Category Archives: General financial information

A real life sad story. What if it happens to you?

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I am currently helping out someone in a tragic situation. Gemma (not her real name) is having to deal with a legal and financial nightmare.

Her husband died in an accident a couple of months ago, leaving her with two young children.

Apparently, they had said in passing that they needed to get their family finances sorted, to get wills and some life insurance, but they never got around to it.

Now she has to deal with the mess left behind and needs to support herself and two children on one income.

It is going to be hard.

But it didn’t need to be this way.

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UK Spring Statement March 2025 – a summary for GCC residents

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This was not a Budget according to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, but rather a forecast statement so we were not expecting much in the way of announcements.

It was information about the financial balance sheet of the UK.

Following every Budget or Statement, I write an article to give you a concise overview of some of the main points, with particular reference to any changes that have particular relevance to those living outside of the UK, and especially in the GCC.

The British press will cover many points in detail but much of it will not be directly relevant to those of us who do not live in the UK so this article focuses on the issues that will be of most interest to us.

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UK property – limited offer. Invest with a deposit of just 10%!

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Investing in UK property can be simpler than you might imagine, and need less cash than you might think. I have a new, limited, option, at low prices.

It is clear that UK property remains one of the strongest asset classes for building serious wealth and enhancing your long-term savings and retirement plans.

Factors including the weak Pound, a robust legal system, demand far exceeding supply, and rising property and rental prices, along with ongoing infrastructure improvements in major cities and commuter towns demonstrate this.

Add in the growing population and you can see that this situation will not change, even with government support, as builders cannot keep up.

This shows that investing in UK property is a secure long-term investment – provided you get it right. That’s where I come in.

Not only can I advise on the best places to buy as an investment, I have the solutions and even a way of buying with a small deposit. While you usually need at least 25% of the purchase price, you can get started with much less.

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Critical illness insurance – two short videos to explain why you need it

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I have written about critcal illness cover many times and I am a big believer is protecting yourself as as you never know what is around the corner.

Being seriously ill, whether you get cancer, have a heart attack or a stroke, or one of the many other illnesses covered, can financially derail your life, your plans, and lead to  major difficulties in supporting your family.

In this article i just want to give you some facts and general information in visual form.

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Need to know: UK Property Taxes

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This article has been superseded, Please see this revised one, published 21st April 2026

Need to Know: UK Property Taxes

To arrange a discussion about investing in UK property, taxation, or on any aspect of your personal financial planning, please email me at keren@holbornassets.com or use this contact form

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Most meetings take place over Zoom which is great for everyone’s time management and sheer convenience.

I write articles such as this one as part of the holistic personal financial planning service and that I provide to expats in the UAE and wider GCC, and the general consumer, financial and legal information that I provide in The National newspaper, on radio, in other media, and on the Facebook group British Expats Dubai &UAE.

Serious topics, all the facts, friendly conversation.

Please take a look at the other useful articles on this website.

 

Moving from the UAE to the UK? You need a financial exit plan.

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When you relocate from one country to another there is a great deal you need to think about. This includes the practical problems of shipping your possessions, finding a place to live, finding new schools for children, new employment and so on.

No doubt you will have lists of things to do but one area that is often overlooked is the financial side. It may not be exciting but you need to be aware of these issues to avoid any nasty surprise tax bills, especially in respect of UAE income or offshore investments.

Getting it right will save you money. Getting it wrong can be expensive.

I provide an exit planning service for people relocating to the UK and this professional service, with a personalised advice and a written report you can refer back to, can save you both money and headaches.

I also offer an advisory service for people moving to the UAE from the UK that covers steps you need to take regarding banks and HMRC, letting out a property, taxation, what to do about your investments and pensions, the local laws and rules, issues about inheritance and protecting assets when in the UAE, and a wide range of general information gained from 18 years of living here.

This updated article is about some of the topics that you need to consider when you leave the UAE to move to the UK:

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Financial Tips for Parents

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When you have children, you get lots of advice and tips from everyone but one area that tends to be overlooked is the financial aspect.

In the excitement of impending parenthood, or the crazy first few months – and years – you may never get around to taking some important financial steps. It’s too easy to forget this essential topic so this article is designed to be a useful guide to some of the issues you need to consider.

Multiple surveys have put the cost of raising a child at eye-watering levels over their first 18 years and expats working in the UAE have the added cost of education and medical bills to contend with.

Factor in university or college costs and the fact that many young adults may not be fully financially independent until closer to age 25, and you can see just how important it is to plan sensibly.

Let’s look at some of the financial steps you need to consider.

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New Year, new financial you? 10 tips for getting on track in 2024

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Whether or not you make formal resolutions at the start of a year, I am willing to bet that you have certain hopes when it comes to your financial situation.

You may dream of retiring at age 55. Perhaps you want to buy a holiday home or an investment property? Do you want to take a year off to travel the world? Maybe you know you need to put a few things in place to get properly organised?

You need to take action to turn these hopes into reality.

Invariably we could all do a little better and a little focus rarely goes amiss. With that in mind here’s a list of 10 steps you can take to get yourself financially fitter in 2024.

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UK Autumn Statement November 2023 – a summary for expats

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Once again Jeremey Hunt, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, has delivered an Autumn Statement, this time with a claim that there would be 110 measures “to help grow the economy”. We will be the judge of that…

This article is a brief overview of some of the main points with particular reference to any cannouncements that have relevance to those living outside of the UK, and especially in the GCC.

The UK press will cover many points in detail but many of the points will not be directly relevant to expats so this article focuses on the points that will directly affect us.

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Want to be a global citizen? Want the freedom to live wherever you choose?

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Citizenship- or residency-by- investment could be the answer.

As the world, and where we can choose to live, is affected by events and economics, many people are considering alternative citizenship and places to live. The recent pandemic, wars, economic factors – all have affected how we see our futures. And where we want to live and retire.

It is not as easy as simply deciding you want to live in a certain country as obtaining residency and visas can be complex. The choices about where to live and work are restricted for most people and few nationalities have real freedom of movement.

Holding passports from certain countries is extremely limiting so you may like the option of obtaining better travel documents.

If you have passports from countries such as Pakistan, India, Lebanon, Egypt, and many other African countries to name just a few, you will know how difficult it can be to travel or live elsewhere.

People from developed countries would also often like the opportunity to live and work in other countries without restrictions.

The good news is that there are options where you can obtain both the right to live and work, as well as a citizenship.

We can offer a range of residency- and citizen-by-investment programmes which will give you the desired economic freedom and choice of where to live.

Info updated March 2025

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