compliance so difficult to achieve. This episode covers the compliance traps that consistently catch non-US citizens, US-connected individuals, and globally mobile families who never anticipated owing anything to the IRS. In this episode Accidental Americans and the US tax net - how people become subject to US taxation through birth, the substantial presence test, green card status, or a US spouse, without ever identifying as American Planned citizenship and generational wealth in Asia - how affluent Asian families deliberately acquire US citizenship for the next generation and why, without comprehensive cross-border planning from the beginning, that decision creates compounding reporting obligations for decades The $60,000 US estate tax threshold for non-citizens - why a non-US citizen holding US stocks, real estate, or RSUs from a US employer faces a 40% estate tax above $60,000, how that threshold has never been indexed for inflation, and why almost no Asian countries have estate tax treaties with the US The non-US spouse filing trap - how a US citizen claiming a non-US spouse as a dependent or filing jointly to reduce tax liability can unknowingly pull that spouse's entire foreign financial picture into the US reporting system, creating obligations the non-US spouse never agreed to and may not know exist Joint accounts, family business signatory authority, and FBAR - why common Asian estate planning structures (joint accounts with parents, signatory authority on family businesses) trigger US reporting requirements the account holder never considered Territorial tax regimes across Asia-Pacific - how Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other territorial systems interact with US citizenship-based taxation, and why holding assets in the US for diversification can create estate tax exposure that offsets the investment benefit entirely The four-to-six month pre-move planning window - why cross-border planning needs to begin months before a move, not after arrival, and why a full financial audit including family account involvement is the mandatory starting point Resources Connect with Hui-chin on LinkedIn Are you a qualified professional serving US expats in France or Europe? Apply to passporttowealth.com/join Subscribe to the Passport to Wealth newsletter: passporttowealth.com/contact Find a vetted cross-border advisor: passporttowealth.com/directory Mentioned in this episode: Stay up to date on what's happening globally.... Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network

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