Financial planning support for immigration, residency & citizenship advisers
A change of residence or citizenship can have consequences far beyond the immigration process itself.
Clients may need to review pensions, investments, retirement accounts, banking, currency exposure, protection and future retirement planning before or after a move.
Josh Clancey works alongside immigration, residency and citizenship advisers where internationally mobile clients need financial planning to support a move, change of residence or wider relocation strategy.
Financial planning alongside immigration and residency advice
The immigration adviser remains responsible for visas, residence, citizenship and other matters within their professional remit.
Josh's role is financial planning.
That can include helping clients consider:
- pensions and retirement accounts before a move
- investment portability
- future retirement planning
- cash-flow modelling
- currency exposure
- banking and liquidity
- protection
- beneficiary arrangements
- assets held in several countries
- preparing financially for a return to the UK
- preparing for a move to the UAE or another jurisdiction
The objective is to help the client understand the financial consequences of an international move while the immigration adviser handles the immigration process itself.
Client situations where immigration and financial planning commonly intersect
A client is moving to the UAE
The immigration process may be straightforward, but the client may still need to review pensions, investments, banking and retirement planning before or after arrival.
A client is leaving the UAE
A departure can create decisions around pension arrangements, investments, end-of-service benefits, banking and where assets should be held next.
A British client is leaving the UK
The client may need to review pensions, ISAs, investments, future tax residence and how existing arrangements work once they become non-resident.
A client is returning to the UK
Pre-arrival planning may be required before UK residence begins.
A client is moving between the UK and US
Retirement accounts, investments and tax coordination can become particularly important where the client has ties to both jurisdictions.
A client is changing US immigration status
Green Card relinquishment or expatriation can create financial-planning consequences alongside specialist immigration and tax advice.
Questions that may indicate a wider financial-planning need
What happens to the client's existing pensions after the move?
UK pensions, US retirement accounts and occupational schemes may all need to be reviewed separately.
Can the client's existing investment accounts remain open?
Provider restrictions, local regulation and residency changes can affect account access and portability.
Which currency will the client spend in?
Long-term spending currency can influence investment and retirement-income planning.
Is the move temporary or permanent?
The financial plan may be very different for a three-year assignment compared with permanent emigration.
Does the client expect to retire in the new country?
Retirement location can affect pensions, currency, banking and investment decisions.
Is the client returning to a previous home jurisdiction?
Returners may need pre-arrival planning before residence changes.
Does the client have US citizenship or Green Card history?
That can create additional tax, reporting and investment considerations requiring specialist coordination.
Professional resources for immigration, residency & citizenship advisers
The Document Centre includes technical briefs, professional guides and practical checklists covering clients moving country, UK returners, clients leaving the UK, US expatriation, UK/US moves, UAE relocation and cross-border retirement planning.
Useful resources for immigration, residency & citizenship advisers
The Professional Adviser's Guide to Cross-Border Financial Planning
A broad guide to the financial-planning issues that can arise when residence, pensions, investments and retirement span jurisdictions.
The Professional Adviser's Guide to UK Returners
A professional guide for clients preparing to become UK resident again after living overseas.
The Professional Adviser's Guide to Clients Moving to the UAE
A practical guide to the financial-planning issues that can arise when clients relocate to the UAE.
The Professional Adviser's Guide to Clients Leaving the UAE
A broader resource covering the financial-planning decisions that may arise when an international client leaves the UAE.
Client Moving Country Checklist
A practical checklist for identifying the main financial arrangements that may need to be reviewed before or after an international move.
US Expatriation and Green Card Relinquishment Checklist
A professional checklist for identifying cases where specialist US tax, immigration and financial-planning coordination may be required.
A visa decision can trigger wider financial decisions
The immigration process can establish where a client is legally entitled to live or work.
That does not automatically resolve what should happen to their financial arrangements.
A move can affect:
- whether existing accounts remain usable
- where future savings should be invested
- how retirement assets are coordinated
- which currencies the client needs
- how much liquidity should be retained
- whether pensions need to be reviewed
- whether beneficiary arrangements remain appropriate
- whether the client should restructure investments before or after moving
These decisions often need to be considered around the same time as the immigration process.
Working alongside the immigration adviser
Josh can work within a defined professional boundary.
For example:
- the immigration adviser handles the residence application, while Josh reviews the client's pensions and investments
- the adviser confirms the expected move date, while Josh helps the client prepare financially before relocation
- the immigration lawyer advises on Green Card relinquishment, while US tax advisers establish the tax consequences and Josh considers the financial-planning implications
- the residency adviser helps the client relocate to the UAE, while Josh reviews retirement, investment and liquidity planning
- the immigration professional remains the lead contact for the move, with Josh involved only where financial planning is required
Josh does not provide immigration, citizenship or residency advice.
Where a financial recommendation depends on immigration, legal or tax advice, the relevant professional should establish that position first.
Technical briefings for immigration and relocation teams
Josh can provide focused briefings for immigration advisers, residency specialists and citizenship professionals dealing with internationally mobile clients.
Topics can include UK returners, clients leaving the UK, moves to and from the UAE, US expatriation, retirement accounts and financial planning around international relocation.
Have a relocating client you would like to discuss?
If a move, change of residence or citizenship decision has created questions around pensions, investments, retirement planning or internationally held assets, an initial discussion can help establish whether Josh is likely to add value alongside your work.
There is no requirement to make a formal introduction simply to determine whether the case falls within his remit.