We’re approaching the hottest time of the year in the UAE, a time when many people think about going on holiday to avoid the heat for a while. The long school summer holiday starts shortly so many families and teachers will travel during this time. With this in mind, I’d like to give you a few hints and tips for saving and safeguarding money when travelling.
Tag Archives: financial planner
UK Spring Statement 2019 – points of relevance to expats
The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has today delivered his Spring Statement. Less formal or broad in scope than the Budget, which moved to the Autumn last year, this is not about announcements on tax or spending, but more about economic forecasts.
The Chancellor himself describes this as a ‘non event’ from a financial point of view but since 1975, the government has been legally obliged to produce its projections for the economy and the public finances twice a year. That’s why have a main budget and this lower key announcement.
The question for expats, as ever, is how does it affect us?
Higher education costs – the facts and how to plan
This article has been superceded so please see the latest version published on 1st April 2021/
Teenagers & Money – 10 useful tips
There is no doubt that many youngsters leaving school this summer are lacking in practical knowledge about their finances. It is important to have some financial knowledge to safely negotiate the adult world so here are some points that every young person should know about money.
Have you forgotten or lost a UK pension?
This may sound like a silly question but research from a major British insurance company has shown that up there are up to 2.5 million forgotten UK pension plans. Furthermore, the UK government estimates that the size of these forgotten and unclaimed funds could exceed £400 million.
Among those with a forgotten pension, the majority believe they have misplaced one pot (77%), although 17% think they have forgotten about two and 6% have forgotten three or more. At the same time, almost three in five (59%) UK adults are worried about not having enough money to last them in retirement. If this is you, there are steps you can take.
Need to know: VAT in the UAE, what it means for individuals
We have known about the introduction of VAT on 1st January 2018 since early 2016 but the official guidance and final rules have not long been issued. There seems to be a fair amount of misunderstanding as to how it will work, and who and what, will be affected so this article, is an overview of some of the facts.
Businesses should be taking professional advice on the topic, so I won’t be going into detail in here, as this article is designed as an overview for individuals only.
Need to know: Taxes on UK property
This article has been rewritten and fully updated so please refer to the lastest one, published on 31st July 2024.
Need to know – UK Property Taxes
Thank you
A guide to buying property & getting a mortgage in Dubai
Buying a property in the UAE can be daunting, especially for the first-time buyer. Expats have only been able to buy here since 2001, and only in specific areas, so many people are unfamiliar with the process as it can be quite different to a home country. As buying a home is the largest purchase most of us will ever make, it is important to get the facts.
I have an excellent in-house mortgage department and we can walk you through the full process from finding a property, getting mortgage approvals, the final offer, to dealing with the Land Department at completion.
This article is a guide to what you need to know when buying property in Dubai. I have already written an article on the buying process in the UK and there will shortly be another about the tax issues to consider in respect of UK property ownership.
UK Budget March 2017 – the main points for expats
9th March 2017 saw the final UK Spring Budget as the announcements now move to the Autumn. As ever there were a number of measures that will affect expats, including a surprise regarding pensions. This article is a brief overview of some of the main points with particular reference to any changes that have relevance to those living outside of the UK.
Want to save money on your currency transfers?
Given all that has happened over the past year we’re all pretty switched on to movements in exchange rates these days and we look to move our money when it is beneficial. Despite this far too many people are using their online banking system for transfers but this is rarely the best option as not only is there usually a fee, the exchange rates are rarely competitive. If you want to save money on your currency transfers read on.
With Sterling being relatively weak compared to the US Dollar, the currency to which most GCC currencies are pegged, it is still a good time to move your Dirhams, Riyals or Dinars to Sterling although there have been suggestions that we may see some movement the other way before too long.
Continue reading