There are some great opportunities to take, and mistakes to avoid, when making the move from or to the UK. And the best way to make the most of the move is to chat to an expert in cross-jurisdictional tax to make it easy!
In this second part of my conversation with Nicola Goldsmith, we get into the areas that tend to trip people up most. And honestly, this comes up a lot in conversations with clients.
There’s often a belief that tax residency is something you can manage or “choose,” or that if you’re not physically in a country, you’ve left the tax system behind. As Nicola explains, it’s not quite that simple. We step through what really happens when you leave the UK but keep UK assets, how double tax treaties actually work in practice (and why they don’t eliminate tax altogether), and the risks that come with business structures and remote working across borders.
The key thing to note here is that many of these issues aren’t obvious until you’re already in the middle of them. And by then, it can be costly to unwind. This is one of those areas where understanding the detail upfront can make a very real difference.
Main Topics Discussed in this Episode
- The Myth of “Choosing” Your Tax Residency: A common misconception is that you can decide where you’re tax resident, when in reality, tax authorities have extensive data to determine your position whether you realise it or not.
- How Tax Authorities Track Your Movements: From flight data to banking activity, Nicola explains how easily tax authorities can cross-reference information across jurisdictions when something doesn’t add up.
- Understanding Double Tax Treaties in Practice: Double tax treaties don’t eliminate tax – they determine where tax is paid first and how relief is given, which is often misunderstood by expats.
- Keeping UK Assets While Living Abroad: Just because you’ve left the UK doesn’t mean your UK income or gains fall outside the UK tax net, particularly when it comes to property and other source-based income.
- Business Structures, Remote Work & Permanent Establishment Risks: Running a business or working remotely from another country can unintentionally create tax exposure in that new jurisdiction, even for individuals operating through their own company.
Get in touch with Nicola Goldsmith
Website: www.expattaxes.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-goldsmith-tep-cta-b22363149/
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If you loved this episode or have a similar story, we’d love to hear from you! You can get in touch with us directly at info@expattaxes.ie or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Taxbytes for Expats is brought to you by ExpatTaxes.ie. If you’re considering moving to or from Ireland and would like support with your taxes, book a consultation today: https://expattaxes.ie/book-a-consult/.
