A simple question—can a UK pension be rolled into a US IRA or 401(k)?—opens a door to some of the most punishing rules in cross‑border retirement planning. We walk through the hard stop that HMRC’s QROPS regime creates, why no US plans qualify, and how an “unauthorized payment” can unleash a 55% UK charge that vaporizes decades of savings. Then we pressure-test the popular third‑country workaround, showing how the 25% overseas transfer charge, US income tax, and foreign trust reporting can tu...
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A simple question—can a UK pension be rolled into a US IRA or 401(k)?—opens a door to some of the most punishing rules in cross‑border retirement planning. We walk through the hard stop that HMRC’s QROPS regime creates, why no US plans qualify, and how an “unauthorized payment” can unleash a 55% UK charge that vaporizes decades of savings. Then we pressure-test the popular third‑country workaround, showing how the 25% overseas transfer charge, US income tax, and foreign trust reporting can tu...
New Rules, Real Steps: Moving from the U.S. to Germany in 2024–2025
The Expat Sage Podcast
6 minutes
3 weeks ago
New Rules, Real Steps: Moving from the U.S. to Germany in 2024–2025
Thinking about trading a U.S. zip code for a German postcode? We break down the smartest routes to make that move real—what’s changed, what still trips people up, and how to land with confidence. From the Schengen 90-day entry window to the infamous Anmeldung loop, we lay out the sequence that actually works so you can avoid costly delays and circular paperwork. The big news shapes the whole journey: updated EU Blue Card rules with 2025 salary thresholds, plus a crucial opening for IT specia...
The Expat Sage Podcast
A simple question—can a UK pension be rolled into a US IRA or 401(k)?—opens a door to some of the most punishing rules in cross‑border retirement planning. We walk through the hard stop that HMRC’s QROPS regime creates, why no US plans qualify, and how an “unauthorized payment” can unleash a 55% UK charge that vaporizes decades of savings. Then we pressure-test the popular third‑country workaround, showing how the 25% overseas transfer charge, US income tax, and foreign trust reporting can tu...