If you're an American dreaming of moving to France, you've probably realized the path isn't always straightforward. Can you actually work remotely on a visitor visa? Do you get access to French healthcare? And how does the US‑France tax treaty treat your Roth IRA? In this episode, French immigration attorney…
Live in France for 3+ months as a US expat and you qualify for the, carte vitale, France's national health card. Add a mutuelle top-up and your out-of-pocket cost drops to nearly zero. Paris immigration attorney Daniel Tostado (@TostadoAvocats) breaks down exactly how the French healthcare system works for Americans,…
In the 80s, the status symbol was a Mercedes parked in the suburban driveway. Now? It's the second passport. People are being really intentional about where they can go, what's their easiest path to citizenship, what's their exit plan if they no longer want to be in this country or…
The mistake I see all the time: US expats making tax elections to save money in one year without understanding the long-term consequences. A couple lived in Dubai. Zero tax. The US spouse's advisor said "pull your non-US spouse into the tax return and save a few thousand dollars." It…
If you're married to a US citizen and they filed jointly to save a few thousand dollars in taxes, you might have accidentally pulled your entire foreign financial life into the US tax system without even knowing it.Hui-chin Chen, CFP® sees this constantly with globally mobile couples. The US spouse…
The cultural clash nobody warns you about when planning US citizenship for the next generation. I sat down with cross-border financial planner Hui-chin Chen, CFP® to talk about what happens when Asian families plan US citizenship for their kids without understanding US tax reporting requirements. In this clip, Hui-chin explains:…
Danielle thought she didn't need to file US taxes while living in Italy as a stay-at-home mom with no US income. She was wrong and it cost her $25,000 in legal fees to fix years of unfiled returns. The IRS doesn't care where you live. If you're a US citizen…
Most families pack their Europe itinerary full — every museum, every church, every city. Then wonder why the kids are miserable and the adults are burned out. Danielle Shumway learned this the hard way. She was traveling through the Czech Republic with three kids under four when a pain started…
Danielle Shumway moved to Italy in 2015 on a five-year plan. Her husband transferred internally with Amazon from Seattle to Milan. They had an 18-month-old and a four-month-old. Italy's Rientro dei Cervelli tax incentive — which reduces taxable income by 50% for qualifying residents — made the timing work financially.…
Italy created a law to stop the brain drain and Americans can use it too. Danielle Shumway moved to Italy in 2015 and spent her first five years paying taxes on only half her income. Three kids and a home later? It dropped to 5%. Full episode with Danielle drops…
Three years. That is how long it can take to get a primary care physician in parts of Canada right now. Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA and Brian Wruk, MBA, CFP® (US), CFP® (Canada), TEP, CIM, RFP® break down what "free healthcare" actually looks like for Americans moving to Canada in…
Everyone tells Americans moving to Canada to open a TFSA. Almost nobody tells them it is fully taxable in the US. Brian Wruk, MBA, CFP® (US), CFP® (Canada), TEP, CIM, RFP® breaks down the TFSA trap and the Roth IRA strategy that could make your entire retirement account tax-free on…
Moving to Canada looks simple on paper: same continent, shared language, familiar culture. The financial system is a different story entirely, and the planning decisions you make before you leave can determine whether you're protected or paying for it for years. In this episode, cross-border financial planner Brian Wruk, MBA,…
Before you book that one-way ticket, have you asked your brokerage what happens to your accounts when you move abroad? Otto Rivera, EA, CFP® breaks down a reality most US expats discover too late: every custodian and broker dealer has completely different policies for international clients. Some will follow you…
When a US citizen moves abroad, their investment accounts don't automatically come with them. Custodian restrictions, PFIC rules, currency exposure, and gaps in cross-border tax knowledge can all affect how (and whether) your existing portfolio continues to work. In this episode, cross-border financial planner Otto Rivera, EA, CFP® breaks down…
If your investment portfolio is sitting in US dollars while you are living in Europe, currency exchange rates could be quietly working against you. Otto Rivera, EA, CFP® breaks down why the current weaker dollar policy is a real risk for Americans abroad and what you can actually do about…
What is it really like to have a baby in France as a US expat? In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Claire Naughton shares her personal experience with maternity care in Strasbourg, France, in a conversation with Jessica Govern. Here is what stood out: • Daily in-home midwife visits…
Jessica Govern and Claire Naughton have lived in Strasbourg, France for eight years. Both are American, both moved abroad in their early twenties with no financial plan, and both built self-employment careers in a country that makes that harder than it sounds. This episode is their unscripted accounting of what…
What is it actually like working in France as a US expat? In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Claire Naughton and Jessica Govern, both US expats living in France, share their real experiences navigating French work culture. Here is what stands out: • Typical work weeks are around 35…
“Wait… you have to build your own kitchen?” Yes. Sometimes you do. In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Jordan Vlastuin, CFP® joins Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA to share what the transition to living in Germany is really like for US expats. Here is what many people do not expect:…
American expats moving to Germany face a mix of financial decisions: visas, tax treaties, retirement accounts, and currency shifts. In this episode of Passport to Wealth, host Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA, talks with Jordan Vlastuin, CFP® based in Germany. Jordan shares his own journey from a traditional U.S. advisory firm…
Do you have a government pension and live in Germany? You might not be taxed on it directly… but it could still increase your tax bill. In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Jordan Vlastuin, CFP® joins Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA to explain a little-known concept for US expats in…
The stock market might be up. But are US expats actually ahead? In this episode of Passport To Wealth™, Arielle Tucker, CFP®, EA breaks down one of the most overlooked risks for Americans abroad: currency exchange risk and purchasing power. Here is what is happening right now: • The S&P…
🌍 Attention U.S. Expats! 📢Are you up to speed on your FBAR filing? Join our live workshop on Thursday, March 26 from 12:00–13:00 CEST to get all the insights you need! 💡 What to Expect: In-depth training on FBAR requirements Open Q&A to answer your specific questions Tools to simplify…
