Last episode Dave and Hayden covered the general idea of geographic arbitrage: take your Aussie wealth, live somewhere cheaper, retire sooner. This episode is the technical follow-up, and it's a sobering one. Brett Evans from Atlas Wealth has spent nearly three decades advising Australian expats across 65 countries, and he joins the boys to walk through everything that changes the moment you step on that plane. Fair warning: Hayden reckons it's the most information-dense episode they've published.
In this episode we'll discuss:
💸 The main residence trap: why selling the family home while you're a non-resident can mean capital gains tax all the way back to the purchase date, and the six and seven figure bills Brett has seen because of it
💸 Deemed disposal on shares, ETFs and crypto: the one-time election at departure that stops you accruing CGT overseas, why plenty of accountants don't know about it, and the client sitting on a seven-figure bill who found out too late
💸 How Australian tax residency actually works: the resides test, the domicile test, the 183-day test, and why \"resident of nowhere\" defaults you straight back to being an Australian tax resident
💸 The proposed new residency rules: a hard 183-day line, a 45-day count, and a four-factor test where holding an Aussie passport already counts as one strike against you
💸 What non-residents lose: no tax-free threshold, 30% from the first dollar of rental income, no 50% CGT discount since 2012, and why positive cash flow property becomes a problem
💸 Withholding tax on dividends at 15% or 30% depending on where you land, and how franking credits can offset it
💸 Why SMSFs are brutal for expats, including a case study where a client ignored the advice, got audited, and lost 45% of his balance
💸 The brokerage headache nobody warns you about: platforms freezing accounts, CHESS holdings converted to issuer-sponsored, and share registry mail going to a country with no postal delivery
💸 Getting your money home: the deemed acquisition rules, why to start planning 12 months out, and the $10,000 transfer myth that makes you look like a money launderer
💸 Why Brett tells clients to stop asking ChatGPT, and why good advice for expats is simple and flexible rather than clever and structured
Around 70 to 80% of expats eventually come home, so the decisions you make before you leave matter more than most people realise. Nothing here is personal advice, and Brett's own point is that if your situation is simple you probably don't need someone like him. But if you're carrying property, a share portfolio, an SMSF or a trust, this is an hour and a bit well spent before you book the flight.
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Disclaimer
Any advice is general and does not consider your financial situation needs, or objectives, so consider whether it's appropriate for you. You should also consider seeking professional advice before making any financial decision.
Pearler is an Authorised Representative #1281540 of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL #337927. Read the FSG available from https://pearler.com/financial-services-guide
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