When you relocate whether from the UK or elsewhere in the EU it's not just your pet and your furniture that make the move. Your pension, savings and estate plan cross the border with you, and the rules that applied at home don't automatically apply in your new country. That's exactly where an expat financial advisor earns their keep.
We've partnered with PCC Wealth, an independent, cross-border wealth management firm that helps international families relocating to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Switzerland understand their options for pensions, tax and long-term planning — for both UK nationals and EU nationals moving within Europe.
[Book a free introductory call with our Expat Financial Advisor] No cost, no obligation — just a first conversation.
5 Star Pet Transport refers clients to this independent advisor. We don't give financial advice ourselves PCC Wealth is separately regulated and any recommendation is theirs alone.
Most people planning a move abroad are focused on visas, schools, housing and yes, getting the dog there safely. Pensions and tax rarely make the checklist, but they're often the area where a relocation has the biggest financial consequences, for better or worse.
A pension or investment that was perfectly efficient at home isn't automatically efficient once you become tax resident somewhere else. This applies whether you're relocating from the UK to Spain, moving between EU countries, or heading to Portugal, France, Italy or Switzerland — the details differ by country, but three areas tend to matter most wherever you land:
Once you become tax resident in your new country, income drawn from your pension is generally taxable there instead of at home. Depending on how that income is structured, the effective tax rate on withdrawals can vary significantly — some structures are considerably more efficient than simply drawing the pension as standard income.
Illustrative example published by PCC Wealth (not a quote or guarantee): withdrawing €100,000 from a pension, with the right structure in place, might result in a taxable amount of around €11,600 — taxed at roughly 19%, working out to approximately €2,204 in tax, or an effective rate of around 2.2% on the full withdrawal. Without the right planning, tax on pension income can run far higher. This example reflects one country's rules at one point in time — your own effective rate depends on your country of residence, the structure used, and current legislation, which is exactly what the introductory call is for.
Some European countries — Spain is a notable example, with regional variation such as Catalonia — levy an annual wealth tax on worldwide assets above a threshold. Depending on how your pension and savings are held, they may or may not count toward that calculation, and some qualifying pension structures are exempt.
Illustrative example: a household with property, savings and a pension of a few million euros might, after standard allowances, face an annual wealth tax bill ranging from a few thousand to over ten thousand euros, depending on the country, region and structure. Where a pension qualifies for an exemption, that portion falls out of the calculation entirely.
If your pension is included in your estate for local inheritance tax purposes, the amount passed to your children or spouse can be reduced considerably — rates and allowances vary hugely by country and, in Spain's case, by region. Certain pension structures are treated as exempt from inheritance tax in some jurisdictions, which can make a meaningful difference to family estate planning.
Illustrative example: on an estate of a similar size to the examples above, the difference between a pension that counts toward inheritance tax and one that's exempt can run into hundreds of thousands of euros passed to beneficiaries instead of to tax. Exact figures depend entirely on the individual's assets, country of residence and beneficiaries.
These are general illustrations to show why the conversation is worth having — not personalised advice, and not a promise of savings for your situation. Your own numbers depend on your assets, your country, and current legislation, which is exactly what the introductory call is for.
As your dedicated expat financial advisor, PCC Wealth works with clients relocating within the UK and EU on:
Not every relocation needs a financial review — but a few life events and situations tend to make a real difference. It's worth an introduction if any of the following apply to you:
A short conversation today can prevent costly mistakes later — and there's no cost or commitment to finding out whether any of this applies to you.
PCC Wealth (Private Client Consultancy) is an independent, cross-border wealth management firm helping international families living in or moving to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Switzerland. They aren't tied to any product provider, so recommendations are built around your goals rather than a product list.
The firm is led by Andy Oliver, who brings over 20 years of experience in international financial services and holds multiple professional qualifications spanning financial planning, tax and investment, with a particular specialism in cross-border wealth management and estate planning for relocating families.
1. Free introduction Tell us a little about your move — where from, where to, and roughly what you'd like to understand. We pass your details to our partner expat financial advisor, with your consent.
2. A no-obligation conversation The advisor talks you through your options in plain language. No pressure, no commitment.
3. A plan, if it makes sense for you If you'd like to go ahead, they'll put together a personalised recommendation. If it's not the right fit, that's a perfectly good outcome too.
Relocating? Check our pet travel checklist or get a quote for your move while you're getting your finances in order.
Do I need an expat financial advisor if I'm relocating within the UK or EU? Not everyone does, but it's worth a conversation if you have a pension, investments or property that will be affected by becoming tax resident in a new country — whether that's Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, or elsewhere. That's exactly what a free introductory call is for — to help you find out whether it applies to you. (General background on Spain's tax residency rules, one of the most common destinations we see, is available from the Spanish Tax Agency.)
Does this only apply to UK nationals? No. PCC Wealth works with UK nationals relocating to the EU and with EU nationals relocating between EU countries — the introduction is open to anyone whose move affects their pension, tax residency or estate planning.
Is this financial advice from 5 Star Pet Transport? No. We're a pet relocation company, not a financial advisor. We simply introduce clients who are interested to an independent, regulated expat financial advisor we trust. Any advice or recommendation comes from them, not from us.
Does this cost anything? The introductory conversation is free. Any ongoing service and its fees would be explained clearly by the advisor before you agree to anything.
Do I have to be a 5 Star Pet Transport customer to use this? No — this is open to anyone relocating within the UK or EU, whether or not we're moving your pet.
What if I decide it's not for me? Completely fine. There's no obligation at any stage, and you can stop the conversation whenever you like.
Is my information shared with anyone else? Only with the advisor, and only if you tick the box giving consent to that. We don't share your details for any other purpose.
This page provides general information only and does not constitute personalised financial, tax or investment advice from 5 Star Pet Transport, which is not a regulated financial advisor. Any financial advice is provided solely by our independent partner, PCC Wealth, under their own regulatory permissions. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and current legislation in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, the UK and elsewhere, and may change. You should not rely on the examples above as a prediction of outcomes for your own situation.
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