As a foreign national, or more commonly known as an EXPAT living in Latin America you may wish to consider engaging a financial advisor to provide you with different investment options that meet your financial needs. With that said and before investing as an EXPAT it is important to consider, what are your investment needs? What are your financial objectives? And what is your risk tolerance?
In this article we will explore these points further, but first:
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What should you expect from your financial advisor?
Before investing as an EXAPT, choosing the right investment advisor is critical and here is what you should expect from them:
- Understanding your unique investment needs as an EXPAT
- Analyzing your options
- Tailoring an investment solution for your needs
- Carrying out your choices
- Being committed to your financial success
Here we go deeper into what you should expect from your financial advisor:
1. Understanding your investment needs as an EXPAT – The financial advisor should understand your financial objectives, timeline and tolerance for risk
2. Analyzing your needs – The financial advisor should work with you to review your current financial situation and evaluate investment strategies and options with you
3. Tailoring an investment solution for your needs – They should evaluate and present investment options that meet your needs, timeline and risk tolerances
4. Carrying out your choices – The should communicate clearly about the chosen investment plan, and carryout your instructions to the best of their ability
5. Being committed to your financial investment success – They should remain engaged, committed, provide regular updates and be available to answer any questions.
It is important that the the financial advisor is experienced with providing wealth management and investment solutions for EXPATs, and understands the unique nature of the lifestyle and the impact of the potential investment options on his/ her personal taxation affairs.
What are the common types of investment options for EXPATs in Latin America?
- High Interest Savings Accounts
- Single Investment Funds
- Portfolio Investment Funds
- Direct share investing
- Real Estate / Property Investments
- Commodity Investment
So what type of investment do most Expats choose for investment?
Most Expats when investing choose an offshore Portfolio Investments Fund, as they present a far more liquid investment when compared to the other options, are usually denominated in United States Dollars or Euros and often have numerous tax advantages, which can vary depending on the tax residency of the Expat. Additionally with these types of investments you can make an initial once off payment and then continual investment payments on a frequency basis.
Key points when choosing where to invest as an EXPAT?
- Liquidity of the Investment?
- Flexibility of the Investment?
- Security of the Investment?
- Investment Risk ?
- Investment Timeline?
- Potential Return on Investment?
- How will be it affected if you move locations?
What will you need to provide initially starting to invest as an EXPAT?
This can vary based on the investment option chosen, however normally you will need to provide / do the following:
- Meeting with your chosen financial advisor
- Review your options and confirm your EXPAT investment strategy
- Complete an investment application form for the chosen investment option
- Provide a copy of your Passport (and secondary identification such as a drivers license)
- Provide a proof of residential address (i.e. Utility bill or bank statement is most common)
- Confirm your country of tax residency location
- Transfer the initial deposit
Note: In some cases it may be preferred to make the investment through a legal entity rather than as an individual.
How can we help at the Biz Latin Hub?
As a market leader within the Latin American and Caribbean Region, with connections across all business and investment sectors we are well positioned to steer you in the right path and to ensure that your investment needs as an EXPAT are taken care off in a professional and competent manner. It is important that you seek professional advice when investing as an EXPAT and we can ensure that you engage the very best advice.
Contact us today to find out more about how we can assist you with your EXPAT investment needs.
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