Help For Expat Investors From Andrew Hallam

If you or someone you know is working outside of their home country, you need to get

The Global Expatriate's Guide to Investing

by Andrew Hallam.  The subtitle From Millionaire Teacher to Millionaire Expat refers to his immensely popular book Millionaire Teacher.

Hallam's gift is the ability to explain, using stories and humor, some of the most intricate parts of the investment markets facing everyday workers seeking to attain a secure and satisfying retirement.  These are the parts of the market where a huge part of the financial services industry have, sadly, taken great advantage of investors in the U.S. and, even to a greater extent, globally.

If U.S. citizen investors think they face a complex task investing in the U.S., they should consider the task from the perspective of the out-of-country expat investor.  All countries have their own rules; but, in general, the expat has no type of social security, has to be careful choosing a broker because of how difficult it is to compare fees and different offerings, be aware of laws that could affect tax exclusion, be aware of possible estate taxes from investing too great an amount in certain counties, factor in the cost to convert currencies--and the list just goes on and on.

All of this has not gone unnoticed by the unscrupulous who have invaded expats, especially teachers teaching abroad, with retirement schemes that lock in participants for decades into high cost, commissioned products.  These outrageously priced products have the potential to wipe out almost the entire contributions as well as earnings, if participants decide they want to change course.

In the book, Hallam gives explicit advice for successful investing for all investors--using the low-cost index approach recommended in the first book as well as by such market stalwarts as Buffett, Bogle, and Malkiel--but also introduces the permanent portfolio which has an incredible record.  The second half of the book covers expats in specific countries.  Again, actionable steps are presented so that expats in those countries know exactly what to do.

Part of the problem is that human resource departments are not generally investment savvy.  This book is a must read for them!  This book should be given to every new hire.

Simply stated, the information in this book is available nowhere else.  Everyone would profit by reading it--but especially expats.