bolus

One last thing! I don't want to discourage you in any way, but taking a young child away from your family and friends (aka your support network) is tough! Don't underestimate how much assistance F&F give you, and babysitters over here are hard to find and expensive.

Hi, would love to hear any comments / reviews. Feel free to message me if you'd like it to remain private. Thanks! B.

"you get so much more for your money in Australia - better paid job, bigger house etc" Sorry, I'm laughing out loud at that Aus is expensive! Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful and has a much better society than the UK, but its days of being cheap are long gone. Regarding moving - there's no right answer. I have friends (from both Aus and UK) who sold everything, set up in the other country, then years later both the FX rates and house prices had moved in the right direction for them and they returned seriously LOADED!. On the flip side, I know of other people who did the same and both FX and house prices moved in the wrong direction and they ended their days in a flat in an area you really don't want to live in. I guess the other dangerous thing is if you sell up you'll be seriously cash rich for a while, so will have to make sure you don't blow it. The safest approach is to rent your current place out, move, enjoy it, and if you want to return to the UK you have the option. In short, there are many great reasons to move to Aus, but you don't move here to get rich!

Hey there, I had to remortgage a few years ago. UK lander (First Direct) threw their toys out of the pram when they found out I was abroad and wouldn't re-mortgage. There are lots of very expensive options. Only reasonable one I found was HSBC expat. Their rates aren't as good as UK hughstreet, but they are not 4%+ with huge arrangement fees that some people are offering. HSBC expat are excellent. Only downside is the money you have to keep on deposit. If you find anything better, please post it, I'd be really interested, thanks.

Hi, has anyone heard any comments or taken out a Novia Expat SIPP please? https://www.ftadviser.com/pensions/2019/06/17/novia-launches-expat-sipp/ Would love to hear any feedback / information / ease of trading UK, US, EU stocks, funds and ETFs. Thanks for any help / advice, B.

Hi Andrew, apologies for the delay replying - I actually thought I had done. Thanks VERY much for this advice, I appreciate it.

Hi, can anyone recommend an expat equivalent of a UK SIPP please? I need to transfer my old UK work pension into something decent. Looking for: - low charges - chose my own investments on UK and US equity / fund markets - based in part of the world where I'm reasonably certain the pension will not be stolen from me before I retire. Thanks!

Hi, thanks. I saw there was an option to attend the same ceremony as someone else. So my wife and I still have to do separate applications, but linking the ceremonies makes them go through at the same time? Thanks, B.

Hi, my family (me, wife, young kids) have lived in Australia for 5 years under my Skilled Independent 189 visa, with PR. We want to apply for citizenship. Looking at the immi website, my wife and I need to apply separately. Is this correct please? Are there any pros / cons of the kids going on my citizenship application or my wife's, and is the order of application important? It just struck me that if I get citizenship before my wife, is my / our Skilled 189 still valid for the rest of the family? All the best, and thanks for any help. B.

..something else I should have posted Private SIPP

Oh yeah, I should say... been living in Aus for 4 years. 189 visa but haven't taken citizenship.

Hi, does anyone know a way to get all of a UK pension tax free in one lump sum please? Even if it involves transferring the pension to a qualifying offshore scheme for five years, then moving to zero-tax country for a year? I'm 51 if that affects it. Thanks, bola.