The 90-day cross-border financial checklist
A practical sequence for reviewing tax residency, accounts, investments, insurance, and estate documents before a move.
Read the guideQuestions to frame first
Begin with facts, dates, and ownership.
- What belongs on the move calendar?
- How do two retirement systems fit together?
- Who owns each open decision?
Explore the subject
Common planning threads
Rules vary by country, status, year, account, and personal facts. Confirm material decisions against current primary sources.
Moving abroad
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideMoving to the United States
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideCash-flow planning
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideRetirement planning
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Read a related guideEducation funding
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideInsurance
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideSocial-security coordination
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guidePensions
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideBuying property abroad
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideReturning to a home country
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Discuss this topicPlanning for multiple currencies
Understand the relevant countries, timing, account or legal structure, and which professional should confirm the conclusion.
Read a related guideArticle library · 52 guides
Read about financial planning
Use these source-linked guides to understand the recurring decisions, then confirm how the rules apply to your countries and circumstances.
Planning before moving to the United States
A pre-arrival framework for residence dates, investments, entities, trusts, pensions, and records.
Read the guidePlanning before leaving the United States
Coordinate residence, account access, compensation, retirement plans, estate documents, and any expatriation analysis before departure.
Read the guideA 12-month financial calendar for an international move
Sequence residence, compensation, investments, banking, insurance, and estate work before the moving date compresses every decision.
Read the guideReturning to the United States after years abroad
A re-entry plan for foreign investments, pensions, banking, tax residence, healthcare, and records.
Read the guideThe annual financial review for Americans abroad
A repeatable agenda connecting residence, reporting, accounts, investments, retirement, insurance, and estate planning.
Read the guideHow to build a multi-currency household budget
Separate spending needs, currency exposure, taxes, and reserves without turning the budget into a currency forecast.
Read the guideDesigning an international banking structure
Organize operating accounts, reserves, transfers, access, and documentation across countries.
Read the guideHealth insurance when living abroad
Coordinate local coverage, international insurance, evacuation, U.S. care, and retirement healthcare.
Read the guideHow to coordinate retirement across two systems
Build one retirement plan from pensions, Social Security, tax wrappers, currencies, and two sets of rules.
Read the guideHow Social Security totalization agreements work
Coordinate coverage, avoid dual contributions when eligible, and combine credits for qualification without combining benefits.
Read the guideTaking required minimum distributions while living abroad
Coordinate deadlines, custodians, withholding, local taxation, currency, and inherited-account rules.
Read the guideThe Financial Timeline for Moving Abroad
People planning an international move who need to know what to do and when. A practical long-form guide to define the move date and tax residency crossover, map banking brokerage and credit needs, review employment benefits insurance and healthcare, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideHow to Choose a Country Without Letting Taxes Make the Decision
Families comparing destinations and balancing tax rules with daily life. A practical long-form guide to separate lifestyle goals from tax incentives, compare residency and work rights, estimate total tax and social contribution costs, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe First 90 Days Abroad Financial Checklist
New expatriates who need a practical setup sequence after arrival. A practical long-form guide to confirm local registration and tax residency dates, open essential bank and payment accounts, protect access to u s accounts and phone numbers, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideReturning to the United States After Years Abroad
Americans preparing to repatriate with foreign accounts assets or pensions. A practical long-form guide to choose the u s return date deliberately, review foreign funds pensions and insurance products, plan currency transfers and liquidity, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Cross Border Budget That Survives Currency Swings
Households earning and spending in different currencies. A practical long-form guide to identify each income and spending currency, separate fixed obligations from flexible expenses, set exchange rate planning bands, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideShould You Buy or Rent a Home Abroad
Prospective expatriates deciding whether foreign property belongs in the plan. A practical long-form guide to start with expected length of stay, model purchase taxes financing and transaction costs, review ownership restrictions and residency consequences, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideBanking Across Borders Without Losing Access
Expats who need reliable U S and local banking arrangements. A practical long-form guide to why banks restrict nonresident customers, which accounts to keep before departure, how to establish a local banking footprint, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideInsurance Gaps That Appear After an International Move
Families reviewing protection when domestic coverage no longer travels with them. A practical long-form guide to check health coverage by country and provider network, compare travel expat and local medical policies, review life disability property and liability insurance, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideMoving Abroad With Children
Parents planning the financial and practical side of an international relocation. A practical long-form guide to compare school systems tuition and admission timing, budget for language support and activities, review healthcare guardianship and travel permissions, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe Annual Cross Border Financial Review
Established expats who need a repeatable yearly planning process. A practical long-form guide to update residency citizenship and family facts, review cash flow taxes and reporting deadlines, test investment allocation and account access, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideCoordinating U S and Foreign Retirement Accounts
Workers and retirees with pensions on both sides of a border. A practical long-form guide to inventory every plan and its governing country, map tax deferral and reporting in both systems, estimate benefits in a common currency, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideHow Totalization Agreements Affect Social Security
People whose careers span the United States and another country. A practical long-form guide to explain dual social tax coverage, show how coverage credits may be combined, distinguish eligibility from benefit amount, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideSocial Security After the Windfall Elimination Provision Repeal
Americans with foreign pensions who need to revisit benefit estimates. A practical long-form guide to explain the prior wep framework, describe which beneficiaries may be affected, request and review updated records, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideRequired Minimum Distributions While Living Abroad
U S retirement account owners who reside overseas. A practical long-form guide to identify which accounts require distributions, calculate deadlines and amounts, plan withholding and local tax treatment, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideRoth Conversions for Americans Abroad
Expats considering conversions during lower tax years. A practical long-form guide to estimate u s federal and state tax, check the residence country's treatment of roth accounts, model foreign tax credits and treaty effects, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideMedicare Decisions for Americans Living Overseas
People nearing age 65 who may return to the United States later. A practical long-form guide to explain eligibility and overseas coverage limits, compare parts a and b enrollment choices, review late enrollment penalties, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideSocial Security Benefits for a Foreign Spouse
Cross border couples planning retirement and survivor income. A practical long-form guide to review worker and spouse eligibility, apply residence and nationality restrictions, understand totalization and payment rules, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guidePension Lump Sum or Lifetime Income
Employees deciding how to receive a pension while rates and residence may change. A practical long-form guide to compare lifetime income and lump sum mechanics, explain how interest rates affect present value, review tax treatment in both countries, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideRetiring Abroad Without Underestimating the Cost
Prospective retirees building an after tax overseas budget. A practical long-form guide to model housing healthcare and visa expenses, add travel tax advice and currency costs, stress test inflation and exchange rates, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Retirement Withdrawal Strategy for Two Tax Systems
Retirees with taxable brokerage retirement and pension income. A practical long-form guide to map how each account is taxed in each country, set an annual after tax spending target, sequence withdrawals around credits and brackets, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideChoosing a School While Living Abroad
Parents comparing local international and boarding options. A practical long-form guide to define academic language and support needs, compare admissions calendars and credentials, budget tuition transport and activities, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideUsing a 529 Plan for Study Abroad
Families paying overseas education costs from a U S college savings account. A practical long-form guide to confirm whether the institution is eligible, separate qualified and nonqualified expenses, coordinate payments refunds and exchange rates, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideWhen a 529 Plan Creates Foreign Tax Problems
American families living in countries that do not recognize U S tax advantages. A practical long-form guide to explain the u s tax benefit, check whether the residence country treats growth as taxable, compare continued funding with alternatives, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideNewlyweds With Two Countries and Two Financial Systems
Cross border couples combining finances after marriage. A practical long-form guide to share complete financial and tax histories, choose account ownership and cash flow systems, review marital property and gift rules, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideDivorce When U S and Foreign Assets Are Involved
Spouses and advisers preparing for an international separation. A practical long-form guide to identify jurisdiction and governing law, value property businesses pensions and currencies, divide u s retirement accounts correctly, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideRaising Children Abroad Without Losing Financial Flexibility
Parents balancing international experiences with long term financial goals. A practical long-form guide to budget for education travel and language support, maintain appropriate savings and emergency funds, review citizenship documentation and guardianship, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideCross Border Philanthropy That Reaches the Intended Charity
Donors who want tax efficient gifts to organizations in another country. A practical long-form guide to clarify the charitable goal and recipient, check whether the organization qualifies for a deduction, compare direct gifts donor advised funds and intermediaries, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideSupporting Aging Parents Across Borders
Adult children coordinating care and money in another country. A practical long-form guide to understand the parents' income insurance and benefits, plan access to accounts and decision authority, budget for care travel and currency transfers, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideMoving Abroad After a Major Life Event
People relocating after marriage divorce inheritance retirement or bereavement. A practical long-form guide to stabilize urgent legal and cash flow needs, avoid changing residence before reviewing tax consequences, update ownership beneficiaries and documents, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Family Document System for International Life
Households that need secure access to records from multiple countries. A practical long-form guide to list identity immigration tax and property records, create secure digital and physical copies, control access for spouses trustees and agents, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe Cross Border Financial Plan on One Page
Consumers who need a clear summary of a complex international situation. A practical long-form guide to list people citizenships and residences, map assets liabilities income and currencies, record the main tax reporting and estate exposures, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideHow to Build a Cross Border Adviser Team
Families coordinating financial tax legal and immigration professionals. A practical long-form guide to define which problems require which adviser, choose a lead coordinator, clarify scope fees and information sharing, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Relocation Risk Register for International Moves
Households that want to identify problems before departure. A practical long-form guide to score tax legal investment and insurance risks, assign an owner and deadline to each issue, separate must fix items from monitor items, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideComparing Tax Regimes Without Relying on Headline Rates
People comparing countries for work or retirement. A practical long-form guide to calculate the tax base before the rate, add social contributions wealth and property taxes, review investment pension and inheritance treatment, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Multi Currency Emergency Fund
International families deciding how much cash to hold and where. A practical long-form guide to define emergencies by country and currency, set reserve targets for local and u s needs, choose safe accessible accounts, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe Cross Border Cost of Living Calculator
Prospective movers who want a realistic budget comparison. A practical long-form guide to collect housing healthcare school and transport costs, add taxes insurance and adviser expenses, convert currencies with a planning rate, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe International Account Inventory
Families who need one reliable record of financial accounts in several countries. A practical long-form guide to record owner custodian country and currency, note tax classification and reporting forms, track beneficiaries access and contact details, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideA Decision Tree for Keeping or Closing Financial Accounts
People deciding what to do with accounts before or after a move. A practical long-form guide to confirm whether the provider permits the new residence, identify tax and investment consequences, compare transfer liquidation and continued ownership, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideHow to Read a Cross Border Tax Return
Clients who want to review filings intelligently without becoming tax preparers. A practical long-form guide to connect income documents to return sections, trace foreign tax credits and exclusions, locate foreign account business and trust forms, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guideThe Cross Border Planning Questions to Ask Before Any Major Decision
International households facing a move sale gift retirement or inheritance. A practical long-form guide to which countries can tax the event, when does residence or ownership change, which accounts products or entities are involved, and the decisions that connect them.
Read the guide