You built your retirement savings in America. Then life took you somewhere else: a job in London, a partner in Madrid, a business in Dubai. Your 401(k) and IRA stayed behind.
Then the small problems start. Many US brokers and plan providers now restrict accounts once a foreign address is on file. That can mean no new purchases, no online access, or a request to move the money elsewhere. The local investment account your bank recommends can turn out to be a tax problem for an American. And often no one is actually looking after the money.
Your retirement accounts don't need to move abroad with you. They need a proper US home and someone looking after them. That's what we do for Americans living abroad, whether you're settled overseas for good, splitting your time between countries, or planning to come home one day.
Because we advise through an SEC-registered firm, we can manage your US retirement accounts from the United States, wherever you live.
Many firms offering "US expat financial advice" are based in the UK or Europe and regulated only there. They can advise on the local side of your finances, but they can't manage your 401(k) or IRA, so you end up needing two advisers. With Alexander Peter, you need one.
You've made your life overseas but still rely on savings built in the US
You left old 401(k)s behind with previous US employers.
You're juggling two tax systems, two currencies and two sets of rules.
You expect to retire in the US in the next few years and want to get it right.
Americans abroad are a favourite target for unlicensed advisers selling offshore bonds, "tax-free" wrappers and products that create US tax and reporting headaches. Before you hand anyone your retirement savings, check three things:
You can check any US investment adviser for free at adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Keeping custody and advice apart is one of the strongest protections against fraud.
Offshore bonds and wrappers sold to Americans abroad often fail this test.
Advisory services are provided through Amerity Wealth Management LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, and client assets are held at an independent US custodian, never by us.
How to keep your 401(k) and IRA safe, growing and accessible while you're overseas, and ready for the day you come home.
Yes. You can leave it in your former employer's plan or roll it into an IRA. The right choice depends on the plan's fees, its investment options and your tax position in your new country. We help you compare both before you move anything.
If you're a US citizen, yes. Withdrawals from Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s stay subject to US federal income tax wherever you live. They may also be taxable in your country of residence, but most tax treaties stop you being fully taxed twice.
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) applies to US persons whose foreign financial accounts total more than $10,000 at any point in the year. Most US expats with a local bank account have to file it. We don't file FBARs ourselves, but we build the obligation into your plan and can refer you to specialist US tax professionals.
