SUPPORTING
GLOBALLY MOBILE
CLIENTS TOWARDS
FINANCIAL SUCCESS
SUPPORTING
GLOBALLY MOBILE
CLIENTS TOWARDS
FINANCIAL SUCCESS
Cross Border Financial Planning USA LLC
Cross Border Financial Planning USA LLC
Cross Border Financial Planning USA specializes in providing wealth management and financial planning to globally mobile individuals with US assets, including overseas Americans and foreign nationals in the United States. Cross border planning is not simply about investing, it is about creating a flexible plan that can be adapted to your multi-jurisdictional life. We invest time with our clients to ensure we understand your entire life plan and possible futures. The advice we provide considers the tax, currency, and legal implications for our globally mobile clients and their families.
Cross Border Financial Planning USA specializes in providing wealth management and financial planning to globally mobile individuals with US assets, including overseas Americans and foreign nationals in the United States. Cross border planning is not simply about investing, it is about creating a flexible plan that can be adapted to your multi-jurisdictional life. We invest time with our clients to ensure we understand your entire life plan and possible futures. The advice we provide considers the tax, currency, and legal implications for our globally mobile clients and their families.
Whether you have relocated permanently or are regularly moving countries, we tailor solutions to you that will assist in achieving your financial goals. Cross Border Financial Planning USA works closely with cross-border partners in the UK and Australia to provide highly specialized advice to British, American and Australian expatriates who have retained assets in the US, UK and Australia. Contact us today to learn more about how we provide independent solutions tailored to your unique circumstances.
Investment Solutions and Portfolio Management with US and International Taxation in Mind
We spend time at the outset of our relationship to thoroughly understand the purpose of your investments. We help you set goals and understand the importance of time-horizon when investing in markets. We assess your experience, preferences for risk, tolerance for volatility, and any socially responsible screening, to present a tailored solution to your unique circumstances. Depending on where you live in the world, the outcome of holding the same investments in the same structure can have very different tax consequences. Whether it is a US mutual fund, exchange traded fund (“ETF”), or direct securities, all will be taxed in their own way by different countries. Some investments can only be purchased by US residents; others allow non-residents to invest.
Through a multi-meeting approach, we will present our strategy and define the parameters for investment. When ready to invest we will onboard you as clients and implement the strategy. This is just the start as we build a long-term relationship with you. Through ongoing management and meetings with you, we adapt the strategy as necessary, and make sure we are available to you as your trusted advisor. We are transparent in the fees we charge and the fees of the underlying investments so you are clear in what you pay and can assess the value of our services. Often our cross-border clients require exposure to different currencies for flexibility and to hedge currency risk. Cross Border Financial Planning USA and its partners can assist expatriates around the world with multi-currency investment strategies.
Investment Solutions and Portfolio Management with US and International Taxation in Mind
We spend time at the outset of our relationship to thoroughly understand the purpose of your investments. We help you set goals and understand the importance of time-horizon when investing in markets. We assess your experience, preferences for risk, tolerance for volatility, and any socially responsible screening, to present a tailored solution to your unique circumstances. Depending on where you live in the world, the outcome of holding the same investments in the same structure can have very different tax consequences. Whether it is a US mutual fund, exchange traded fund (“ETF”), or direct securities, all will be taxed in their own way by different countries. Some investments can only be purchased by US residents; others allow non-residents to invest.
Through a multi-meeting approach, we will present our strategy and define the parameters for investment. When ready to invest we will onboard you as clients and implement the strategy. This is just the start as we build a long-term relationship with you. Through ongoing management and meetings with you, we adapt the strategy as necessary, and make sure we are available to you as your trusted advisor. We are transparent in the fees we charge and the fees of the underlying investments so you are clear in what you pay and can assess the value of our services. Often our cross-border clients require exposure to different currencies for flexibility and to hedge currency risk. Cross Border Financial Planning USA and its partners can assist expatriates around the world with multi-currency investment strategies.
While financial planning is as important for cross border clients as it is for our domestic clients, it contains added complexities for our globally mobile clients. Often globally mobile individuals put off planning as they face more uncertainly around their future residency and situation. We believe, however, that financial and life planning is even more valuable when faced with uncertainty as it can inform an understanding of different scenarios and futures, and ensure you are financially stable to achieve any future. Looking at your planning from a global perspective gives you a more accurate picture of what today’s assets will provide in the future, and what changes may be needed at a global level to achieve your objectives. Working with our global partners, a multi-jurisdiction cashflow and financial plan can be produced. We will spend time to build your plan, present the results, and review/update the plan at our review meetings.
Everyone has a plan for retirement, but have you planned how to get there? Cross border clients can take advantage of generous allowances for retirement accounts in the US, even if they plan to retire in another country. Understanding how your US retirement accounts will be taxed in your country of retirement and applying the correct withholding tax when making distributions are important considerations. We will work with you to build your US retirement savings while you reside in the US and then distribute your savings throughout retirement. Cross Border Financial Planning USA and its partner firms can provide retirement planning and pension advice for clients across the world. From IRA’s and brokerage accounts to Superannuation and SIPPs, our network of specialist cross border advisors can create your global retirement plan.
Estate planning for cross border families can be complex. Holding assets in different jurisdictions and under different tax rules can lead to significant risk. What works for an American in America may add tax risk in other countries. For example, United States trusts under control by foreign nationals can inadvertently bring the trust into foreign tax rules.
By coordinating with estate attorneys and accountants, we help clients identify risks and implement strategies to preserve wealth through the generations. Our knowledge encompasses the intricacies of estate planning for Americans living overseas and foreign nationals living in America.
For some of our clients, socially responsible investing is an important consideration when implementing a strategy. As a concept, socially responsible investing has been around for a long time, but with limited options for clients. In recent years, however, it has become more popular with investors and, as such, we are seeing more commitment from fund managers and more options available to retail investors, including non-residents. ESG investing encompasses environmental, social, and governance factors when selecting or de-selecting companies in which to invest. Research in these areas is far greater than before, and publicly listed companies looking to attract investment are including ESG factors as part of their corporate goals. These are positive ways investors can encourage companies to change behaviors.
At this time, there is no consistent standard across our industry as to what factors a fund may apply to the investment process to call itself ‘ESG’. As such it is vital we look under the hood (bonnet), to understand the research process undertaken by any funds we recommend. If this is an area of interest we will spend time at the outset of the process to explain this style of investing and options available to you.
When clients consider plans for their estate, we also discuss the benefits of lifetime gifts, especially to charities and foundations. Under the US tax code, you can receive significant tax advantages for charitable gifting, as well as the enjoyment of seeing your gift support a cause that is close to your heart. We can work with you to plan charitable gifting throughout your lifetime. And, for our dual US and UK taxpayers, Cross Border Financial Planning USA can help clients donate to causes that are important to them, in a tax efficient manner that is recognised as a charitable donation under both tax codes.
Whether you are moving to America, getting ready for a new life abroad, or leaving the US to return to your home country, the best planning is often undertaken before you relocate. Much is made of the complexity and tax risk when moving to and from the US, but little attention is given to the tax saving opportunities, which can be substantial. Some of these opportunities are ongoing, which we include within our financial planning, but others are lost once you move to a new country and change your tax residency. Whether you are leaving or arriving, we specialize in providing tax efficient investment management to help you make the most of these tax saving opportunities.
Cross Border Financial Planning USA offers portfolio management and financial planning for your international clients. International clients often have unique investment requirements to ensure regulatory compliance and optimum tax efficiency. The service is designed to offer our cross border expertise alongside your specialist advice so that your client receives the best outcome.
Our Clients
Overseas Americans
We at Cross Border Financial Planning USA passionately believe that living overseas should not be a barrier to accessing advice from a US-domiciled advisor. We understand your concerns around living in a foreign country, and being further away from home, extended family, and your personal finances. We invest significant time from the outset of our relationship to build trust and to set your goals and desires for the future. By understanding the purpose for your US assets, we design and implement a strategy tailored to you, which complements your other investments outside the United States. There are certain rules within the US tax code that impact the tax efficiency of investments held inside and outside of the United States. Our comprehensive knowledge of financial rules and regulations enables us to mitigate issues that arise while investing, including the tax, and reporting implications of passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) and withholding taxes on IRA distributions. Through our strategic consultation, we ensure your portfolio is optimised for tax purposes.
Our overseas American clients are at different life stages, whether saving excess income into a US plan, or taking distributions, Cross Border Financial Planning USA is here to help.
British Nationals with Assets in the USA
Cross Border Financial Planning USA has extensive knowledge and expertise working with British nationals living in the US and UK-based clients who have retained assets in the US, either from time residing in the US or inheritance from US relatives. Our financial advisors have worked in the UK and US, and we understand the many issues and opportunities that may arise. Reviewing the life and financial plan for clients who require flexibility between different jurisdictions is the first step towards a bright financial future in either country. We identify areas to address and refer within our network of legal and tax professionals when needed. We review existing investments and set up new strategies that maximise tax efficiency in both the UK and US.
Moreover, UK families have unique circumstances, including planning for UK pensions, preventing the punitive taxes for holding non-UK reporting funds, and funding education for children who may go to college in either country. Whatever your needs, Cross Border Financial Planning USA is here to help.
Globally Mobile Families with US Assets
As one of the most globally-intertwined economies and populations in the world, the United States draws many expatriates to live in the US at some point in their life. Cross Border Financial Planning USA has the experience to help clients with all aspects of their transition to living in the United States and moving abroad, from pre-immigration planning to identifying and prioritizing areas to address pre- and post-move. Through our consultation process we identify the needs of our clients and individually assist and/or refer clients through our extensive network of other trusted professionals. For clients with exposure to different jurisdictions, we coordinate a life and financial plan with your professional advisers outside of the US.
Cross Border Financial Planning USA can help structure your portfolio and financial plan with flexibility in mind, so that whether you decide to remain in the US or return abroad, your investments remain in safe hands and can be adapted to your life choices. Many individuals and families who have spent time in the US have accumulated investments such as retirement accounts and college plans, or simply received an inheritance from US relatives. We will work with you to understand your preferences for investment, whether you want to distribute funds back to your country of origin or continue an investment plan in the US, Cross Border Financial Planning USA is here to help.
Australian Nationals with Assets in the USA
A financial plan produced for an Australian citizen intending to remain in US should be quite different to one produced for an Australian citizen intending to return to Australia. For example, common investment accounts, such as taxable brokerage accounts, 401(k)’s, IRA’s, and Roth IRA’s, have different tax treatment for someone living in Australia compared to someone living in the US. And, for Australians living in the US that may return to Australia, there are tax-saving investment opportunities and accounts that should be avoided, all of which Cross Border Financial Planning USA will help clients identify. Ultimately, Cross Border Financial Planning USA’s knowledge of US-Australian planning enables us to create a flexible plan that considers the alternative scenarios of remaining in the US or returning to Australia.
Further, for Australians that have already returned to Australia, Cross Border Financial Planning USA can manage investment accounts that remain in the US. For clients working with our Australian cross-border partners, we can also help create a ‘joined-up’ global financial plan.
Americans
We live, work, and raise our families in the United States. Since our values, principles, and approach to investing apply whether you are a cross-border family or an American seeking trusted advice, we often come across Americans who wish to work with our firm.
We have the knowledge and experience to provide US-based financial planning and investments, and provide a unique insight given our experience from working in multiple countries. Through this perspective we will apply a global approach to investing and tailor solutions for our American clients that meet their unique needs.
