Financial Advice for Americans Living in Europe
Cross-border planning and US-compliant investment management for US citizens and green card holders in Spain, Portugal, France and across Europe.
US Accounts That Stay Open
Moving abroad should not cost you your brokerage account. Many US custodians restrict or close accounts once a foreign address goes on file, and clients usually find out at the worst possible moment. I manage US-domiciled portfolios through a US-regulated platform built for clients living overseas, so your 401(k) rollover, IRA or taxable account keeps working while you live in Europe.
Planning Built Around Two Tax Systems
You file in the United States no matter where you live. Every recommendation accounts for both sides: FATCA reporting, PFIC exposure, treaty positioning, the foreign earned income exclusion, and how your country of residence actually treats US retirement accounts. Nothing goes into a portfolio that creates a reporting problem three years from now.
Transparent Fees, Plainly Stated
You see what you pay and what it buys before you commit. Fee schedules in writing, conflicts disclosed before you engage, and a fiduciary obligation to act in your best interests. If a solution is not right for your situation, I will tell you that instead of selling it.
Before You Move
The twelve months before you leave the United States are the most valuable in the whole plan. Account consolidation, Roth conversions while you are still a US-only taxpayer, custodian and address planning, and a clear look at what your destination country's tax regime will really cost you.
After You Arrive
New residency, new filing obligations, and a US portfolio that may no longer suit either system. This is where treaty positioning, withdrawal sequencing and PFIC-free investment design do the most work.
Already Settled Abroad
If your US broker has restricted your account, gone quiet, or told you to find another home for it, that is a solvable problem. So is the old 401(k) you have not looked at since you left.
The Platform Behind the Advice
Beacon Global Advisor Network, LLC
I advise US-connected clients as an Investment Adviser Representative of Beacon Global Advisor Network, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser, marketing under the name Beacon Global Advisors. Client assets are held at established US custodians including Pershing, Charles Schwab and Interactive Brokers.
That structure matters for an American in Europe. Your investments stay US-domiciled and US-reportable, which keeps PFIC treatment out of your portfolio and keeps your 1040 straightforward. It also means a European address is expected rather than a problem to be flagged.
The advice, the planning and the relationship are mine. The custody, regulatory framework and reporting sit with institutions your accountant will already recognize.
Watch: Financial Planning for Americans in Europe
Recorded for US citizens and green card holders living in Europe. What happens to a 401(k) or IRA after you move, why a foreign address can freeze a US brokerage account, how FATCA and PFIC rules shape what you should hold, and the planning that is easiest to do before you leave the United States.
Credentials
Why clients move their accounts here
Most of my clients have already been told by a US custodian that a foreign address is a problem, or by a European adviser that their US filing is somebody else's department. The practice exists because neither answer is good enough.
10+
Years in US financial services
Two years at Morgan Stanley and more than five at JP Morgan before moving to Europe.
7 + 66
Series qualifications held
Series 7 and Series 66, held as an Investment Adviser Representative of Beacon Global Advisor Network, LLC.
100%
US-connected clients only
Every client is a US citizen or green card holder living in or moving to Europe. It is the only work I do.
Questions Americans in Europe Ask Me Most
401(k)s, IRAs, US brokerage accounts and two tax systems
Can I keep my US brokerage account if I live in Europe?
Usually yes, though often not with your current firm. Many US retail brokerages restrict or close accounts once a foreign address goes on file. The fix is moving the account to a custodian set up for US-connected clients abroad, in kind, so nothing is sold and no gain is realised.
What happens to my 401(k) when I move abroad?
Nothing, until you do something about it, and that is usually the problem. Old employer plans can normally be rolled into an IRA that is properly managed from Europe, with an investment design and an address setup that will not trigger a freeze later.
Should I invest in European funds while I live in Spain or Portugal?
Almost never, if you are a US taxpayer. Non-US funds are usually PFICs, which means punitive tax treatment and a Form 8621 filing every year for as long as you hold them. Keeping the portfolio US-domiciled avoids the problem entirely.
Do I still file a US tax return if I live in Europe?
Yes. US citizens and green card holders file on worldwide income wherever they live. The planning question is not whether you file, but how the two systems interact, which is where the foreign earned income exclusion, foreign tax credits and the relevant treaty come in.
When is the best time to plan a move to Europe?
The twelve months before you leave. Roth conversions, account consolidation, custodian and address planning are all easier while you are still a US-only taxpayer.
Do you work with Americans who have already been in Europe for years?
Most of my clients are exactly that. It is rarely too late to fix an account structure, and the reason people call is often a letter from their broker. If that is you, book a call and we will go through it.
Contact us
International: +34 665 504 203
United States: +1 503 307 5106
E-mail: jacob.shelton@beaconglobaladvisors.com
Based in Valencia, Spain. Serving US citizens and green card holders across Europe.