94. How Long-Term Care Insurance Works: Costs, Coverage, and Options for Expats

94. How Long-Term Care Insurance Works: Costs, Coverage, and Options for Expats

Once you turn 65, you have roughly a 50/50 chance of needing extended care at some point. This episode breaks down what long term care insurance actually covers, what it costs, and how to structure it properly, especially for expats who may end up using benefits outside the US. This episode offers practical financial advice for expats and advice for immigrants trying to plan care decisions across two countries.   Richard Taylor, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Plan First Wealth, is joined by returning guest Mark Maurer, President and CEO of LLIS, to explain the IRS triggers that qualify someone for long term care benefits and why average claim durations (around 2.5 years for men, 3.5-4 years for women) are far shorter than the worst-case scenarios people fear. As a British expat who built his practice around expat retirement planning, Richard frames the whole conversation through the lens of clients living abroad.   Richard and Mark walk through the three main ways to fund long term care: traditional standalone policies, permanent life insurance with a long term care rider and annuities with a long term care rider. They cover the real differences in premium structure, death benefits, tax treatment of benefits, underwriting requirements, and how 1035 exchanges can move an old annuity with deferred gains into a long term care policy tax-free.  They also discuss what happens to coverage if you move abroad. How international benefit provisions vary by carrier, why some policies cap overseas benefits at two years before requiring a return to the US, and what to check before relying on a policy while living outside the country. For anyone moving to the US or moving to America later in life, this is exactly the kind of detail that gets overlooked.   Whether you're 55 and starting to plan, caring for an aging parent, or advising clients with cross-border retirement assets, this episode covers the mechanics of long term care insurance in detail, not just the broad strokes. It fits into cross border financial planning for anyone managing international wealth across the UK and US. -- Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management. https://planfirstwealth.com/ [https://planfirstwealth.com/]   --   Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.    Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas.

93. Plan First, Invest Second: How Globally Mobile Brits Actually Retire Well

For many British expats in America, the idea of moving back to the UK can start as a distant possibility, then quickly become a serious life decision. But repatriation is rarely simple, especially when your wealth, tax position, pensions and long-term plans are split across two countries.  In this From the Trenches episode of Expat Wealth, Richard Taylor, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Plan First Wealth, and business partner James Boyle are joined by guest Miles Sharp of Fawley Wealth to discuss why more Brits in America are thinking about returning home and what they need to understand before making the move.  Together, they explore the emotional pull of the UK, the changing political and financial climate in the US, and why expat life is often more changeable than people expect.  Richard, James and Miles discuss why many people arrive in America thinking they will only stay for a few years, only to find themselves decades later with UK pensions, ISAs, US retirement accounts, green cards, property and tax obligations that now need careful cross-border planning.  The conversation also looks at some of the biggest financial planning risks facing British expats and internationally mobile families, including green card exit tax exposure, PFIC issues, neglected UK pensions, ISA problems, annuities, trusts and the challenges of returning to the UK as a US citizen.  Richard, James and Miles also discuss the cultural differences between British and American attitudes to work, investing, retirement and advice from America's risk-on mindset and strong work ethic, to the British instinct to delay decisions or rely on property and how those differences can shape long-term financial outcomes.  Whether you are a Brit living in America, planning a move back to the UK, managing pensions and investments across borders, or simply trying to build a financial plan that reflects an international life, this episode offers a candid look at the realities, risks and opportunities of cross-border wealth planning.    --    Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management.    https://planfirstwealth.com/ [https://planfirstwealth.com/]    --    Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.     Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas.

92. PFICs, State Taxes and Costly Mistakes for Americans Moving to Britain

Moving to the UK can be an exciting opportunity, but for Americans abroad, it often comes with a harsh reality: the US tax system doesn’t stay behind. This episode delivers practical advice for expats navigating dual tax UK and US obligations.    Richard Taylor, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Plan First Wealth, is joined by Sally Hawkins, Tax Partner at Gunnar Cook, to unpack some of the biggest tax mistakes Americans make when relocating to the UK and why so many expats find themselves caught out by rules they never knew existed. As an expat wealth advisor specializing in cross border financial planning, Richard breaks down what British expat and American abroad needs to know.    From citizenship-based taxation and PFIC reporting requirements to ISA pitfalls, foreign investment restrictions and complex filing obligations, Richard and Sally explain why moving overseas rarely simplifies your tax affairs and how innocent mistakes can quickly become expensive problems.     The conversation also explores the challenges faced by internationally mobile professionals, including equity compensation, founder shares, restricted stock units (RSUs) and why a lack of planning before a move can trigger unexpected tax bills long after arriving in the UK. For anyone weighing expat retirement planning, UK pension treatment, or US pensions across borders, the right financial advice makes all the difference.    Richard and Sally also discuss one of the most overlooked issues for Americans abroad: state tax exposure. They explain why states such as New York and California may continue to claim taxing rights even after you've left the country and what steps can help break those ties properly and the kind of US tax help that protects your international wealth.    Whether you're planning a move to Britain, already living in the UK, or advising internationally mobile professionals, this episode offers practical insights into the tax landmines that can derail even the most carefully planned relocation.    --    Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management.    https://planfirstwealth.com/ [https://planfirstwealth.com/]    --    Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.      Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas.    ABOUT RICHARD:  Richard Taylor is a British expat, dual citizen (UK & US). Originally from Bolton, he now lives in Greenwich, CT, where Plan First Wealth has its head office.  As the firm’s leader, Richard launched Taylor & Taylor, now Plan First Wealth, and continues to fuel the firm’s growth. Richard is a Chartered Financial Planner (UK – CII) in addition to holding the IMC (CFA UK) and Series 65 (US – FINRA).  Connect with Richard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtaylorifa/]

91. The Great IPO Boom: SpaceX, OpenAI and the Future of Investing

The stock market continues to push higher, but beneath the surface, investors are facing some increasingly difficult questions. Are markets becoming too concentrated? Are mega-cap technology companies becoming too dominant? And could a wave of blockbuster IPOs change investing forever?  Richard Taylor, Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Plan First Wealth, is joined by Brian Dunhill, founder of Dunhill Financial, for another episode of Macro Aggressions to unpack the latest developments shaping markets and investor sentiment.   From rising inflation and higher energy prices to the growing debate around interest rates, Richard and Brian explore why markets remain surprisingly resilient despite a backdrop of economic uncertainty and geopolitical instability.   The conversation also dives into what could become one of the biggest investing stories of the decade. With SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic and several major fintech companies reportedly preparing for public listings, Richard and Brian discuss what these IPOs could mean for passive investors, market concentration and the future of the S&P 500 essential financial advice for any expat wealth audience watching their portfolios.   They also examine whether today's markets are showing signs of a bubble, why retail investors have more influence than ever before, and how diversification can help investors navigate an increasingly concentrated market environment, the kind of perspective a seasoned international wealth advisor brings to cross border financial planning.  Finally, the episode explores a trend that directly impacts the Expat Wealth audience: the growing movement of Americans relocating overseas. Richard and Brian discuss the destinations attracting affluent Americans, the opportunities emerging across Europe and South America, and the cross border financial planning mistakes that can create costly problems later on, exactly why expat retirement planning and early advice for expats matters so much before you go.   Whether you're concerned about inflation, curious about the next generation of IPOs, or planning your own move abroad, this episode offers practical insights into the forces shaping both markets and global mobility, with an expat wealth advisor's lens throughout.  --  Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as expat retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management.  https://planfirstwealth.com/ [https://planfirstwealth.com/]  --  Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.      Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas.    ABOUT RICHARD:  Richard Taylor is a British expat, dual citizen (UK & US). Originally from Bolton, he now lives in Greenwich, CT, where Plan First Wealth has its head office.  As the firm’s leader, Richard launched Taylor & Taylor, now Plan First Wealth, and continues to fuel the firm’s growth. Richard is a Chartered Financial Planner (UK – CII) in addition to holding the IMC (CFA UK) and Series 65 (US – FINRA).  Connect with Richard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtaylorifa/]

90. Golden Visa or Regular Visa? Getting Real About Moving to Portugal

More Americans are leaving the United States than at any point in recent memory, and Portugal has become one of the most searched destinations. But what's driving the move, and what happens once you get there?   Richard Taylor is joined by John McNertney, Founder of Green Ocean Global Advisors, to unpack the realities of relocating from the US to Portugal. John has lived the journey himself. After moving from San Francisco to Lisbon during the pandemic, he now helps American expats, retirees, and internationally minded families navigate cross-border financial planning, US expat taxes, residency options, and long-term wealth management while living abroad.   Together, Richard and John explore why Portugal has become such a hotspot for Americans, what's changed politically and financially in recent years, and why so many expats are now thinking seriously about building a life and a financial foundation outside the United States.   The conversation gets into the practical detail that most people miss before they move: the difference between the Portugal Golden Visa and the D7 visa, the financial traps Americans fall into with PFICs, trusts, IRAs, and cross-border investment structures, and why proper planning before the move can save years of stress and significant money later on.   Richard and John also explore the emotional reality of expat life, including integration, language learning, culture shock, and why living abroad fundamentally changes the way people think about money, opportunity, and freedom.   Whether you're seriously considering a move to Portugal, researching second residency options, or simply curious why so many Americans are looking overseas right now, this episode offers a grounded and honest look at the opportunities and challenges of modern expat life. --  Expat Wealth is supported by Plan First Wealth. Plan First Wealth is a Registered Investment Advisor serving fellow expatriates and immigrants living across the US on matters such as retirement planning, investment management, tax planning and non-US asset management.   https://planfirstwealth.com/ [https://planfirstwealth.com/] -- Expat Wealth is affiliated with Plan First Wealth LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor. The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Plan First Wealth.    Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Plan First Wealth does not provide any tax and/or legal advice and strongly recommends that listeners seek their own advice in these areas.   ABOUT RICHARD: Richard Taylor is a British expat, dual citizen (UK & US). Originally from Bolton, he now lives in Greenwich, CT, where Plan First Wealth has its head office. As the firm’s leader, Richard launched Taylor & Taylor, now Plan First Wealth, and continues to fuel the firm’s growth. Richard is a Chartered Financial Planner (UK – CII) in addition to holding the IMC (CFA UK) and Series 65 (US – FINRA). Connect with Richard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtaylorifa/]