Living Abroad, Keeping UK Ties: A 2026 Wealth Review

Why the whole picture matters

For internationally mobile families with UK connections, preserving wealth is not only an investment question. Where you live, when you move, how assets are owned and what happens to your estate can all affect the outcome. A decision that appears sensible in one country may have unexpected consequences in another.

UK tax rules changed significantly from April 2025, including the replacement of the non-dom remittance basis with a Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime for eligible new UK residents, and changes to the inheritance tax framework. The effect depends on your residence history, assets and personal circumstances, so old assumptions should be reviewed rather than relied upon.

Start with residence and timing

Clarify your UK tax residence position and keep accurate records of time spent in the UK, particularly around a move or return. The Statutory Residence Test uses day counts and other connections to determine residence. Temporary non-residence rules may also affect certain gains or income when someone leaves and later returns.

Before selling an asset, moving country or bringing funds into the UK, check how the timing may affect tax. People arriving in the UK may wish to establish whether they qualify for the FIG regime and how its time limits apply. People leaving should review the tax treatment of investments, UK property, pensions and existing structures before departure.

Review inheritance and estate planning

UK inheritance tax exposure for internationally mobile people can depend on long-term UK residence under the post-2025 rules, including how long a person remains within scope after leaving. This means departure does not necessarily end exposure to UK inheritance tax on worldwide assets.

Review wills, beneficiary arrangements, gifts, life assurance and any trust or company structures with appropriately qualified advisers. If family members or assets are based in several countries, check how local succession rules interact. Some jurisdictions restrict how an estate can be distributed, regardless of what a will drafted elsewhere says.

Estate planning often needs time to work. Review it well before a planned move, major asset sale or anticipated change in family circumstances, rather than waiting until the event is imminent.

Structure investments and pensions around your plans

The tax treatment of an investment can depend on where you live and the legal structure through which it is held, not only on the assets inside it. Offshore bonds, investment accounts and company structures can have advantages in some circumstances, but they can also create tax, reporting and administration issues. They should never be selected on the assumption that offshore automatically means tax-free.

UK pensions also need cross-border review. The country where you live, the relevant double taxation agreement, your likely future moves and the type of pension all affect how benefits may be taxed. Overseas pension transfers, including QROPS transfers, have specific conditions and potential charges. A transfer should only be considered after a detailed, personalised assessment.

Choose advice that joins the dots

Local advisers may understand their own tax and legal systems without seeing how those rules interact with the rest of your life. Look for a regulated adviser with demonstrable cross-border experience who can coordinate with tax and legal specialists in each relevant country.

Useful questions include: What is my current and likely future tax residence? What happens if I leave or return to the UK? How are my assets treated on death? Are my pensions suitable for my plans? Are my investment structures portable if I move again? What reporting duties apply?

At Montfort International, cross-border financial planning brings investments, pensions, tax considerations and long-term family objectives into one conversation. The aim is to build a plan that can adapt as your circumstances and the rules change.