A transfer of clients’ benefit rights in an European Union registered pension scheme to a pension scheme which is established offshore (i.e. outside of the ‘home’ country ) may be treated as a recognised pension transfer, if the receiving pension scheme is a QROPS... Under a QROPS offshore pension transfer, a recognised Trust will be appointed offshore with the aim of providing both a tax efficient and safe investment . The Trust will effectively purchase a single investment ‘wrapper’ into which all the clients’ retirement planning requirements will be invested, including the value of the offshore pension transfer, thus ensuring effective management...

One of the major reasons that a QROPS pension transfer is such an attractive option is due to the fact that the initial pension transfer into the QROPS is tax-free - up to a lifetime limit of GBP1.8Million!

If you have officially worked in the EU as an expatriate of any nationality for any length of time and have either now returned home or are about to repatriate, you may qualify for a QROPS pension transfer...

QROPS pension transfer is a fantastic option if you plan to retire overseas as an expatriate...

• Stands for Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme
• A result of EU law governing the 1992 “Freedom of Movement of Capital”
• An offshore, international pension fund available to anyone living anywhere in the World that has a current or ‘frozen’ pension in a European Union member country
• “safe pair of hands” – an offshore Trust is appointed as custodian of the pension funds for our clients and their beneficiaries
• An investment ‘wrapper’ that can encompass all our clients’ retirement funds into a personal, offshore portfolio bond

• Tax free growth
• No tax deducted on withdrawals at source
• Consolidation of multiple pensions into a single, offshore pension fund
• Freedom of investment choice – access to all world wide listed equities and commodities
• All our clients’ retirement funds are actively managed by our own portfolio management Team
• Live where you like in the world
• No inheritance tax
• Pension assets can be transferred, tax free to spouse or nominated beneficiaries
• Estate planning simplification

• Minimum age to withdraw benefits is aged 55
• 5 year Rule - 5 consecutive tax years as a non-resident before withdrawals become NON REPORTABLE
• 25% tax free, lump sum available. Remainder invested to provide “Lifetime income”
• Finance Act 2008 Protects QROPS from Inheritance Tax
• Defined benefit schemes in the UK currently form part of the company Balance Sheet, this could put at risk your current pension
• Final salary schemes are no longer ‘ring fenced’ if an employer goes bust - your pension goes bust!
• More than 1 Million British people are now relying on the Government’s Pensions Protection Fund, as they have lost their pensions due to liquidation of their previous employers
• If you are a European Union citizen, residing in your home country….we can still help and SIPP it!