Retiring overseas might sound like a straightforward FIRE move. But what happens when your portfolio was built around Australia, changing tax residency could create a tax event, your partner has a completely different appetite for risk, or you finally start selling ETFs you have been buying for years?
In this listener Q&A, Dave and Hayden tackle three questions that show just how quickly a simple investing strategy can get more complicated once real life enters the picture.
In this episode we'll discuss:
๐ Why home country bias exists in Australian portfolios, and whether it still makes sense if you plan to live somewhere else.
๐ธ What changing your Australian tax residency could mean for a portfolio you have spent years building.
๐งพ Why simply holding investments through an overseas brokerage account may not remove the Australian tax considerations discussed in the episode.
๐ค What happens when one partner is comfortable riding out market crashes and the other is much more cautious about equities.
๐ Why your theoretical risk tolerance and your actual reaction to a large market fall may be
two very different things.
๐ Why some investors can view highly leveraged property as \"safe\" while seeing share market volatility as risky.
โ๏ธ How couples with different risk tolerances might find a middle ground without forcing either person into a strategy they cannot live with.
๐ฅ Why getting to financial independence does not necessarily require massive investment risk or spectacular returns, particularly during the earlier wealth-building years.
๐ When you sell part of an ETF holding, how do you know which of the parcels you bought over the years you are actually selling?
๐งฎ Why choosing which ETF parcel to sell can ultimately become a question of when you pay tax, not simply how much you sell.
The thread through all of it: FIRE can look beautifully simple in a spreadsheet. Then tax residency, relationships, leverage, market crashes and eventually selling your investments turn up. Understanding those trade-offs before they matter can make the real-world version of the plan a lot easier to navigate.
Questions, disagreements or your own scenario: hello@aussiefirepod.com or reach out on socials at Strong Money Australia and Pearler.
Dave's books on Amazon and Spotify
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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