Viewing posts categorised under: Spain
To QROPS or Not?
By Chris Burke
This article is published on: 25th February 2016
The rapidly changing landscape of pension schemes in the UK has led to a great deal of confusion, and it’s not just UK pensioners who are affected. The rule changes also impact expats living outside the UK, especially those considering the benefits of a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS).
As an expat, it’s hard to know which route to take. Should you transfer to a QROPS or leave your pension in the UK? What are the benefits and drawbacks? What impact have recent changes had on your options?
Let’s look at the QROPS facts…
- Up to 100% of the pension pot is available, depending on the jurisdiction. 25% could be tax-free if you are UK resident but could be taxable if resident outside of the UK.
- Uncertainty of more UK tax changes, with several ideas being muted which all in essence make you liable to pay more tax or have less allowances on your pension.
- No pension death tax, regardless of age, in Gibraltar and Malta.
- Greater investment freedom, including a choice of currencies and investments which could make a difference to the amount of money you receive.
- Retirement from age from 55.
- Income paid gross from Malta (with an effective DTT), and only 2.5% withholding tax in Gibraltar.
- Removal of assets from the UK may help in establishing a Domicile outside of the UK (influences UK inheritance tax liability).
What will happen if you leave your personal pension in the UK?
- On death over the age of 75, a tax of 45% on a lump sum pay-out.
- Income tax to be paid when receiving the pension, with up to 45% tax due, likely deducted at source.
- Registration with HMRC and the assignment of a tax code which could start as a higher emergency tax code.
- Proposed removal of personal income pension allowance for non-residents. Although this is still on the agenda, it has been confirmed that there will be no change to non-residents’ entitlement to personal allowance until at least April 2017.
- Any amounts withdrawn will be moved into the client’s estate for IHT purposes, if this is retained and not spent.
- As the client will be able to have access to the funds as a lump sum, these could potentially be included as an asset for care home fees/bankruptcy etc.
What Does All This Mean?
Regardless of the proposed legislation amendments, transferring to a QROPS still provides certain benefits that the UK equivalent would not be able to offer, although it’s fair to say that both still hold a valid place in expatriate financial planning. The answer to which pension is more suitable for you will ultimately depend on your individual circumstances and long term intentions. It is vital you talk to a Financial Adviser who can advise you correctly on this.
Spectrum sponsors the NADFAS event in Costa del Sol
By Charles Hutchinson
This article is published on: 24th February 2016
24.02.16
The Spectrum IFA Group co-sponsored an excellent NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) lecture on 17th February at the San Roque Golf & Country Club on the Costa del Sol. The Spectrum IFA Group was represented by our local adviser, Charles Hutchinson, assisted by his wife Rhona who attended along with our co-sponsors Ignacio Ortega & Tricia Anderson from Currencies Direct.
The National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies is a leading arts charity which opens up the world of the arts through a network of local societies and national events.
With inspiring monthly lectures given by some of the country’s top experts, together with days of special interest, educational visits and cultural holidays, NADFAS is a great way to learn, have fun and make new and lasting friendships.
At this particular event, over 100 attendees were entertained by a fascinating talk on Indian Textiles Art & Design by Jasleen Kandhari, Head of Department, Oxford University.
The talk was followed by a drinks reception which included a free raffle for prizes including CH produced Champagne and a coffee table glossy book on Indian Fabric Design. Currencies Direct also supplied a presentation box of Cognac and Chocolates and desk diaries.
All in all, a good turnout and a very successful event at a wonderful venue. The Spectrum IFA Group were very proud to be involved with such a fantastic organisation and we shall also be sponsoring next month’s event on the subject of Fabergé’s Imperial Easter Eggs from the Russian court.
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Don´t bank on low charges
By John Hayward
This article is published on: 19th January 2016
19.01.16
Wouldn’t it be great if every time you were paid your pension or other income, you were paid a commission for receiving it? Then, each time you pay a bill, you receive a commission for paying it? You could make commission twice on the same money! Of course, this is not possible for us. It is for the banks though.
Let’s take an example based on real charges of a well-known Spanish bank and a couple selling a property in Spain for €300,000 and then re-purchasing a smaller property for €200,000 and investing €100,000 in an income paying bond.
On sale, their purchaser pays them €300,000 through a transfer to their bank. The bank charges 0.2% for receiving the money (€600). They then transfer the money to buy the next property and get charged 0.4% on €200,000 (€800). Finally, they transfer €100,000 to a Spanish compliant company based in another part of Europe for their investment. They are charged a further €400.
In total they will have paid €1,800 in bank charges for transactions other banks may not have charged anything for. The main aim is to choose a bank that does not charge. If high charges are the default, perhaps one should move to another bank. We can recommend a bank with no, or low, transfer charges along with no annual account fees.
One must also be aware that banks will probably earn a healthy chunk on currency exchange, selling the benefit that they do not charge a fee. With GBP falling back against the Euro, it is even more important to obtain a competitive rate. Whether it is for regular income payments, or one off lump sums, we can help you get the best deal.
Why a Pension audit is vital for your wealth. (Part 2)
By David Hattersley
This article is published on: 2nd December 2015
02.12.15
In the previous article, I referred primarily to Pre-Retirement Planning. This article is devoted to Post-Retirement Planning ie. when you are already drawing your pension and are tax resident in Spain. For those that are lucky enough to be in receipt of a Defined Benefits Scheme (ie Civil Service / Company Final Salary Pension) most of this article will not apply to you. The same applies to those taking income from a SIPP/ Drawdown plan. This will be covered in a future article.
Primarily this article deals with “Money Purchase Arrangements” ie. Group or Personal Pensions, Stakeholder Pensions and Contracting Out of SERPs, where benefits are being taken and the tax free lump sum has been paid.
It is important to understand the taxation of income in Spain. Unlike the UK, “Earned Income” and “Capital Gains and Investment Income” are not added together to determine the highest rate of tax payable. They are kept separate with “Earned Income” taxed at the highest marginal rate, and “Capital Gains and Investment Income” capped at rates of between 20%, 22% and 24% for the tax year 2015. When one considers a person that has a State Basic Pension of £8,000 p.a. and Earned Pension Income of £12,000 (with the current rate of exchange of 1.4) it is quite easy to slip into the next highest rate of marginal tax of 31% for “Earned Income”.
One also needs to consider the rules for Lifetime Annuities by the Spanish Law “Renta Vitalicia” and its subsequent tax treatment of said income.
So why the need for a Pension audit when one is already receiving it and declaring it to the Hacienda? Are you paying too much tax as a result of the word Pension?
So does this apply to you? Possibly, and the likely reason why, is that your pension provider at retirement converted your pension to an annuity. You may have taken all the pension pots, used an open market option and transferred this to another annuity provider that offered better rates?
It is also vital to understand both the documentation sent by the UK provider on an annual basis and the treatment of pensions and annuities by the UK HMRC. Unlike the Spanish, the UK HMRC treats both pensions and annuities as one, and they are taxed under income tax rules. It is vital that this is understood. Even if you have previously informed the provider that you are living in Spain and are receiving your pension gross, due to UK HMRC rules, you will still receive a “P60 End of Year Certificate” from the provider. This clearly states under the heading “Pension and Income Tax details”.
In these cases you could be paying too much tax without realising it! As an honest citizen, one presents the P60, without having the original policy document translated into Spanish, to your local Abagado / Gestor, who in turn presents the documentation to the Hacienda. It is hard enough for them to fully understand English, let alone the tax laws relating to the UK re. pensions and how they differ to Spain. The same could be said if one is receiving advice from a UK based adviser or an “Offshore Adviser”, who are very unlikely to understand or be able to assist with the complexities of Spanish Tax law.
And the reason for this is that Spain’s tax rules treat the purchase of a Lifetime Annuity as “Investment Income” even when a “Pension Pot” is used. The full income tax law is LEY35/2006 de 28 de noviembre, del Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas (LEY IRPF) The specific part relating to the taxation of Annuities is found in Articulo 23 as follows:
- The taxation of lifetime annuities– Articulo 25.3 a) 2º LEY IRPF
- The taxation of temporary annuities – Articulo 25.3 a). 3º LEY IRPF
Instead of being taxed on the full income amount, a discount is applied based on the age of the recipient when the original annuity was purchased. So for someone between the ages of 60 to 65 at the time of purchase, this represents 76%. Therefore referring to the above example the taxable “Investment Income” is only £12,000 x 24% = £2,800. The £2,800 will then be subject to the lowest “Investment Income” rate of 20% (assuming no other income) ie. tax payable of £576 p.a. A very substantial saving when compared against being taxed under “Earned Income” rules. For ease, I have not calculated the rate applied if one moves into the next highest rates of marginal tax!
I have come across a number of clients in this exact situation and I am in the process of correcting this error. Already one client has had a rebate, backdated 4 years (due to the statute of limitations) and now pays substantially less tax as a result. But it is both time consuming and hard work having to track down the likes of Pearl, Equity and Law, Equitable Life, Commercial Union, Scottish Equitable, Sun Life, Clerical Medical and Eagle Star (to name but a few) who were the major providers of pensions in the 80’s and 90’s, and then confirm it was a Lifetime Annuity that was purchased.
This is further complicated by those in Final Salary Schemes like the Teachers Superannuation Scheme, who at the same time contributed to the Group AVC, and considers that the pension income comes from one source. There is the possibility that the AVC under a default process purchased an Annuity offered by the same provider.
This is a service provided for existing clients, although at some stage they will need an official translator to translate the documents into Spanish if the UK provider will not do so.
In some instances though, either because of a lack of understanding by 3rd parties ie. the Hacienda or a Gestor, some people are claiming their pension income from a QROP/ SIPP as a temporary annuity whilst still retaining control over the investment and have not actually used cash to purchase an annuity ie it is still a pension in drawdown.
This is incorrect and will be explained why in a later article. Further articles will also include “The Treatment of Small Pension Pots”, “Pensions Flexibility” and “Pensions in Drawdown”. What I have learned time and time again over the course of many years experience in the pensions industry is that the “Devil is always in the detail” and why a pensions audit is vital.
As Financial Advisers we are not professional tax advisers, but we work closely with said professionals, and in this instance the tax advice has been provided by HCS Accounting of Denia
How much have your savings increased in the last 12 months?
By John Hayward
This article is published on: 26th November 2015
26.11.15
How much have your savings increased in the last 12 months?
Which of the following reflects where your money has been?
Savings account +0.5% to 2% (before tax)*
FTSE100 -3.17% (before charges and after dividends)*
Cautious fund +4.3% to 5.5% (after charges)*
With interest rates predicted to stay low for some time to come, many in Spain are finding it difficult to grow their savings, or increase their income, without having to take risks they would not normally do, risking their capital.
So what are the options?
Deposit account
There are Spanish savings accounts offering around 2% although in reality this could be the rate for the first few months which will then reduce to a much lower rate. There are often restrictions on how much you can invest in these accounts. Inflation is running at a higher rate than most savings accounts and so, in real terms, most people are losing money in what they see as a risk free account.
Stockmarket
Over the long term, through growth and dividends, it is possible to make significant gains. However, first-hand knowledge, or a lot of luck, is required to make the most of stocks and shares. Most people tend to have neither. In addition, most people are not prepared to take the rollercoaster ride that stocks and shares tend to produce.
Structured Notes
These are, generally, complicated and inflexible products which are really only suitable for experienced investors. The gains can be based on a variety of things but often requiring 5 to 6 years before seeing any return.
Property
Over time, property has proven itself to be a winner. However, it has also proven that it can suffer massive reductions. It is also probably the most illiquid asset you can hold as well as potentially, the most costly to hold in terms of upfront costs, taxes and maintenance. There can also be emotional risk.
Under the mattress
This is often mooted as a home for money in times of uncertainty but then there is the risk that it could go up in flames or end up in a burglar’s swag bag.
The solution?
As financial planning advisers, we are in a position to offer the best of all worlds; the potential for growth in a low risk environment. By Investing in a Spanish compliant insurance bond, with a company that is one of the strongest in Europe, holding a variety of assets, including shares, bonds, cash and property (but not the mattress), one can achieve steady growth. There is also the facility to take regular income. Your money can grow tax free within the bond until money is withdrawn. Even withdrawals are taxed favourably. Two potential advantages; higher growth and lower taxes. Perfect!
* Source: Financial Express (12 months to 23/11/15)
Automatic Exchange of Information (AEI)
By John Hayward
This article is published on: 11th November 2015
11.11.15
Did you know that recently, approximately 100 countries have signed up to a new initiative by the OECD’s updated Common Reporting Standard (CRS) whereby a global information-sharing system is to be put in place amongst individual tax authorities. This means that information on taxpayers with offshore assets will be shared between the participating countries.
This transparency is meant to be a deterrent to taxpayers’ using offshore accounts and assets as a means of avoiding domestic tax. The participating countries are committed to applying this procedure in order to tackle tax evasion.
This “automatic exchange of financial account information” (AEI) will commence from 2017 on an annual basis between participating countries and is set to become the most comprehensive and powerful tool to date used by worldwide tax authorities.
The first AEI of 2017 will relate to all account information of 1st January 2016 and reporting will involve individuals who own or control accounts either directly or via financial institutions, be it banks, brokers, investment vehicles, insurance companies or other financial organisations.
The Automatic Exchange of Information (AEI) is facilitated by having financial institutions in each participating country reporting relevant information regarding clients, who are resident in another participating country, to their local tax authorities. Local tax authorities will then automatically exchange this information with their counterparts in other participating countries on an annual basis.
The account information generally includes account number, balance and gross earnings in respect of any payments through the account including any investment income, income earned from assets etc. The information on each person generally includes name, address, country of residence, nationality, national insurance and tax identification numbers, place and date of birth.
So if you live in Spain and have overseas assets and/or investments that you previously thought were non-declarable to the Spanish authorities, then this may be something that you need to address.
Supporting the International Community in Spain
By Barry Davys
This article is published on: 2nd November 2015
02.11.15
We are pleased to have supported yet another initiative for the International Community, this time at the Barcelona International Community Day. The day, organised by Barcelona Activa, was designed to provide the international community with a one stop shop for advice on living in Barcelona, including schools, relocation agents, solicitors, local groups and activities and independent financial advice.
Over 5,000 people attended the event and the team from our Barcelona office was on hand to answer questions on all aspects of financial planning whilst living in Spain. We had in excess of 15 nationalities asking for advice although it was noticeable our French speaking consultant was particularly busy.
Questions included:
- What tax do I have to pay if I transfer money to Spain?
- What will happen to the exchange rate and how do I transfer money to Spain?
- So what is the top rate of tax in Spain?
- How good are the pensions in Spain?
- What do I do with my existing investments?
- How do you charge for your services?
Our favourite question was “We are digital nomads coming to Spain for a couple of years. Does the Beckham Rule apply to me”. Fortunately, we knew what a digital nomad is and we had our expert in the Beckham Rule available to answer the question.
Cogs4Cancer 2015 – Barcelona to Antibes
By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 8th October 2015
The Finish Line
Just after 5pm the peloton arrived into the IYCA Quay in the port of Antibes. The 24 strong group of riders had completed 870km in five days – a momentous feat by any standard. As the riders approached the quay they were re-joined by approximately 80 riders riders that had joined them for the last 88km on the French Tribute Ride. The superyachts at berth along the quay hooted their horns in celebration with over 200 other people waiting to greet the riders at the finish line.
The Spectrum IFA Group had sponsored Lee Mutch and the Cote d’Azur team were on hand to congratulate Lee and the other riders on finishing the trip.
As of Saturday Cogs4Cancer 2015 has raised €252, 716.70
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Day Five – the final stage
Cogs4 Cancer Tribute Ride – La Ciotat to Antibes
Friday 9th October, the final stage but one of the longest days ride with about 180km to covered. Saddle soar, battered and bruised, the riders will definitely be looking forwardt o today’s ride. After completing about 100km the main team of riders will be meeting the guys and girls in Cogolin for the Tribute Ride in to Antibes. With the extra 80 plus riders bring home the main team, the afternoon will be a little more relaxed and jovial!
The whole team of riders are expected to enter the IYCA Quay for the official finish line for about 17.00. So if your in the Antibes area Friday afternoon, join us all welcoming in the Cogs4Cancer riders.
Don’t forget to keep up to speed with the riders en-route with the live tracking here .
If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here
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Day Four
Thursday 8th October, the penultimate day and the finish line in sight…well, almost! After yesterday’s ride, probably the most challenging yet, the team are certainly on the home straight. Leaving from Nimes, the team will ride south-east towards Aix-en-Provence which will be at their 110km mark. After taking in the delights of Aix and the stunning scenery…. they will sweep further south. The Cogs4Cancer team will head towards La Ciotat for teh Day four finish line, bringing the days total ride to over 170km. Arriving in La Ciotat will be a milestone and they will be met by many friends joining them for the final days Tribute Ride.
The French Tribute Ride will see upwards of 80 riders joining the main team of 24, to cycle either 82km from La Ciotat to Antibes or the shorter 33km from Col de Testanier into Antibes on Friday, the final day. Last years welcoming event was superb, with hundreds of family and friends at the IYCA Quay in Antibes to welcome in the saddle sore riders after their 2014 ride from Ancona in Italy. This years welcome celebrations are expected to be even bigger, so if you are in the Antibes area Friday 9th October at about 17.00 join in the festivities and welcoming back the riders after their 850km ride form Barcelona.
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Day Three
Wednesday 7th October will see the riders starting in Narbonne, traveling near the coast along to Agne, then moving up towards Montpellier which is at the 100km mark for day three. Staying inland the team of riders will be heading for the finish line in Nimes, about 169km for the days ride.
Not forgetting the real purpose of this incredible ride. All proceeds, that means absolutely 100% of the money raised will go to charity. The Cogs4Cancer riders have completely self-funded the whole trip with the support, sustenance and medical assistance through out this week, generously given for free.
The four charities supported are: CANCER RESEARCH UK, L’ARCHET HOSPITAL NICE, CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 06 and ISIS CENTRE AZUREEN DE CANCEROLOGIE WELLBEING PROGRAMME.
Don’t forget to keep up to speed with the riders en-route with the live tracking here . If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here
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Day Two
Tuesday 6th October will take the riders from Figueres in Spain across the boarder into France with the day two finish line in Narbonne, just a little relaxing ride of about 170km! Only three more days in the saddle for team.
Keep up to speed with the riders on the following tracking app here.
In the image gallery below you can see images of the support vehicles supplying the Cogs4Cancer riders with welcome food breaks kindly supplied by the ladies from Gourmet Deliveries and EGP. Delicious food packed full of carbohydrates and protein to keep the guys and girls going.
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Day One
On Sunday the Spectrum Barcelona office turned out to support about 40 riders who joined the Spanish tribute ride, beginning the route at OneOcean Port Vell Marina. The guest riders supporting Cogs4Cancer took the ‘Ronda Verda’ circular route, a circuit for cyclists crossing the natural scenery throughout the Barcelonès county. This route consisted of six main sections: Montjuïc, Llobregat, Riverside Park, Serralada de Marina Park and the Sea Front.
At 07.30 on Monday 5th October the 24 riders will embark from OneOcean Marina Port Vell, Barcelona on a ride that will take them 850km over the next five days with the finish line awaiting them in Antibes, France.
Day one will take the riders along the coast north to Tossa de Mar and then inland continuing north to the stage one finish in Figueres, covering roughly 165km. The Spectrum IFA are proud to be sponsoring Lee Mutch & Cogs4Cancer and will be in Antibes on Friday 9th October to welcome the whole team to the finish line.
As of Monday October 5th, Cogs4Cancer 2015 has raised €214.333,51. The four charities supported are: CANCER RESEARCH UK, L’ARCHET HOSPITAL NICE, CANCER SUPPORT GROUP 06 and ISIS CENTRE AZUREEN DE CANCEROLOGIE WELLBEING PROGRAMME.
There is a live tracking of the riders here so you can see the progress. If you feel their efforts are worthy you can also donate here
At The Spectrum IFA Group we feel it is a very worthy cause and so we are proud to have sponsored a rider, Lee Mutch. We wish good luck to all the team.
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Cogs4Cancer 2015 – The new kit has arrived
By Spectrum IFA
This article is published on: 10th September 2015
Check out the new Cogs4Cancer 2015 team colours !!!
The Spectrum IFA Group are for the second year running sponsoring Lee Mutch, Director at Inter-Nett Monaco.
Starting in 2013, Cogs4Cancer has grown year on year with over €563,000 raised so far. A truly spectacular event, this year is proving to be even bigger than last years ride with the total amount raised just for the 2015 event reaching €164,058.91 (as of 9th September).
Starting on Monday 5th October in Barcelona, the Spectrum team will be at the starting line to wish all the riders the very best of luck on their heroic journey covering 850KM in 5 days.
Why a Pension audit is vital for your wealth Part 1
By David Hattersley
This article is published on: 25th August 2015
25.08.15
I have been trained in the UK and have been specialising in Pensions since 1987. As well as keeping up to date with the subsequent (and numerous) changes in legislation, I also have a good understanding of the variety of pensions offered since then. In this article I am concentrating on Pre-Retirement Planning ie. those people that have yet to take their pensions. With ever changing careers in private industry and the end of the idea of “jobs and pensions for life”, which was part of the revolution in the late 70’s, most people acquire a number of pensions and different types of pensions over a period of 30 to 40 years. In some cases, they are not even aware of their entitlement, in particular, Defined Benefits Schemes to which the rules changed from the late 80’s (my Father in Law being a case in point who was not aware he was entitled to benefits under such a scheme until well into his retirement) and Contracting Out of SERPs plans.
Since the Finance Act of 2004 pensions have come under that legislation. The general wording of this legislation was “Pensions Simplification”. As advisers at the time, we knew full well that this would not be the case and we have been proven correct, with the subsequent attacks on pensions by a variety of governments seeking to raise revenue and reduce tax advantages at the same time.
Since moving here to Spain, I have come across many clients who were not aware of the benefits that they were entitled to. It has required a vast amount of work tracking down both providers and employers that no longer exist. In some instances it has proved to be fruitless, but others have benefited from plans that they are not aware of. That is the first stage of my role as a Financial Adviser, which is to question a potential client’s work history and seek full details. That however is the easy bit as the options available at retirement have been given greater flexibility, but the irony is that independent advice is hard to come by in the UK unless you are prepared to pay a fee on a time cost basis.
The first question is, do you plan to become tax resident in another European country? For those that plan to still maintain a home in the UK (even as a holiday home), that is further complicated by ever changing rules regarding residency in the UK vs tax residency in the chosen country.
What do you need to do before you leave the UK and become tax resident in an EU country? A simple question perhaps, but the tax free lump sum available in the UK now referred to as “Pension Commencement Lump Sum” or PCLS (one can see the tax free status of that being restricted in the future) is liable to be taxed certainly in France and Spain once you become tax resident. There are legitimate rules reducing this, but once again, these need advice. How does one therefore get your PCLS to take advantage of the current UK tax free status, without having to take the pension too? Perhaps you want to stagger your pension income as a result of continued part time work or “consultancy”. Many of my generation want to still work past normal retirement age, but at a slower pace.
Currency also has an impact, within the last 5 years the £ to the € has gone from 1.07 to 1.42 Euros. If one thinks that will be maintained, consider that in 2002 when the Euro was launched the £ to Euro was as high as £1 to 1.56 Euros. The impact to those that budgeted on that basis over the ensuing 8 years was detrimental to their wealth, so how does one hedge against currency fluctuation?
Does all your pension come from a UK source or have there been earnings and pension entitlements from overseas employment? Do you have a mixture of Final Salary schemes and personal money purchase pots? Is there a need to consolidate these, or treat each individual arrangement on its relative merits?
With recent legislation, trustees of Final Salary schemes (Defined Benefits), with the exception of transfers less than £30,000, now need the involvement of a fully qualified UK financial adviser who has passed his recent exams. This is all very laudable but how can that adviser be aware of the tax rules in your new country of residence? In any analysis carried out by a Spectrum Partner, it is vetted and checked by a Spectrum Fully Qualified Chartered Financial Planner, and if need be by a UK Financial adviser if part of your pots are as above. It is important to note that no UK Government funded pension eg. Civil Service can be transferred.
Then there is the reduction in the Lifetime Allowance, the passing of your pension pot to your chosen heirs and beneficiaries, the correct selection of good quality properly regulated funds and fund managers dependant on an individual needs, regular reviews as needs change, and the changes to the amount one can take on an annual basis due to recent pension flexibility rules. These are all areas that are vital to consider.
Even after the audit, and a decision to potentially transfer part or all of one’s pots, care needs to be taken in the selection of the QROP/SIPP Trustee and the jurisdiction that it comes under.
Having mentioned the above it may be in some cases that not all your pension pot should be considered for a transfer.
It may be beneficial to consider the purchase of a Lifetime Annuity from a UK provider as these have substantial tax advantages over pension payments in Spain. This will have to be carried out before one moves abroad on a permanent basis and, as stated earlier, for every potential client advice is given on a case by case basis.
In many cases, a lifetime of pension saving can result in funds being equal to or greater than the value of a property purchased abroad. Should one not take the same planning, care, advice and due diligence when planning your retirement for an income that may have to last 30 years? That is where we can be of help.
