by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Nov 29, 2018 | Published on Nov 28, 2018 | Money and the heart
You are now reading the 100th post of this blog! Thank you for being part of this journey, no matter when you started. In 2014, while in Auckland, I began responding to some common personal finance questions from expats that I’ve seen over and over in community...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Published on Oct 31, 2018 | Americans working abroad, Global Living Basics
One of the common discussions I have with US clients working overseas is how to exclude their foreign income from US taxation. Many people know about Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) already, but are concerned about being able to meet the physical presence...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Published on Sep 12, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Americans working abroad, Globetrotters working in the US
Other than concerning 401(k)s, one of the most common questions I receive from clients moving away from the US is, “What do I do with Social Security when I move overseas?” The short answer is, nothing. Social Security is technically a government benefit program. Even...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Published on Aug 5, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Americans working abroad, Tax Planning
One benefit of being self-employed is that you can structure your business so you are not constrained by geography. As more of our lives move onto the Internet, more business owners are able to take their life abroad while continuing the income. If you are like me, a...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Jul 16, 2018 | Americans working abroad, Global Living Basics, Organize, Plan, Systematize
Another summer transfer season is here. I’m happy to report that after moving from one country to another every summer since 2015, this year we are staying put. This summer instead of updating my moving overseas checklist (from the US perspective), I am presenting a...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Jun 14, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Americans working abroad, Investing, Tax Planning
If you are a self-employed American expat, you may be wondering what is the best way to save for retirement. As a US citizen, you are well aware of the US tax liability that follows you for the rest of your life. Short of giving up citizenship, what can you do to...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Jun 6, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Globetrotters working in the US, Investing, Tax Planning
Having moved to the US after college, I know a lot of first generation immigrants who came to the US to pursue professional degrees or to work on their visa. Almost everyone, after getting the first paycheck, would have this same question – should I contribute to a...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Apr 11, 2018 | Investing
As the markets become more volatile, more people are beginning to pay extra attention to their investment performance. It is human nature, even though not completely rational. When you perceive there is more likely to be loss, you want to avoid it. Nevertheless,...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Mar 30, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Americans working abroad, Investing, Tax Planning
As an American working overseas, do you know that you may not have to pay US taxes on your investment income? It came to me as kind of a surprise since we usually focus on how our earned income may be eligible for exclusion. I didn’t really think the IRS would want to...
by Hui-Chin Chen, CFP® | Last updated Jul 20, 2018 | Published on Mar 8, 2018 | Advanced Global Planning, Americans working abroad, Risk Management
Whether you are adequately covered now, or have no insurance coverage at all, moving overseas may be one of the triggers for you to seriously look into your options. Nevertheless, it is also one of the areas that you are most likely to ignore when you plan your move....
I'm Hui-chin Chen, a globetrotter & certified financial planner helping you manage your finances from afar and on the go.