Settling in to your assignment

Once you have embarked on your expatriate assignment and have attended to the immediate priorities, including establishing a new home, schooling for the children and car purchase, your attention can turn to two key areas: your new work assignment and your wealth creation plans. Developing a comprehensive Wealth Management plan will ensure that you maximise your wealth creation opportunities over the course of your assignment.

By now you will have started to receive your first expatriate compensation payments and will have purchased the essential items required to re-establish your home in your newly adopted country. You should also have addressed the majority of the issues outlined in the pre departure planning section. (If not, then now is the time to address the issues relevant to you.)

 

Create Wealth While Abroad

So that you can navigate through the issues that may arise, our Wealth Creation and Management plan provides you with a clear roadmap, ensuring that your surplus cashflow is invested in the most appropriate structures.

The plan will cover the issues outlined in the section including taxation, cashflow management, debt management, investment, superannuation, Employee Share Benefits and risk management. Your decision in one area can have a significant impact on another. It is therefore important to develop an integrated solution rather than consider each of these items separately.

 

Invest Your Surplus Cashflow

Our expatriate clients often find that their surplus cashflow increases significantly as a result of the additional foreign benefit components of their compensation package. This is the ideal time to start to progressively invest the surplus cashflow into an appropriate structure, before it disappears on lifestyle and other discretionary items.

Your Wealth Management plan will outline the most appropriate structures(s) to accumulate your wealth and will take into consideration the implications of your potential employer’s package and status.

 

Review Your Super Contributions

Depending upon your age and future work plans, it may be important to review the level of superannuation contributions made to your Australian superannuation fund. This is so you don’t get caught out by the age restrictions for contributions.

 

Build Your Investment Portfolio

Finally, we can help you build a quality, highly diversified investment portfolio that will maximise your return for the level of risk taken. Please refer to our section for more details on our approach in this area.

 

Review Before Extending or Relocating

Many expatriates are offered an extension to their assignment either in the same country or in another country. If you plan to accept and relocate to another foreign country, then it is important to conduct a major review and update of your Wealth Management plan. This is to ensure that the strategies employed remain appropriate for the new assignment and location.

Our expatriate clients work with us on an ongoing basis under one of our packages, which include regular reviews and updates when a major change occurs to their circumstances or objectives. Under our Ongoing Service packages, our clients are kept up-to-date with changes in the Australian legislative environment and investment markets that can be difficult to keep track of when located offshore. Their Wealth Management plans are adjusted to reflect key developments, ensuring that the strategies engaged remain appropriate and on track to achieving their objectives.

Similarly, if you plan to return home at the end of your assignment, then you need to consider the issues outlined under our repatriation planning section. These issues should be addressed prior to your return to Australia to ensure you take advantage of opportunities only available before your return and the resumption of your Australian status.