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Millionaire Expat: How To Build Wealth Living Overseas
Build your strongest-ever portfolio from anywhere in the world Millionaire Expat is a handbook for smart investing, saving for retirement, and building wealth while overseas. As a follow-up to The Global Expatriate's Guide to Investing, this book provides savvy investment advice for everyone—no matter where you're from—to help you achieve your financial goals. Whether you're looking for safety, strong growth, or a mix of both, index funds are the answer. Low-risk and reliable, these are the investments you won't hear about from most advisors. Most advisors would rather earn whopping commissions than follow sound financial principles, but Warren Buffett and Nobel Prize winners agree that index funds are the best way to achieve market success—so who are you ready to trust with your financial future?
If you want a better advisor, this book will show you how to find one; if you'd rather go it alone, this book gives you index fund strategies to help you invest in the best products for you.
Learn how to invest for both safety and strong returns Discover just how much retirement will actually cost, and how much you should be saving every month Find out where to find a trustworthy advisor—or go it alone Take advantage of your offshore status to invest successfully and profitably Author Andrew Hallam was a high school teacher who built a million-dollar portfolio—on a teacher's salary. He knows how everyday people can achieve success in the market. In Millionaire Expat, he tailors his best advice to the unique needs of those living overseas to give you the targeted, real-world guidance you need.
If you want a better advisor, this book will show you how to find one; if you'd rather go it alone, this book gives you index fund strategies to help you invest in the best products for you.
Learn how to invest for both safety and strong returns Discover just how much retirement will actually cost, and how much you should be saving every month Find out where to find a trustworthy advisor—or go it alone Take advantage of your offshore status to invest successfully and profitably Author Andrew Hallam was a high school teacher who built a million-dollar portfolio—on a teacher's salary. He knows how everyday people can achieve success in the market. In Millionaire Expat, he tailors his best advice to the unique needs of those living overseas to give you the targeted, real-world guidance you need.
545 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2017
About the author
Andrew Hallam
9 books152 followersI have a romantic idea. It isn't the red roses, candlelight dinner kind of thing (although that's a nice notion too).
Instead, I want to help people spend time with the people and passions they love. Sound corny? Bear with me for a moment.
Financial independence buys time. That's where my books and talks come in. I want to show people how to invest. The financial industry says, "Hey, let us help!" But few enter this industry to make the world a better place. Would Mother Teresa (or any of her friends) have worked for Goldman Sachs?
Instead, with few exceptions, it's an industry of vultures. So let me show you how to find the right kind of (rare) financial advisor, or invest on your own.
This will give you financial freedom. You'll be able to spend time on your loves, passions–and perhaps, even a few more candlelight dinners.
Instead, I want to help people spend time with the people and passions they love. Sound corny? Bear with me for a moment.
Financial independence buys time. That's where my books and talks come in. I want to show people how to invest. The financial industry says, "Hey, let us help!" But few enter this industry to make the world a better place. Would Mother Teresa (or any of her friends) have worked for Goldman Sachs?
Instead, with few exceptions, it's an industry of vultures. So let me show you how to find the right kind of (rare) financial advisor, or invest on your own.
This will give you financial freedom. You'll be able to spend time on your loves, passions–and perhaps, even a few more candlelight dinners.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 6, 2018
This is an personal finance book with an expatriates twist. The writings is casual but a little repetitive, meaning you can skim through a lot of material without missing out too much.
There are 20 chapters, from which I would roughly divide into 3 parts.
Part one is a repeat of many other personal finance books:
- Don't trust your broker or commissioned financial advisors.
- Don't try to speculate the market.
- Use low-cost index funds.
- Consider a Couch Potato portfolio.
Note that the book does not address the issues of debts, the benefits of regular savings, and the importance of controlling emotions during market upheavals. The reader is assumed to have a grasp of these topics.
In the second part of the book, the author addresses many challenges faced by oversea investors. Many of these are presented in an FAQs form, which I find pretty interesting. Discussed topics include international taxation, brokerage selection, currency risks, etc.
A large chunk of the book then presents different portfolio models for expats with different nationalities, including those of US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Irish, Europe and Asia.
The last part discusses briefly about savings and retirement planning. Apart from guidance on how to plan for retirement savings, the author also shares lots of anecdotes from his acquaintances. They're quite interesting to read.
All in all, this is an easy and informative read. The book is definitely targeted at a niche audience. As of the time of this review, I'm not aware of other books in the same niche. So if you intend to invest while living oversea, this would be a valuable resource.
p/s: Useful resources: moneychimp.com (compound interest calculator), portfoliovisualizer.com (portfolio analysis tool), numbeo.com (comparing cost of living).
There are 20 chapters, from which I would roughly divide into 3 parts.
Part one is a repeat of many other personal finance books:
- Don't trust your broker or commissioned financial advisors.
- Don't try to speculate the market.
- Use low-cost index funds.
- Consider a Couch Potato portfolio.
Note that the book does not address the issues of debts, the benefits of regular savings, and the importance of controlling emotions during market upheavals. The reader is assumed to have a grasp of these topics.
In the second part of the book, the author addresses many challenges faced by oversea investors. Many of these are presented in an FAQs form, which I find pretty interesting. Discussed topics include international taxation, brokerage selection, currency risks, etc.
A large chunk of the book then presents different portfolio models for expats with different nationalities, including those of US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Irish, Europe and Asia.
The last part discusses briefly about savings and retirement planning. Apart from guidance on how to plan for retirement savings, the author also shares lots of anecdotes from his acquaintances. They're quite interesting to read.
All in all, this is an easy and informative read. The book is definitely targeted at a niche audience. As of the time of this review, I'm not aware of other books in the same niche. So if you intend to invest while living oversea, this would be a valuable resource.
p/s: Useful resources: moneychimp.com (compound interest calculator), portfoliovisualizer.com (portfolio analysis tool), numbeo.com (comparing cost of living).
January 1, 2021
Everything that you are going to learn in this book is going to be so useful for you to develop a career overseas.
However, quite a few times, it felt like Hallam was taking too much time to explain simple concepts. On the other hand, if you need lots of examples to understand, consider this book as a jewel.
However, quite a few times, it felt like Hallam was taking too much time to explain simple concepts. On the other hand, if you need lots of examples to understand, consider this book as a jewel.
March 30, 2019
Highly recommended for anyone planning to live (even short-term) overseas.
Chapter 1: Grow Big Profits without Any Effort
* Take one of the world's hottest real estate markets: Vancouver, British Columbia. Referencing figures from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, CBC News reported that the average detached Vancouver home sold for $368,800 in 1994. By 2016, it was worth $1,470,265.4 That's a massive gain of 299 percent over 22 years. In contrast, if someone had invested $368,800 in a Canadian stock index, it would have grown to $2,006,272 by December 31, 2016.5 If you had invested $368,800 in a US stock index, the money would have grown to $2,716,520 by December 31, 2016.6
* Joshua Kennon, a financial author at About.com (a division of the New York Times Company), calculated how valuable reinvested dividends are. He assumed an investor purchased $10,000 of Coca‐Cola stock in June 1962. If that person didn't reinvest the stock's dividends into additional Coca‐Cola shares, the initial $10,000 would have earned $136,270 in cash dividends by 2012 and the shares would be worth $503,103. If the person had invested the cash dividends, however, the $10,000 would have grown to $1,750,000.8 - Joshua Kennon, “Reinvesting Dividends vs. Not Reinvesting Dividends: A 50‐Year Case Study of Coca‐Cola Stock.” Accessed May 1, 2017. www.joshuakennon.com/reinvesting‐divi....
* Yale University finance professor David Swensen writes in his book Pioneering Portfolio Management, “A particularly prevalent problem in many Asian countries involves family‐controlled companies satisfying family desires at the expense of external minority shareholder wishes.” - 14. David F. Swensen, Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment (New York: Free Press, 2000).
Chapter 5: Self-Appointed Gurus and Neanderthal Brains
* I'm 47 years old. Over my lifetime, the S&P 500 (with dividends reinvested) has hit all‐time highs during 31 different calendar years
* For example, let's look at the US stock market from 1982 through December 2005. During this time, the stock market averaged 10.6 percent annually. But if you didn't have money in the stock market during the 10 best trading days, your average return would have dropped to 8.1 percent. If you missed the best 50 trading days, your average return would have been just 1.8 percent. (Kenneth L. Fisher, Jennifer Chou, and Lara Hoffmans, The Only Three Questions That Count (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007), 279.) Markets can move so unpredictably, and so quickly. If you take money out of the stock market for a day, a week, a month, or a year, you could miss the best trading days of the decade.
* Between 1926 and 2006, the 10 biggest stocks in the United States underperformed the average US stock by 2.9 percent the subsequent year. After 3 years, they lagged by 11.1 percent; after 5 years, by 17.7 percent; and after 10 years they were 29.4 percent behind the S&P 500. During the 81‐year study, the largest 10 companies have never, as a group, outperformed the S&P 500 in subsequent years. Source: Andrew Hallam, “With Stocks, Bigger Isn't Better,” Canadian Business, October 15, 2013. Accessed May 7, 2014. www.canadianbusiness.com/investing/wi...
* A study by Arizona State University finance professor Hendrik Bessembinder says just 4 percent of the stocks in the US market accounted for all of the stock market's gains between 1926 and 2015. That means about 96 percent of individual stocks didn't make money. Source: Hendrik Bessembinder, “Do Stocks Outperform Treasury Bills?” Arizona State University, May 22, 2017. Accessed May 31, 2017. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c....
* University of Florida finance professor Jay Ritter has studied IPO performances for years. He finds that IPO buyers are like rock climbers with frayed ropes. Examining 1,006 IPOs from 1988 to 1993, he found that the Russell 3000 index of small‐cap stocks (the average American small stock) beat the typical IPO by 30 percent during the three years after it was launched. At the end of that period, 46 percent of the stocks were below their IPO price.
Chapter 7: Couch Potato Investing
* For this reason, buying indexes of bonds with shorter maturities (such as one‐ to three‐year bonds) is usually wiser than buying indexes with longer‐term bonds. When a bond within a short‐term index matures, it gets replaced. If inflation rises, the newly purchased bond will offer higher interest yields, allowing investors in short‐term bond indexes to exceed inflation over time.
Chapter 8: Investment Advisors with a Conscience
* Unlike most Canadian‐based investment companies, WealthBar offers services to expat Canadians. Such investors would be registered as nonresident account holders. That should keep them free and clear of Canadian capital gains taxes.
* Jason Heath from Objective Financial Planners works with Canada expats in clients in Brazil, Europe, the United States, Africa, etc.
* PlanVision's Mark Zoril charges $96 a year and helps his clients use platforms such as Interactive Brokers, Saxo Capital Markets, TD Direct International [now Internaxx], DBS Vickers, among others.
Chapter 9: Choosing Your Offshore Brokerage--For Non-Americans
* Finally, if you live where offshore investments won't be taxed (confirm with a tax accountant), choose an offshore brokerage located where the authorities won't charge capital gains taxes.
* Here are four such examples for non‐American expatriates: DBS Vickers Securities, based in Singapore; TD Direct Investing International (now Internaxx), based in Luxembourg; Swissquote, based in Switzerland; and Saxo Capital Markets, located in more than 20 worldwide locations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Uruguay, and the United Arab Emirates.
* In North America and the United Kingdom, brokerages keep reducing fees. Every year, the market gets more competitive. That's why fees keep dropping. Offshore brokerages, however, play silly yoyo games.
* Some brokerages discriminate against expatriates living in certain countries, not allowing them to open accounts. But Singapore's DBS Vickers isn't one of them.
* DBS Vickers Securities allows investors to trade online using the Hong Kong, Singapore, US, and Canadian markets.
* There's no need to file a Canadian income tax form. DBS Vickers simply sends 15 percent of each dividend to the Canadian government (as other brokers do, when you buy off the Canadian exchange).
* With no annual account fees and no dividend processing costs, TD Ameritrade Singapore certainly tempting. But if you're a non‐American expat, avoid this brokerage. Investors pay 30 percent dividend withholding taxes because the brokerage trades solely on the US market.
* TD Direct Investing International (Internaxx) allows investors to access 18 different stock markets, including the London, Dublin, Toronto, and Sydney exchanges. Expats living in Japan, Indonesia Bangladesh aren't eligible to open accounts with Internaxx.
* Expats living Japan, Bangladesh, and some African countries don't qualify for Saxo Capital Markets either.
* Fortunately, Japanese‐based expats can still open accounts with Singapore's DBS Vickers and Interactive Brokers.
* Interactive Brokers allows non-Americans to open accounts from almost every country in the world. That said, it's an American firm and holds all securities in North American accounts, regardless of the exchange from which they're purchased. As such, there's always a slim possibility that your heirs could be liable for US estate taxes upon your death. This risk, however, is far lower if you invest off a non‐American exchange, buying non‐American domiciled ETFs.
Chapter 10: The 30 Questions Do-It-Yourself Investors Ask
* Don't buy an index that is currency hedged if you can help it. Buying products that try to smooth these ups and downs through currency hedging involves an extra layer of costs—and those costs can hurt your returns.
* If bond ETFs are currency‐hedged, they don't tend to have the same long‐term performance drags that occur with currency‐hedged stock market ETFs, when compared to their non‐hedged alternatives.
* To keep costs low, think of the 1 percent rule. Never pay more than 1 percent of your total invested proceeds in commissions.
* Always remember that the listed currency of an ETF is irrelevant. For example, if a French investor buys a European bond ETF listed in US dollars, he isn't making a US dollar investment. Instead, he's buying bonds that are valued in euros. If the US dollar rises against the euro, his bond ETF's price will fall. But if he sold the bonds (seemingly at a loss) and converted the proceeds into euros, he'll likely find that he didn't lose money if he measures his success in euros … including interest.
* “In about 80 percent of rolling 10‐year periods, the portfolio with [10 percent real estate added] … achieved a higher return; volatility was lower in about 65 percent of the same periods.” - Gregg S. Fisher, “Why We Believe Your Portfolio Needs Global REITs,” Forbes, December 1, 2014. Accessed June 15, 2017. www.forbes.com/sites/greggfisher/2014...
* Based on actual fund returns, it's tough to argue that small stocks have any long‐term advantage.
* Build a single, globally diversified portfolio that has no home‐country bias. Out of convenience, I've chosen to call these Global Nomad portfolios. Such portfolios would work well for couples that don't know where they want to retire.
* If you're faced with any issue building your portfolio, contact PlanVision's Mark Zoril. For an annual consulting free of just US$96 per year, he helps everyone, regardless of nationality. Tel: 1 (855) 965 4286 - E‐mail: markzoril@planvisionmn.com
Chapter 12: Portfolio Models for Canadian Expats
* As a Vancouver-born Middle East resident, he doesn't pay capital gains taxes on his TD Waterhouse investment profits. His dividends are taxed at a flat 15 percent.
* Some expatriates fear Canada may change its tax laws, either closing or taxing nonresident investment accounts based in Canada
* One option is: 20% VCN (Canada All Cap), 60% XAW (All Country World ex Canada), 20%VSB/VAB (Short-term Canadian Bond Index)
* For global nomads, one option is 80% XAW and 20% RGGB RBC Global Government Bond (CAD hedged) Index ETF.
* For RRSPs, I got a 40% rebate on my contributions to my RRSP and when I was living in Singapore. I paid a 25 percent withholding tax to withdraw it. If you're an expatriate Canadian with an RRSP, you might consider doing the same.
* As mentioned, expatriate Canadians can avoid capital gains taxes. But there's also a way to dodge dividend taxes. Horizons Canada offers three swap‐based ETFs on the Canadian market.
* The most tax-efficient portfolio for Canadians overseas is HXT (tracks TSX 60), HXS (tracks S&P 500), VDU (international ex-US, not available in Horizons swap-based), VEE (emerging markets), and HBB (Horizons bond product).
Chapter 14: Portfolio Models for Australian Expats
* Dividend withholding tax on Australian exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) is 30 percent.
* Currency hedging is suitable for bond market index funds but not stock market index funds.
* Investors not wanting any ties to Australia might be better off with the iShares Global Inflation Linked Gov't Bond ETF (IGIL). It isn't currency hedged. It also reinvests dividends automatically.
Chapter 15: Portfolio Models for New Zealand Expats
* The Telegraph reported in 2010 that roughly a quarter of New Zealand's skilled workforce had fled the country.1 No other developed nation has a poorer record retaining skilled workers. Higher wages abroad might be the reason. According to The Telegraph, highly skilled Kiwis abroad earn 78 percent more than they can in their home country. (Sean O'Hare, “New Zealand Brain‐Drain Worst in World,” The Telegraph, September 2, 2010. Accessed July 3, 2014. www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/7....)
Other notes
* SWDA (all world stock) is listed on LSE but in USD (same with IGIL - international bond index).
* VXC - 0.27% MER, XAW - 0.22 MER - has better edge.
* You might notice that the ETFs I recommend trade in US dollars. That doesn't mean they represent US dollars. The listed currency of an ETF is often irrelevant.
* Hong Kong's market offers narrower bid/ask spreads on its stocks and ETFs because daily business volume is higher than it is in Singapore.
* 1000 yen = $9 USD. international stock, priced in USD - $9/share. Buy 100 units of it, so $900 (or 900,000 yen worth). Then, it goes to 1000 yen = $8 USD. Then price of stock would go to $800. Convert it, it's still 1000 yen. Convert it back, it's still 1000 yen.
Chapter 1: Grow Big Profits without Any Effort
* Take one of the world's hottest real estate markets: Vancouver, British Columbia. Referencing figures from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, CBC News reported that the average detached Vancouver home sold for $368,800 in 1994. By 2016, it was worth $1,470,265.4 That's a massive gain of 299 percent over 22 years. In contrast, if someone had invested $368,800 in a Canadian stock index, it would have grown to $2,006,272 by December 31, 2016.5 If you had invested $368,800 in a US stock index, the money would have grown to $2,716,520 by December 31, 2016.6
* Joshua Kennon, a financial author at About.com (a division of the New York Times Company), calculated how valuable reinvested dividends are. He assumed an investor purchased $10,000 of Coca‐Cola stock in June 1962. If that person didn't reinvest the stock's dividends into additional Coca‐Cola shares, the initial $10,000 would have earned $136,270 in cash dividends by 2012 and the shares would be worth $503,103. If the person had invested the cash dividends, however, the $10,000 would have grown to $1,750,000.8 - Joshua Kennon, “Reinvesting Dividends vs. Not Reinvesting Dividends: A 50‐Year Case Study of Coca‐Cola Stock.” Accessed May 1, 2017. www.joshuakennon.com/reinvesting‐divi....
* Yale University finance professor David Swensen writes in his book Pioneering Portfolio Management, “A particularly prevalent problem in many Asian countries involves family‐controlled companies satisfying family desires at the expense of external minority shareholder wishes.” - 14. David F. Swensen, Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment (New York: Free Press, 2000).
Chapter 5: Self-Appointed Gurus and Neanderthal Brains
* I'm 47 years old. Over my lifetime, the S&P 500 (with dividends reinvested) has hit all‐time highs during 31 different calendar years
* For example, let's look at the US stock market from 1982 through December 2005. During this time, the stock market averaged 10.6 percent annually. But if you didn't have money in the stock market during the 10 best trading days, your average return would have dropped to 8.1 percent. If you missed the best 50 trading days, your average return would have been just 1.8 percent. (Kenneth L. Fisher, Jennifer Chou, and Lara Hoffmans, The Only Three Questions That Count (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007), 279.) Markets can move so unpredictably, and so quickly. If you take money out of the stock market for a day, a week, a month, or a year, you could miss the best trading days of the decade.
* Between 1926 and 2006, the 10 biggest stocks in the United States underperformed the average US stock by 2.9 percent the subsequent year. After 3 years, they lagged by 11.1 percent; after 5 years, by 17.7 percent; and after 10 years they were 29.4 percent behind the S&P 500. During the 81‐year study, the largest 10 companies have never, as a group, outperformed the S&P 500 in subsequent years. Source: Andrew Hallam, “With Stocks, Bigger Isn't Better,” Canadian Business, October 15, 2013. Accessed May 7, 2014. www.canadianbusiness.com/investing/wi...
* A study by Arizona State University finance professor Hendrik Bessembinder says just 4 percent of the stocks in the US market accounted for all of the stock market's gains between 1926 and 2015. That means about 96 percent of individual stocks didn't make money. Source: Hendrik Bessembinder, “Do Stocks Outperform Treasury Bills?” Arizona State University, May 22, 2017. Accessed May 31, 2017. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.c....
* University of Florida finance professor Jay Ritter has studied IPO performances for years. He finds that IPO buyers are like rock climbers with frayed ropes. Examining 1,006 IPOs from 1988 to 1993, he found that the Russell 3000 index of small‐cap stocks (the average American small stock) beat the typical IPO by 30 percent during the three years after it was launched. At the end of that period, 46 percent of the stocks were below their IPO price.
Chapter 7: Couch Potato Investing
* For this reason, buying indexes of bonds with shorter maturities (such as one‐ to three‐year bonds) is usually wiser than buying indexes with longer‐term bonds. When a bond within a short‐term index matures, it gets replaced. If inflation rises, the newly purchased bond will offer higher interest yields, allowing investors in short‐term bond indexes to exceed inflation over time.
Chapter 8: Investment Advisors with a Conscience
* Unlike most Canadian‐based investment companies, WealthBar offers services to expat Canadians. Such investors would be registered as nonresident account holders. That should keep them free and clear of Canadian capital gains taxes.
* Jason Heath from Objective Financial Planners works with Canada expats in clients in Brazil, Europe, the United States, Africa, etc.
* PlanVision's Mark Zoril charges $96 a year and helps his clients use platforms such as Interactive Brokers, Saxo Capital Markets, TD Direct International [now Internaxx], DBS Vickers, among others.
Chapter 9: Choosing Your Offshore Brokerage--For Non-Americans
* Finally, if you live where offshore investments won't be taxed (confirm with a tax accountant), choose an offshore brokerage located where the authorities won't charge capital gains taxes.
* Here are four such examples for non‐American expatriates: DBS Vickers Securities, based in Singapore; TD Direct Investing International (now Internaxx), based in Luxembourg; Swissquote, based in Switzerland; and Saxo Capital Markets, located in more than 20 worldwide locations, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Uruguay, and the United Arab Emirates.
* In North America and the United Kingdom, brokerages keep reducing fees. Every year, the market gets more competitive. That's why fees keep dropping. Offshore brokerages, however, play silly yoyo games.
* Some brokerages discriminate against expatriates living in certain countries, not allowing them to open accounts. But Singapore's DBS Vickers isn't one of them.
* DBS Vickers Securities allows investors to trade online using the Hong Kong, Singapore, US, and Canadian markets.
* There's no need to file a Canadian income tax form. DBS Vickers simply sends 15 percent of each dividend to the Canadian government (as other brokers do, when you buy off the Canadian exchange).
* With no annual account fees and no dividend processing costs, TD Ameritrade Singapore certainly tempting. But if you're a non‐American expat, avoid this brokerage. Investors pay 30 percent dividend withholding taxes because the brokerage trades solely on the US market.
* TD Direct Investing International (Internaxx) allows investors to access 18 different stock markets, including the London, Dublin, Toronto, and Sydney exchanges. Expats living in Japan, Indonesia Bangladesh aren't eligible to open accounts with Internaxx.
* Expats living Japan, Bangladesh, and some African countries don't qualify for Saxo Capital Markets either.
* Fortunately, Japanese‐based expats can still open accounts with Singapore's DBS Vickers and Interactive Brokers.
* Interactive Brokers allows non-Americans to open accounts from almost every country in the world. That said, it's an American firm and holds all securities in North American accounts, regardless of the exchange from which they're purchased. As such, there's always a slim possibility that your heirs could be liable for US estate taxes upon your death. This risk, however, is far lower if you invest off a non‐American exchange, buying non‐American domiciled ETFs.
Chapter 10: The 30 Questions Do-It-Yourself Investors Ask
* Don't buy an index that is currency hedged if you can help it. Buying products that try to smooth these ups and downs through currency hedging involves an extra layer of costs—and those costs can hurt your returns.
* If bond ETFs are currency‐hedged, they don't tend to have the same long‐term performance drags that occur with currency‐hedged stock market ETFs, when compared to their non‐hedged alternatives.
* To keep costs low, think of the 1 percent rule. Never pay more than 1 percent of your total invested proceeds in commissions.
* Always remember that the listed currency of an ETF is irrelevant. For example, if a French investor buys a European bond ETF listed in US dollars, he isn't making a US dollar investment. Instead, he's buying bonds that are valued in euros. If the US dollar rises against the euro, his bond ETF's price will fall. But if he sold the bonds (seemingly at a loss) and converted the proceeds into euros, he'll likely find that he didn't lose money if he measures his success in euros … including interest.
* “In about 80 percent of rolling 10‐year periods, the portfolio with [10 percent real estate added] … achieved a higher return; volatility was lower in about 65 percent of the same periods.” - Gregg S. Fisher, “Why We Believe Your Portfolio Needs Global REITs,” Forbes, December 1, 2014. Accessed June 15, 2017. www.forbes.com/sites/greggfisher/2014...
* Based on actual fund returns, it's tough to argue that small stocks have any long‐term advantage.
* Build a single, globally diversified portfolio that has no home‐country bias. Out of convenience, I've chosen to call these Global Nomad portfolios. Such portfolios would work well for couples that don't know where they want to retire.
* If you're faced with any issue building your portfolio, contact PlanVision's Mark Zoril. For an annual consulting free of just US$96 per year, he helps everyone, regardless of nationality. Tel: 1 (855) 965 4286 - E‐mail: markzoril@planvisionmn.com
Chapter 12: Portfolio Models for Canadian Expats
* As a Vancouver-born Middle East resident, he doesn't pay capital gains taxes on his TD Waterhouse investment profits. His dividends are taxed at a flat 15 percent.
* Some expatriates fear Canada may change its tax laws, either closing or taxing nonresident investment accounts based in Canada
* One option is: 20% VCN (Canada All Cap), 60% XAW (All Country World ex Canada), 20%VSB/VAB (Short-term Canadian Bond Index)
* For global nomads, one option is 80% XAW and 20% RGGB RBC Global Government Bond (CAD hedged) Index ETF.
* For RRSPs, I got a 40% rebate on my contributions to my RRSP and when I was living in Singapore. I paid a 25 percent withholding tax to withdraw it. If you're an expatriate Canadian with an RRSP, you might consider doing the same.
* As mentioned, expatriate Canadians can avoid capital gains taxes. But there's also a way to dodge dividend taxes. Horizons Canada offers three swap‐based ETFs on the Canadian market.
* The most tax-efficient portfolio for Canadians overseas is HXT (tracks TSX 60), HXS (tracks S&P 500), VDU (international ex-US, not available in Horizons swap-based), VEE (emerging markets), and HBB (Horizons bond product).
Chapter 14: Portfolio Models for Australian Expats
* Dividend withholding tax on Australian exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) is 30 percent.
* Currency hedging is suitable for bond market index funds but not stock market index funds.
* Investors not wanting any ties to Australia might be better off with the iShares Global Inflation Linked Gov't Bond ETF (IGIL). It isn't currency hedged. It also reinvests dividends automatically.
Chapter 15: Portfolio Models for New Zealand Expats
* The Telegraph reported in 2010 that roughly a quarter of New Zealand's skilled workforce had fled the country.1 No other developed nation has a poorer record retaining skilled workers. Higher wages abroad might be the reason. According to The Telegraph, highly skilled Kiwis abroad earn 78 percent more than they can in their home country. (Sean O'Hare, “New Zealand Brain‐Drain Worst in World,” The Telegraph, September 2, 2010. Accessed July 3, 2014. www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/7....)
Other notes
* SWDA (all world stock) is listed on LSE but in USD (same with IGIL - international bond index).
* VXC - 0.27% MER, XAW - 0.22 MER - has better edge.
* You might notice that the ETFs I recommend trade in US dollars. That doesn't mean they represent US dollars. The listed currency of an ETF is often irrelevant.
* Hong Kong's market offers narrower bid/ask spreads on its stocks and ETFs because daily business volume is higher than it is in Singapore.
* 1000 yen = $9 USD. international stock, priced in USD - $9/share. Buy 100 units of it, so $900 (or 900,000 yen worth). Then, it goes to 1000 yen = $8 USD. Then price of stock would go to $800. Convert it, it's still 1000 yen. Convert it back, it's still 1000 yen.
January 6, 2021
Stonks
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2020
If you are an expat, and like the author suggests, you might not have a safe pension waiting for you in you decide to retire in your home country, this is definitely a book you should consult.
Why the 3 star rating then? Although I can understand that the author was trying to make a difficult topic - at least for the majority of us - interesting and funny as it is finance/investment, I didn't really quite appreciate his writing. In some parts, I believe he exaggerated in the humour - or at least what he thinks it's humour - and in others, I believe the author has some cheap shots to what he believes to be the 'snakes in suits'. I've read other finance/investment books, and although its authors offer sound advice against people that might not have your best interests at hand, they also do it in a way where they don't become nasty or simply rude.
Nonetheless, he offers some interesting advice - tools to be used or entities to be consulted - that in my opinion, everyone should give at least a quick peek, especially if you are within the niche the book is positioned - expats.
Why the 3 star rating then? Although I can understand that the author was trying to make a difficult topic - at least for the majority of us - interesting and funny as it is finance/investment, I didn't really quite appreciate his writing. In some parts, I believe he exaggerated in the humour - or at least what he thinks it's humour - and in others, I believe the author has some cheap shots to what he believes to be the 'snakes in suits'. I've read other finance/investment books, and although its authors offer sound advice against people that might not have your best interests at hand, they also do it in a way where they don't become nasty or simply rude.
Nonetheless, he offers some interesting advice - tools to be used or entities to be consulted - that in my opinion, everyone should give at least a quick peek, especially if you are within the niche the book is positioned - expats.
December 11, 2022
Gem of a book - Presents low cost investment and retirement portfolio startegies for international expats. Personally, the most informative section was the one that laid out region specific(Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia etc) investment strategies. Also, It has specific use cases that point out individual pitfalls which investors should be careful regarding the "so-called" high income overseas pension schemes. Highly recommended reading for all expats.
May 11, 2023
This book is beyond useful!!
February 9, 2018
Very useful, with an investment strategy in the tradition of Bogleheads. I do think you have to be careful, though, and investigate before you take everything as correct. The book kind of assumes you're employed overseas, as in with an actual employer, and the laws are often different for people who are self-employed. It would be useful to see an updated edition with this information as well as information relating to digital nomads, but there are so many variations, it seems like it might be impossible.
August 19, 2018
Good advice with repetitive filler
The first half of this book was pretty much the same story told from different perspectives: how bad investing screwed over people’s financial futures. It’s an important point to drive home, and a little repetition would have been fine, but I feel it could have been cut down tremendously. It was almost as if the author promised every person he interviewed that their story would appear in the book.
That being said, there is some good information in here, and every expat should definitely be aware of their situation. I skipped the sections that didn’t apply to me, so I can’t comment for non-Americans, but as a US citizen, I would have appreciated just a little bit more information.
One of the reasons I chose to purchase the book was because I saw a section in the Table of Contents that mentioned not contributing illegally to an IRA. Imagine my disappointment when that section was about a page long after going through all those repetitive stories... Also, it would have been nice to get a mention for us expats who sometimes work freelance gigs in addition to or opposed to long-term contract jobs. Sometimes I’m making a couple thousand a month, and sometimes I have no income for several months. I can’t contribute a regular amount consistently, and the author seems to take it for granted that all of us can.
Maybe the tax stuff is beyond the scope of this book, especially since it caters to all nationalities, but it would have been nice to get a mention and footnote for extra reading elsewhere, at least.
All of the information in this book can be found by doing your own research, so if you’re like me, you might not find anything new. But it is great to have it all (mostly) in one place, and if you feel lost or clueless about this stuff, you absolutely owe it to yourself to learn. This book is a great place to start, and only about average if you’ve already done the research.
The first half of this book was pretty much the same story told from different perspectives: how bad investing screwed over people’s financial futures. It’s an important point to drive home, and a little repetition would have been fine, but I feel it could have been cut down tremendously. It was almost as if the author promised every person he interviewed that their story would appear in the book.
That being said, there is some good information in here, and every expat should definitely be aware of their situation. I skipped the sections that didn’t apply to me, so I can’t comment for non-Americans, but as a US citizen, I would have appreciated just a little bit more information.
One of the reasons I chose to purchase the book was because I saw a section in the Table of Contents that mentioned not contributing illegally to an IRA. Imagine my disappointment when that section was about a page long after going through all those repetitive stories... Also, it would have been nice to get a mention for us expats who sometimes work freelance gigs in addition to or opposed to long-term contract jobs. Sometimes I’m making a couple thousand a month, and sometimes I have no income for several months. I can’t contribute a regular amount consistently, and the author seems to take it for granted that all of us can.
Maybe the tax stuff is beyond the scope of this book, especially since it caters to all nationalities, but it would have been nice to get a mention and footnote for extra reading elsewhere, at least.
All of the information in this book can be found by doing your own research, so if you’re like me, you might not find anything new. But it is great to have it all (mostly) in one place, and if you feel lost or clueless about this stuff, you absolutely owe it to yourself to learn. This book is a great place to start, and only about average if you’ve already done the research.
April 24, 2020
Pretty solid intro to investing. There are a few details that are specific to expats, but for the most part, pretty much an "Intro to Investing" book. There are some solid points about avoiding fees and things to watch out for specifically for expats, such as "don't do an offshore pension account" because they are straight up predatory in terms of fees.
There is also a really great section detailing different portfolios for folks of different nationalities. For instance, an American living abroad would invest somewhat differently from an expat from New Zealand.
Because Hallam has a background as an expat teaching at an international school, he tends to focus on expats doing the same thing. He assumes, to some extent, that you are a teacher and/or that you will be in a similar situation to a teacher living abroad. For those of us who might be living the digital nomad lifestyle, it is somewhat less applicable. However, by simply glossing over those sections that are focused explicitly on teachers or people who are working for an actual overseas employer, there is still a great deal of value in this book.
TL;DR - Keep your fees as low as possible, and have a broad mix of global stocks and bonds.
There is also a really great section detailing different portfolios for folks of different nationalities. For instance, an American living abroad would invest somewhat differently from an expat from New Zealand.
Because Hallam has a background as an expat teaching at an international school, he tends to focus on expats doing the same thing. He assumes, to some extent, that you are a teacher and/or that you will be in a similar situation to a teacher living abroad. For those of us who might be living the digital nomad lifestyle, it is somewhat less applicable. However, by simply glossing over those sections that are focused explicitly on teachers or people who are working for an actual overseas employer, there is still a great deal of value in this book.
TL;DR - Keep your fees as low as possible, and have a broad mix of global stocks and bonds.
April 11, 2021
This is a personal finance book with an expatriates twist. The writing tends to be somewhat repetitive, meaning you can skim through a lot of material without missing out too much, but the book contains a lot of good advice. The book is also pretty well structured, so you can skip over sections that don't apply to you.
All in all, this is an easy and informative read. The generic, "non-expat related" investment advice in this book can be easily found online and in many other personal finance books, but this book is a great place to start if you feel lost or clueless about this stuff; and only about average if you’ve already done your research. But if you intend to invest while living overseas, this book becomes a valuable resource.
Note that the book does not address the issues of debts, the benefits of regular savings, and the importance of controlling emotions during market upheavals. The reader is assumed to have a grasp of these topics.
The author uses an FAQ format to comment on many challenges faced by an overseas investor. Discussed topics include international taxation, brokerage selection, estate taxes, portfolio selection, currency risks, retirement planning (when you can't rely on state pension), etc.
All in all, this is an easy and informative read. The generic, "non-expat related" investment advice in this book can be easily found online and in many other personal finance books, but this book is a great place to start if you feel lost or clueless about this stuff; and only about average if you’ve already done your research. But if you intend to invest while living overseas, this book becomes a valuable resource.
Note that the book does not address the issues of debts, the benefits of regular savings, and the importance of controlling emotions during market upheavals. The reader is assumed to have a grasp of these topics.
The author uses an FAQ format to comment on many challenges faced by an overseas investor. Discussed topics include international taxation, brokerage selection, estate taxes, portfolio selection, currency risks, retirement planning (when you can't rely on state pension), etc.
May 3, 2021
This is the second book on personal finances that I've read and I feel like I've learned a lot. This book is definitely geared towards expats, but has plenty of sound advice regardless of whether you reside in your native country or not.
The author presents a lot of very compelling arguments for low-cost index trackers and really casts doubt on the idea that you can predict the market or beat it in a consistent fashion. Also the author presents a lot of horrifying stories about the dodgy financial products that are being sold - my takeaway is that you should fully understand what you're investing in, understand what the alternatives are and always read the small print.
In general the book came across as very well researched (plenty of backing data and studies in addition to plenty of anecdotes) and well written (plenty of entertaining stories and humor). Potentially there is a bit of repetition in here that could have been trimmed away, but in general I thought it was a good book and worth reading.
The author presents a lot of very compelling arguments for low-cost index trackers and really casts doubt on the idea that you can predict the market or beat it in a consistent fashion. Also the author presents a lot of horrifying stories about the dodgy financial products that are being sold - my takeaway is that you should fully understand what you're investing in, understand what the alternatives are and always read the small print.
In general the book came across as very well researched (plenty of backing data and studies in addition to plenty of anecdotes) and well written (plenty of entertaining stories and humor). Potentially there is a bit of repetition in here that could have been trimmed away, but in general I thought it was a good book and worth reading.
April 26, 2023
"The Millionaire Expat" by Andrew Hallam is an excellent book for anyone who wants to start their journey towards financial independence. The book provides a comprehensive guide to investing and personal finance, written in an easy-to-understand language that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of financial literacy.
What sets this book apart is that it is specifically geared towards expatriates, who often face unique financial challenges due to their mobile lifestyle. The author provides practical advice on topics such as opening a brokerage account, investing in index funds, and tax planning for expats.
Overall, "The Millionaire Expat" is a highly informative and practical book that not only educates readers but also motivates them to take action towards their financial goals. It is not just a book to be read and put aside, but rather a reference guide that readers can revisit time and again as they navigate the complex world of personal finance. Highly recommended!
What sets this book apart is that it is specifically geared towards expatriates, who often face unique financial challenges due to their mobile lifestyle. The author provides practical advice on topics such as opening a brokerage account, investing in index funds, and tax planning for expats.
Overall, "The Millionaire Expat" is a highly informative and practical book that not only educates readers but also motivates them to take action towards their financial goals. It is not just a book to be read and put aside, but rather a reference guide that readers can revisit time and again as they navigate the complex world of personal finance. Highly recommended!
July 7, 2018
Money isn't everything, but it's very important when you don't have enough to retire without worries. This book by an independent financial columnist examines the pitfalls of investing with financial firms whose money managers pocket BIG commissions at the expense of their clients. He shows readers better choices, and his no-nonsense advice is especially useful for middle-income wage earners trying to decide how to build a retirement investment portfolio. It contains his personal perspective of how he built his own million-dollar portfolio on a teacher's salary, working as an expat in international schools around the world. However, the examples apply to anybody willing to pursue a slow and steady approach to investing with minimum fees charged by investment funds. Full of charts, hyperlinks, hypothetical and actual portfolios with returns on investment over different periods of time. As the old saying goes, “If I had a dollar for every mistake I've made...”
February 19, 2024
Great for future expats & digital nomads
I learned more about the stock market and investing than some youtube videos by reading this book. Also, I enjoyed learning about the different countries and the facts/opinions the author shared about each country.
This is a must read for any person desiring to retire early, move abroad, work remotely, or travel often.
After reading this book and also taking time to explore my skills, I've learned what my passion is and now by reading this book, I have created a plan for myself & began committing more to invest in myself and future than I ever did before.
Awesome read!!!!
I learned more about the stock market and investing than some youtube videos by reading this book. Also, I enjoyed learning about the different countries and the facts/opinions the author shared about each country.
This is a must read for any person desiring to retire early, move abroad, work remotely, or travel often.
After reading this book and also taking time to explore my skills, I've learned what my passion is and now by reading this book, I have created a plan for myself & began committing more to invest in myself and future than I ever did before.
Awesome read!!!!
September 7, 2019
An awesome must-read book for expats. Most other personal finance and investment books focus on US residents.
The few first chapters start with critism for active managed funds and offshore pension funds, I was already convinced of their scammy nature so it is a bit bothersome to skim through. The author use a lot of citations from other books and researches to make his points. He gives a lot of pointers and tips for do-it-yourself investment and retirement planning. I can feel a lot clearer vision for my retirement plan as a new grad student joining expat community.
The few first chapters start with critism for active managed funds and offshore pension funds, I was already convinced of their scammy nature so it is a bit bothersome to skim through. The author use a lot of citations from other books and researches to make his points. He gives a lot of pointers and tips for do-it-yourself investment and retirement planning. I can feel a lot clearer vision for my retirement plan as a new grad student joining expat community.
November 7, 2019
This book is the ultimate DIY guide for personal finance and investing. Hallam pretty much addresses all the concerns I had and answers ones I didn't even know I should be asking.
While 380 pages may seem lengthy, if you've already read Hallam's other book, Millionaire Teacher, you can skip through a lot of the same examples and explanations. Millionaire Expat contains separate chapters aimed specifically for different types of expats, so you can jump to what's relevant to you.
And in true Hallam style, the book is very entertaining all the way through
While 380 pages may seem lengthy, if you've already read Hallam's other book, Millionaire Teacher, you can skip through a lot of the same examples and explanations. Millionaire Expat contains separate chapters aimed specifically for different types of expats, so you can jump to what's relevant to you.
And in true Hallam style, the book is very entertaining all the way through
November 21, 2020
The book includes a lot of tips for the ex-pats. from avoiding offshore insurance scams to how to invest in a long-term strategy. it's good to book for a beginner to put hands on some basic insights which you might not be aware of.
I didn't like the repeatable explanation, but maybe that would be helpful for other people. in general, I would recommend other books such (Financial Freedom, Rich dad poor dad, The intelligent investor) which gives a more deep illustration of how to build up your wealth over the long run, plus correcting the old school perspective about money management.
I didn't like the repeatable explanation, but maybe that would be helpful for other people. in general, I would recommend other books such (Financial Freedom, Rich dad poor dad, The intelligent investor) which gives a more deep illustration of how to build up your wealth over the long run, plus correcting the old school perspective about money management.
March 12, 2022
This book is a bit dry for most readers. Hallam tries to inject some levity with a bunch of real-life snippets, but it is still a book mostly about math, so if math isn't your thing you might choose to use it more as a reference guide, and in that case, it is very handy. As an American international teacher, I found several chapters that pertained to my exact financial situation. I have read Millionaire Teacher (Hallam's first book) but this one was recommended in reference to an employer-sponsored Roth 401k which is super rare in the international teaching world. Great info!
August 20, 2022
I wish I had read this book earlier! As an expat, it is important to think about how to invest wisely, without falling prey to selfish finance industry sharks that sell expensive products. The general theme of the book is to invest long-term in low-cost investments such as the ETFS in a diversified manner. Lots of good and easy to understand examples and illustrations given in the book to put things into context. Lastly, there is guidance on how to plan on retirement. It is a great read for anyone wanting to learn about low-cost, common sense investing and achieving financial independence.
September 27, 2021
To me, the book has a lot of relevant and wise advise and wisdom in terms of investing and money management for the future. It has real life stories to support the concepts and the advise the author gives, I skipped them when the concept was clear, but went back to read them after a while because it helps you see that it works and, if things go south fo a while, you don’t need to panic.
A great book, if you ask me, the best personal finance book I’ve read so far.
A great book, if you ask me, the best personal finance book I’ve read so far.
October 29, 2022
A.M.A.Z I.N.G
I recommend it big time for every person who like to become financially literate about investing. I wish I understood this earlier in my 20's. Andrew Hallam described, explained, and showed real portfolios from all over the world so what ever your nationality you will find help in this book. I quite love how I read it after Rich Dad Poor Dad from Robert as well. I recommend to read both in that order. (One of the deserved 5 stars I rarely give)
I recommend it big time for every person who like to become financially literate about investing. I wish I understood this earlier in my 20's. Andrew Hallam described, explained, and showed real portfolios from all over the world so what ever your nationality you will find help in this book. I quite love how I read it after Rich Dad Poor Dad from Robert as well. I recommend to read both in that order. (One of the deserved 5 stars I rarely give)
April 20, 2023
Excellent book with practical and important financial advice - I am now a believer in Index Funds being the only real proper investment strategy - coupled with living in a low cost country.
My two only small criticisms would be that a) the section for UK investors went into more detail on platforms and illustrating differences between off shore and on shore as far as Capital gains impact vs fees from offshore and b) the SE Asia section which for me was key went into more detail.
My two only small criticisms would be that a) the section for UK investors went into more detail on platforms and illustrating differences between off shore and on shore as far as Capital gains impact vs fees from offshore and b) the SE Asia section which for me was key went into more detail.
March 11, 2021
This book has changed my understanding of my financial position and what I need to do in order to be financially solvent in the future doing the life I love. It's occasionally overwhelming, but always necessary and this second edition is fluff-free. All people who live away from home for extended periods needs to learn the lessons of this book, it's that simple.
August 19, 2021
Clear, but somewhat repetitive, introduction to the basics of investing for newbies who live abroad and might not have a government-paid retirement or might want to supplement it.
Would recommend it as I've understood the concepts in the book, and I had no prior knowledge of finance, index funds or investing.
Am still looking for something a little more Europe-oriented.
Would recommend it as I've understood the concepts in the book, and I had no prior knowledge of finance, index funds or investing.
Am still looking for something a little more Europe-oriented.
April 21, 2019
This is the second book I've read by Andrew Hallam and it's been my bible for saving money while overseas and also a 'must read' for any international school teacher that wants to build wealth. Advice for different nationalities, and different platforms for investing.
December 7, 2019
Best investment book
A practical, simple approach to saving a fortune. Having worked as a trader for most of my life, Andrew Hallam has done all readers a great service - thank you.
A practical, simple approach to saving a fortune. Having worked as a trader for most of my life, Andrew Hallam has done all readers a great service - thank you.
October 19, 2020
If you have read finance books before, the first half is basically a repeat. The second half provides useful terms to build your portfolio and estimate your future needs. It also sheds light on offshore brokers.
September 7, 2021
Overall it's a great book, explains the concepts in layman terms. And supports the claims with numbers and evidences. However, you can find some of the chapter irrelevant to you if you are not a citizen of America, UK, Australia&NZ, Canada ...
December 13, 2022
Ok book but not for experienced investors
If you don’t know much about investing and saving this book is very helpful. There are some good pieces of advice. But it doesn’t quite fit if you have some background. But a few nuggets make it worth buying.
If you don’t know much about investing and saving this book is very helpful. There are some good pieces of advice. But it doesn’t quite fit if you have some background. But a few nuggets make it worth buying.
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