Market Notes
What changed for expats: first half of 2026
A short, factual round-up of cross-border rule changes that affect internationally mobile UK nationals in the first half of 2026. Information only.
1 min read
Insights & Resources
Practical, compliance-aware guides on cross-border pensions, destination-specific financial planning, and expat financial topics.
- Guides
Accessing Your UK Pension While Living Abroad
A neutral guide for UK expats on when and how a UK defined contribution pension can be accessed from abroad, covering tax, NT codes, and practical steps.
10 min read - Compliance
Defined Benefit Pension Transfers for UK Expats: What to Know
A factual overview of DB pension transfers for UK expats: what a CETV is, what safeguarded benefits you give up, the regulated-advice requirement, and cross-border considerations including QROPS.
8 min read - Guides
Frozen UK State Pension: What Expats Need to Know
Whether your UK State Pension increases each year in retirement depends on where you live, not where you worked. This guide explains the frozen pension rules for expats.
7 min read - Country GuidesAustralia
Transferring a UK Pension to Australia: What Expats Need to Know
UK expats in Australia face strict HMRC ROPS rules, an age-55 condition, and Australian tax on the transfer. This guide explains the landscape neutrally.
8 min read - Guides
UK Pension Options When You Move or Live Abroad
A neutral overview of the four main paths for UK expats with pensions abroad: leaving them, consolidating into a SIPP, transferring to QROPS, or accessing benefits.
9 min read - Compliance
QROPS Advice: How to Choose a Specialist, and Why It Matters
QROPS has a long history of unsuitable, commission-driven advice. Here is what regulated QROPS advice should look like, the questions to ask, and the red flags that should end a conversation.
4 min read - Compliance
QROPS by Country: Where Transfers Are Possible and Why Jurisdiction Matters
QROPS availability is country-specific, and the jurisdiction of the receiving scheme shapes the tax, the charges, and the risk. Here is why the country question comes first, with notes for popular expat destinations.
4 min read - Compliance
QROPS Rules: HMRC Conditions, the Overseas Transfer Charge, and the Five-Year Rule
The rules are where QROPS decisions are won or lost. A plain-English guide to how HMRC recognises a scheme, when the 25% Overseas Transfer Charge applies, and the five-year rule that catches expats who move again.
5 min read - Compliance
QROPS and Tax: UK Charges, Local Tax, and the April 2027 Inheritance Tax Change
QROPS taxation is layered: a possible UK transfer charge, continuing UK reach for a period, tax where you live, and from April 2027 a new inheritance tax dimension. Here is how the layers fit together.
4 min read - Guides
UK Inheritance Tax on Pensions: What British Expats Must Know Before April 2027
From 6 April 2027, unused UK pension funds fall inside the inheritance tax estate for the first time. For British expats, a residence-based rule and a quiet double-tax trap make this one of the most important changes in a generation. Here is what to check, and why timing matters.
16 min read - Guides
IHT Planning for Expats: Gifts, Trusts, and the 7-Year Rule
The 7-year gift rule and trust structures are among the most widely discussed IHT planning tools for expats. Here is how they work, where the limits are, and why timing matters before April 2027.
11 min read - Guides
UK Pension IHT Changes 2027: What to Review Before the Deadline
From April 2027, unused UK pension assets will fall inside the IHT estate. Many expats with UK pensions have not yet reviewed how the change affects their position. Here is where to start.
10 min read - Guides
What Happens to Your ISA When You Move Abroad? UK Non-Resident Rules
Your ISA stays open and UK tax-free when you move abroad, but contributions stop the day you become non-resident, and your new country may tax the growth. The rules by ISA type, and the traps to check before you fly.
12 min read - Guides
Voluntary NI Contributions Abroad: UK State Pension Guide
How UK National Insurance gaps, voluntary Class 2 and Class 3 contributions, and your State Pension forecast work when you live abroad, plus the deadlines to check.
11 min read - Country GuidesAustralia
Australia Expat Financial Adviser
What UK expats in Australia should know about superannuation, tax residency, UK pensions, and finding qualified cross-border financial help.
8 min read - Country GuidesSaudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Expat Adviser Guide
Saudi Arabia expats should review end-of-service awards, GOSI limits, tax residency, remittances, and pension gaps before seeking specialist help.
9 min read - Country GuidesSingapore
Singapore Expat Adviser Guide
Singapore expats should review CPF status, MAS rules, investment restrictions, UK pensions, and cross-border tax issues before choosing an adviser.
7 min read - Country GuidesSpain
Spain Expat Financial Adviser
Spain expats should review Beckham Law, modelo 720, wealth tax, residency, UK pensions, and treaty issues before seeking specialist advice.
9 min read - Guides
SIPPs Explained for Expats: UK Pensions Abroad
How SIPPs let expats hold and manage UK pension assets abroad: residency, tax relief, access, investment choice, and adviser rules once you leave the UK.
9 min read - Guides
SIPP vs QROPS for Expats
A decision-focused comparison of SIPP and QROPS for expats: where the two structures differ, the factors that point one way or the other, and two illustrative profiles. Factual only, not advice.
8 min read - Guides
Pension Tracing for Expats: Find Lost UK Pensions Abroad
Expats often lose track of old UK pension pots after moving jobs or countries. How pension tracing works, how to find lost pensions from overseas, and next steps.
9 min read - Country Guides
US Persons Abroad Financial Planning
US citizens and green card holders abroad should understand FATCA, FBAR, PFIC, IRA, 401(k), and cross-border tax issues before seeking help.
4 min read - Guides
Expat Financial Planning Guide
A practical guide to expat financial planning, covering tax residency, pensions, currency, estate planning, and when specialist help may be needed.
7 min read - Country GuidesPortugal
UK Pension and Tax Mechanics for Portugal Expats: NHR, IFICI, and Treaty Rules Explained
A deep dive into the tax mechanics Portugal expats need to understand: NHR vs IFICI eligibility, how the UK-Portugal treaty allocates pension taxing rights, QROPS considerations, and what to ask a specialist.
7 min read - Country GuidesUAE
UAE Expat Financial Adviser
UAE expats should review gratuity, DIFC rules, pension gaps, remittances, and home-country tax obligations before choosing a specialist adviser.
6 min read - Compliance
QROPS for Expats Guide
QROPS transfers can affect UK pension tax, charges, jurisdiction, and advice requirements. Learn the key risks before speaking with a specialist.
7 min read
Good to know
Expat financial planning content: common questions
Is the information in the Pharos blog financial advice?
No. The articles are general information about expat financial planning, pensions, tax, and cross-border topics. They are educational only and do not constitute financial, tax, or pension advice for your specific situation.
Read our disclaimersHow current is the content?
Articles carry a published or last-updated date, and we revise key guides as rules change, such as UK pension and inheritance tax developments. Always check the date and confirm specifics with a specialist, as cross-border rules change frequently.
Read the expat guideWho writes the Pharos articles?
The articles are produced by the Pharos Introductions team and reviewed for compliance before publication. Pharos is an introducer, so the content is informational and points you toward a regulated specialist where personal advice is needed.
About Pharos IntroductionsI have questions about my own situation. What should I do?
If an article raises questions specific to your circumstances, request a free, human-reviewed introduction to a vetted expat financial adviser. There is no obligation, and your details are never auto-forwarded.
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