By using our website you have entered into a binding agreement to accept our terms of use. Please read these terms carefully. They affect your legal rights and limit our liability. If you do not agree to be bound by every one of these terms, please exit our site immediately.

MODIFICATIONS

We may modify these Terms at any time without notice to you. The latest Terms will be posted on our Website. By using the website after we have posted modifications, you agree to be bound by the modifications. If you do not accept the Terms as modified, do not continue to use the Website.

LIMITED LICENSE

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license, without any right to sublicense, to use our Website strictly in accordance with the Terms. You may use the Website solely for personal, non-commercial purposes, and not for republication, distribution, assignment, sublicense, sale, preparation of derivative works, or any other use. Commercial use of any content on the Website is absolutely forbidden. You may not print out or use an electronic version of any part of our Website. You agree not to copy materials, content or any other information on the Website, reverse engineer or break into (hack) the Website, or use materials, products or services in violation of any state or federal law.

LAWFUL USE

You agree to comply with all applicable domestic and international laws, statutes, ordinances and regulations regarding your use of our Website. In addition, you agree not to manipulate or otherwise display the Website by using framing or similar navigational technology. You agree not to access the Website by any means other than through the standard industry-accepted interfaces. You will not use the Website for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms. You may not use the Website in any manner which could damage, disable, interrupt, over burden, or impair the Website or WLIM’s network or servers, or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the Website. You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Website, other accounts, computer systems or networks connected to the Website, through hacking, password mining or any other means. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available through the Website. In addition, you shall not register, subscribe, attempt to register, attempt to subscribe, unsubscribe, or attempt to unsubscribe, any party for the Website if you are not expressly authorized by such party to do so.

OUR RELATIONSHIP TO YOU

You and we are independent contractors. This Agreement in no way creates any agency, partnership, joint venture, employee-employer or franchisor-franchisee relationship between us.

OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on the Website, including but not limited to designs, data and databases, text, graphics, images, photographs, illustrations, audio and video material, artwork, proprietary information, client-side code (e.g. HTML, JavaScript, etc.), server-side code (e.g. active server pages, VBScript, databases, etc.), information and statistics concerning the use of the Website, and all copyrightable elements of the Website, and their selection and arrangement (collectively, “Content”) are the property of WLIM. Our Content is protected by U.S. copyright law, international treaties and other intellectual property rights. Except as otherwise stated herein, Content may not be copied, transmitted, displayed, performed, distributed (for compensation or otherwise), licensed, altered, framed, stored for subsequent use or otherwise used in whole or in part in any manner without our prior written consent, except to the extent permitted by the Copyright Act of 1976 (17 U.S.C. §107), as amended, and then, only with notices of our proprietary rights. You may, however, download the information in the Website and print out hard copies for your own personal, noncommercial use, so long as you do not remove any copyright or other notice as may be contained in the information as downloaded.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

This Website is intended for adults aged 18 years or older. Any registration by, use of or access to our Website by anyone under age 18, is unauthorized, unlicensed and in violation of these Terms of Use. By using our Website you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older and that you agree to and to abide by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

[WLIM has sole right and discretion to determine whether to accept a Client, and may reject a Client with or without explanation.

If you become a Client, you will receive a password that will allow you to access to a secure section of our Website. You agree to maintain the confidentiality of your password and are fully responsible for all liability and damages resulting from your failure to maintain that confidentiality and all activities that occur through the use of your password.

You agree to immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your password or any other breach of security. You agree that our Website cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with password security as discussed herein.]

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND OTHER ADVICE DISCLAIMER

Your use of the Website creates no professional relationship of any kind between you and WLIM. Nothing contained in our Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice to or for you. You hereby agree that you shall not make any financial, investment, legal and/or other decision based in whole or in part on anything contained in our Website.

USE OF INFORMATION

We reserve the right, and you authorize us, to use and assign of all of your information regarding your use of our Website in any manner consistent with our Privacy Policy.

All remarks, suggestions, ideas, graphics, or other information communicated by you to us (collectively, “Submission”) is considered assigned to us and is as such considered our property. We will not be required to treat any Submission as confidential, and will not be liable for any ideas (including without limitation, product, service or advertising ideas) and will not incur any liability as a result of any similarities that may appear in our future products, services or operations.

Without limitation, we will have exclusive ownership of all present and future existing rights to the Submission of every kind and nature everywhere. We will be entitled to use the Submission for any commercial or other purpose whatsoever, without compensation to you or any other person sending the Submission. You acknowledge that you are responsible for whatever material you submit, and you, not us, have full responsibility for the message, including its legality, reliability, appropriateness, originality, and copyright.

We may assign these Terms and our rights hereunder, in whole or in part, to a third party, in our sole discretion, in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization or sale of substantially all of our assets, or otherwise. You may not assign, sublicense, or delegate any of your rights hereunder.

PRIVACY POLICY

Our Privacy Policy is considered part of this Agreement. You should review this Privacy Policy by clicking on this link.

A Quick Guide to Help You Prepare for Your International Move

Read the text from the article below. To read the PDF, click here.

Yes, we are in a global pandemic, but that has not stopped Americans from researching how they can move abroad. If you find yourself googling, we have saved you a step by compiling a quick guide to help you prepare.

EMPLOYMENT & VISAS

Take the time to research your options and reach out to the other expats currently in the country you are targeting.

  • Speak to your current employer, do they offer international assignments?

  • Are you highly skilled or specialized? The European Union and many other countries, offer fast-tracked migration schemes to allow foreign workers to fill specific labor and skill shortages.

  • Moving for love? Foreign countries, generally, allow family reunification for marriage.

BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

Do your homework in advance of your move.

  • Banking abroad as an American can be a bit of a headache. The US can and will track and monitor American taxpayers who have foreign financial accounts. This additional scrutiny means not all foreign banks welcome Americans.

  • Your US financial institutions may limit or discontinue services when you notify them of your address outside the US.

FAMILY ISSUES

Family issues are a wide range of things.

  • If you have children, are you thinking about local or international schools? Both have benefits, drawbacks, and potentially waiting lists.

  • Are you moving with a spouse who wants to take advantage of generous maternal/paternal leave available outside the US? Each country has their own regulations.

  • Do you have aging parents or young adult children who will stay in the US?

INCOME TAX PLANNING

Planning must begin before you go!

  • US citizens and green cardholders have mandatory US income tax filing requirements, regardless of where you live and work.

  • Most countries outside the US operate on residence-based taxation, meaning you will need to file a foreign tax return.

  • There are tax treaties between the US and many countries to help alleviate double taxation, but they can be complicated.

  • Many income items will be taxed and treated differently between the US and foreign tax regimes - planning is key.

  • If you self-prepare or work with a local US accountant who does not specialize in expats you may unknowingly omit important foreign information filings, underreport income or overpay taxes.

INSURANCE

Research and obtain new policies that are effective in your foreign country or residence.

  • Double check all your current insurance policies, what can you keep, what do you need to purchase?

  • Depending on your length of stay abroad, you may be able to keep US policies in place.

CITIZENSHIP & RESIDENCY STATUS

A second passport seems to be the new status symbol among Americans.

  • Not all countries allow Americans to hold dual citizenship, so check the requirements if you have your heart set on achieving this status.

  • Long-term residence is also attractive for many, but often requires a high level of fluency in the official language.

  • Check your visa and be sure to understand how your residency status changes should you leave the company that brings you over or if you are made redundant.

INVESTMENT PLANNING

It’s okay to manage your own assets but be sure you know the tax and reporting obligations no matter how and where you invest.

  • Investment regulations vary widely from country to country.

  • Ensure your investment advisor acts as your fiduciary, meaning they are working in YOUR best interests, not theirs.

  • Take the time to understand the local tax implications of your portfolio and understand that many foreign investments are taxed and penalized from a US tax perspective.

  • Your US retirement account may be your biggest investment account, so make sure you understand how your new country categorizes your accounts to avoid a surprise tax bill.

Even if you feel your situation is simple, a paid consultation with a financial planner and tax advisor who specializes in cross-border planning before you go is an investment that will save you money and headaches down the road. If you have specific questions feel free to reach out to me, Arielle Tucker. I’ve lived in Zurich, Berlin, and now Munich. Or reach out to my colleague at KLR, Kristen Howze, who has lived in Amsterdam and Lausanne.

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