offshore-finances.com

Brits of retirement age are being advised to consider the tax regimes of the countries they are moving to by Shelter Offshore.

The offshore finance specialists have said that one of the most important aspects of planning a retirement abroad is ensuring that your finances are in order. In particular for older people this applies to their pension fund.

Understanding the tax regime of the country you are moving too was named as an important aspect to consider when looking at possible retirement destinations.

Shelter Offshore said: "Even if you move to a country life Spain or France where there are income taxes on pensions you can perhaps find ways of reducing or deferring tax through the way you structure your savings or investments."

It added that some locations, such as Dubai and Cyprus, offer low or no tax on pension income.

Taking advantage of an offshore fund was another one of the suggestions for making the most out of your pension.

Statistics released recently from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that, in comparison with figures from the UK based Office for National Statistics, workers in the country retire around ten earlier than those who live in Britain.

Written by Jamie Musk.

Fluctuations in exchange rates are "becoming ever more important" to international property investors in the wake of the economic crisis, according to Property Frontiers.

Recent figures released from Primelocation revealed that interest in international property is increasing as searches for property abroad were up 100 per cent in November 2009 compared with the same month of 2008.

Property Frontiers said that while the expat favorites of Spain and France would continue to be popular, serious investors would be considering exchanges rates before investing their money in a destination.

Christopher Chadd, head of research at Property Frontiers, said: "This is becoming ever more important. As investors become ever more sophisticated and currency fluctuations more and more volatile, we are seeing a large number of investors looking for advice on currency plays."

He added that "nothing speaks to the British investor’s heart as much as owning that second home in the sun".

The most up to date Knight Frank Global House Price Index revealed that while property prices were still down year on year in most countries, nearly 70 per cent reported growth in the third quarter of 2009.

Written by Andy Price.

International property investment in Cape Verde has proved to be "wise" in the post-recession economic climate, reports the Daily Mail.

The newspaper said that international property developers who caught on to the country’s development opportunities a few years ago are reaping the rewards as the country grows in popularity.

Paul Akwei, director of Noscasa estate agency, told the Daily Mail that "the recession came at the right time to save Cape Verde from being ruined".

He added that tourism to the country was up 22 per cent on last year.

A recent report from the International Monetary Fund concluded that the economy in Cape Verde has "weathered the global crisis well" and plans to improve the country’s public infrastructure would have a "a positive impact on medium-term growth and competitiveness".

Cape Verde Property was one of the first British estate agencies to specialise in the region. Andrew Lillywhite, from the company, told the newspaper: "A few years ago, Sal had the weather, the beaches and little else, but that is all changing. Cape Verde needs good quality and good access. And I believe that we’re starting to see that happening."

Written by Jamie Musk.

Countries in Europe which are recovering more slowly from the recession will attract buyers looking to negotiate a bargain in 2010, according to one industry expert.

Kyero, a Spanish property firm, said that as the European economies grow and recover at different rates activity will be created between buyers and sellers.

Martin Dell from Kyero told the International Property Journal: "In Europe, the stronger German, French and Dutch economies will allow buyers from those nations to seek and aggressively negotiate property deals in the slower-to-recover European countries – Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain."

He added that although the countries share a single currency, the euro will be "worth a lot more property" in the nations where the market is still struggling.

The news comes after a recent report from Moneycorp said falling property prices in Europe were prompting British expats to consider moving back to the UK. In total 70 per cent of Brits were thinking of returning home.

Kyero concluded that 2009 has been a poor year for the Spanish international property market.

Written by Tom Britten.

International property in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could provide better opportunities for investment in 2010, a new report suggests.

AT Kearney’s latest Real Estate Global Opportunity Index saw the UAE move up the rankings, despite the plummeting property prices in Dubai. The index focuses on emerging markets with the aim of giving investors advice about where to place their money.

According to the index, the rate of recovery shown by Asian countries after previous recessions, and the current low property prices, could lead to an influx of foreign investment.

Dr Dirk Buchta, partner and managing director at AT Kearney Middle East, said: "The countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) continue to improve in the Index, even as they are hit by the economic crisis. The UAE jumps significantly, from 31st to 18th place."

He added that international property investors should use this time to establish if they want to expand their portfolio geographically or specialise and make improvements to their existing assets.

An expert from the Dubai-based property development Victory Heights, told Trade Arabia this week that prices in the emirate could rise by ten per cent in the summer of 2010, following market stabilisation in the first quarter of the year.

Written by Andy Price.

The NHS has seen a 50 per cent increase in the number of registrations from migrants moving abroad to the UK, according to new figures from the Office of National Statistics.

More than 600,000 expats signed up with a GP in the past year which equals out at a rate of one per minute. The figures have prompted concerns that the number of foreign nationals living in the UK could be putting a strain on services.

The figures also showed that one in ten new registrations is from a UK resident returning home after a period living abroad. This number could be set to rise as a recent survey from Moneycorp found that 70 per cent of UK expats living in Europe were considering returning home.

Dr Richard Fieldhouse, chief executive of the National Association of Sessional GPs, told the Telegraph that "the workload at practices is straining at the seams" and a lot of time is spent on translation for those who don’t speak English.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayer’s Alliance, told the newspaper: "Especially now the NHS is stretched in many areas it is very worrying that the numbers using it have gone up very steeply without the necessary increase in support for GPs and hospital staff."

Written by Charles Mackay.

The U.S. Dollar managed to hold on to its gains after erasing earlier losses following the release of a friendly Consumer Confidence report. Although the reported figure of 52.9 was slightly less than estimates, it still reflected continuing strength in the economy. Tuesday morning the S&P/Case Shiller report on home prices was flat. There was almost no reaction to this report by Forex traders. Expect more of the same trading Wednesday as major players remain absent during the holiday … [visit site to read more]

This edition examines the fiscal sustainability of developed economies. The context is that before the crisis there were already structural problems that had caused government deficits to expand such as aging populations, growing welfare programs, lack of spending discipline, etc. Then came the crisis.

The global financial crisis required massive stimulus measures to attempt to limit the damage. For the time being it appears to have worked (beyond the scope of this article). But on the … [visit site to read more]

While a lot of folks were spending December 25 opening presents, my family and I were hurriedly packing our bags and running off to the airport.

Sure, my daughter managed to score a few small presents before we left, but my wife and I would much rather give her the gift of travel whenever possible.

That’s why we decided to head to India this holiday season (with my in-laws in tow)!

Being here is a great way for all of us to bond with Disha’s family members who still live in … [visit site to read more]

We reported that the US government would need to roll over $2.5 trillion worth of debt next year. We probably erred. The number was right, but it was meant to be over the next two years. During the next two years also, worldwide, banks need to roll over $7 trillion. Whether it is over one year or two years, we’re talking big money.
Most people who bother to think about it are coming to the conclusion that this is very inflationary…and very bullish for gold. They think the Fed will need to … [visit site to read more]