Many expats living in Malta will be deemed ‘non-domicile’, which means that while you are indeed ‘tax resident’ in Malta, you are also ‘non-domiciled’. This can be great news for your investment portfolio.
Tax Efficient Investing for Expats in Malta
By Craig Welsh
This article is published on: 30th January 2024
And as interest rates on cash deposits may well have peaked, Craig Welsh, who manages our Malta office, explains how expats can take advantage.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- If you are living in Malta but are classed as ‘non-domicile’, then you can benefit from tax-free growth on your investment portfolio
- We help clients build tax-efficient investment portfolios according to their circumstances and risk profile
- Set aside an emergency fund of around 6-12 months expenses plus money for any upcoming purchases, then consider investing the remainder for longer-term growth
- Equities (shares) have comfortably beaten cash returns over the long-term, and interest rates look to have peaked
Investing should be with a view to the long-term and we do not recommend investing unless you have a ‘time horizon’ of at least 5 years. That simply means you don’t plan to access the money within that period. Markets go up and down, and you don’t want to be accessing your capital at the wrong time.
So – build up cash reserves which would cover your living expenses for 6-12 months. You can earn some interest on that these days, but leave it accessible. Also – if you are planning a major purchase (for e.g. wedding, car, or a property deposit) then that should also be left in cash.
Invest for Long-Term Growth
Once the emergency fund is taken care of, additional money can be invested. At Spectrum, we take you through a careful risk profiling exercise as well as discussing any sustainability preferences you may have.
We then help our clients find the most suitable, tax-efficient ‘wrapper’ and build a diversified portfolio of investments with the aim of long-term capital growth.
Inflation has dipped, and it looks like cash interest rates have peaked. No one has a crystal ball of course, but that could be good news for global markets in general. What we do know is that equities/shares have comfortably beaten cash returns over the long-term.
Our clients have access to mutual funds which have a track record of steady and consistent long-term returns. For the more adventurous investor looking for higher long-term returns, other funds / tracker-type solutions are also available.
If you would like to discuss your investment requirements, then don’t hesitate to contact Craig at craig.welsh@spectrum-ifa.com or on +356 9933 8271.