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Topic: Planing for the future and avoiding tax pitfalls - Please double-check!  (Read 1273 times)

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I'm in my late 30s and already late to the financial planning party.  :-[ But now is the next best time to start, so I'm trying to get my head around it all.

I'm a dual USC/UKC married to UKC, 1 young child. No debt apart from mortgage in husband's name. Husband works full time, I'm a stay-at-home mom by choice.

Here's a list of some of the things I think I/we need to do:
- Rollover my very small 403(b) into a Roth IRA - I wouldn't have to pay taxes on it as it's still under the standard deduction amount and I don't have an income
- Invest my USD in US ETFs (UK-reporting) to avoid PFIC issues (in the event we ever moved back to the US or have a kid who eventually decides to do something there)
- Make sure I reach my 35 NI credits
- Save and invest in UKC husband's name via ISA with Vanguard UK (index funds, probably a simple 3-fund portfolio, balanced to age-appropriate risk)
- Possibly contribute more to husband's work pension via salary sacrifice
- Rebalance investments annually

So my questions are:

Is there something I'm not considering?

Also, what if my husband dies and I'm the beneficiary of his UK accounts - can I avoid PFIC problems? Maybe I should make that a separate topic...

I really would love to be able to find a financial planner, tax advisor, estate planner, and investment advisor that understand UK/US taxes well that we could afford. In the meantime, I'm trying to educate myself all I can and hope I don't make a huge mistake!
26 Jul 2013 - Legal marriage
17 Sep 2013 - Posted docs to visa expeditor to submit to UKBA
18 Oct 2013 - Spouse visa received
27 Oct 2013 - Wedding ceremony
13 Nov 2013 - Entered UK on spouse visa
17 Jun 2016 - FLR(M) Granted at PSC
5 Sep 2017 - Passed LITUK
28 Nov 2018 - Applied for ILR via online SET(M), attended UKVCAS appointment in Birmingham (Super Priority)
10 Dec 2018 - Received ILR BRP
1 & 30  Aug 2019 - Applied for naturalisation & UKVCAS appt
12 Sep 2019 - Approval letter
5 Oct 2019 - Extension granted
11 Feb 2020 - Ceremony!! Yay!


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Those plans sound really good to me.  Yes, in the event of your husband’s death the funds in his name would then be in your name. I wonder if during the settlement of his estate they could be converted to cash by the executor of his will before distribution. That would avoid PFIC complications and if you have maintained your US brokerage account the funds could be moved over and invested in your US ETF funds.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 08:36:59 AM by durhamlad »
Dual USC/UKC living in the UK since May 2016


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