If your plans for your golden years include golf in the sunshine, fine dining, or immersing yourself in another historic culture, then life abroad as a UK pensioner beckons.

 

But before you make your move, there are five important factors to consider if you want to make sure that your pension pot continues to provide the lifestyle you worked hard for.

Choosing your location wisely

Family ties, language skills, and personal interests will all heavily influence which country you decide to retire to, but if the sole purpose is to unlock a better standard of living in retirement, thorough research will pay dividends.

 

Is the cost of living typically lower than the UK (Portugal, Greece, Turkey) or potentially higher (USA, Australia)? Explore our country-specific property buying guides for the insider scoop.

 

How will you cover healthcare? It’s likely to be more of a factor as you advance in years, and you’ll be leaving free NHS coverage behind. Check whether your country of choice applies a social security-backed system with a reciprocal UK agreement, or whether you’ll need to take out private medical insurance.

 

Finally, there’s the question of where to keep your current savings and investments. Compare the capital gains and inheritance tax thresholds in the UK with your overseas destination to establish whether you should keep everything in the UK, move it all overseas, or transfer a portion at a time as required.

 

The cost of buying property

If you’re able to sell your UK home and purchase a property overseas outright, you’ll have fewer hurdles to hop over and the chance to significantly enhance your lifestyle if you pick wisely. You might also be able to take advantage of investment visa schemes in some countries to make obtaining residency easier.

 

If you’re applying for an overseas mortgage, however, there could be maximum age limits and shorter-term contracts that you’ll need to consider. You might also be required to complete other processes such as a medical test and have sufficient life insurance.

 

Factor in the cost of transferring your funds from sterling into a foreign currency – fluctuations in the market can have a notable impact on your budget. Talk to an international payments and currency specialist about limiting your currency risk.

Cost of living and pensions

You’re looking forward in retirement to slowing down and savouring the finer things in life. The perk of living overseas is that food, entertainment, transport and more can be considerably cheaper depending on where you head, so your budget could stretch further than in the UK.

 

Make a plan for your pension, however. You can still claim your state pension from overseas when you reach UK retirement age and receive it into an overseas account, but not all private pension providers will pay into foreign accounts. One option is to transfer your savings into a Qualifying Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) to limit your tax liability.

 

Watch out too for frozen state pensions in countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. In these countries, UK pensions are not indexed, so the annual triple-lock does not apply and your pension’s buying power therefore would not increase over time.

Know your visa and residency requirements

To satisfy residency requirements in your new country as a retiree, you’ll typically need to show that you can support yourself through income (pension) or assets (property or investments). Since Brexit, that applies to the EU too.

 

If you’re planning to divide your time between the UK and another country, there are rules you’’ need to follow. For example, you’ll be limited to 90 days at a time in the EU or 6-months for a US B-2 visa. Meanwhile, Australia has its own retirement visa pathway but you’ll need to show that you have contributed to the community as a long-term resident.

 

Wherever you lay your roots, it’s wise to seek legal advice on what rules apply for your chosen country.

Research your tax and pension implications

You’ll still pay tax on your UK state pension, but you shouldn’t be taxed again on it in your new country. That’s as long as you’re resident in one of the countries with a double taxation agreement with the UK. However, you may be taxed on your worldwide income in that country, so talk to your independent financial advisor (IFA) about any rental income, dividends, or other revenue streams.

 

It’s important to think about your estate planning too. Once you’ve been abroad for 10 years or longer, current rules state that inheritance tax would only be levied on your UK assets. However, your overseas assets (e.g. home and savings) could be subject to inheritance tax overseas, and some countries (such as France) apply “forced heirship” meaning that a portion of your assets must pass to your children.

 

Retiring overseas may come with a few extra considerations than staying put in the UK, but the rewards can be well worth it. Take it one step at a time – and don’t be afraid to ask for support from your team of specialists. Here’s to making the most of your golden years, wherever you choose to call home.

 

Currency Zone

For guidance on managing your exposure to the ever-changing currency markets, head to our Currency Zone. We partner with Lumon, a trusted currency specialist with over 25 years of experience helping international property buyers. Choosing to work with a currency specialist rather than your high-street bank will enable you to benefit from their competitive exchange rates and specialist currency knowledge. For more information, head to our Currency Zone.

Written by Lumon for Rightmove

This article is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Lumon or its subsidiaries, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from the relevant professional services. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date