Financial Advisers for Expats in the UAE
Independent Cross-Border Planning for Expatriates in the United Arab Emirates
NEBA Private Clients provides independent financial planning, investment and wealth management for expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates. Whether you are based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, building wealth in the Gulf brings opportunities and complications that local and home-country advice rarely address together. We help internationally mobile professionals and families plan across borders, with regulated advice in the UAE and a footprint across five jurisdictions.
Why expats in the UAE need cross-border advice
Life in the UAE is attractive for the absence of personal income tax, but your wider financial position is rarely as simple. Many residents keep pensions, property and family ties in the UK or elsewhere, which means decisions made in the Gulf can carry tax and estate consequences at home. Exposure to UK Inheritance Tax often depends on domicile rather than residence, and recent changes to how the UK taxes internationally connected individuals make planning more important, not less. Add currency exposure, end-of-service gratuities and the question of what happens when you eventually move on, and a joined-up plan matters.
How we help expats in the UAE
We advise on:
- Investment management
- UK pension transfers
- Tax planning
- Estate and succession planning
- Personal and family protection
- Currency transfer
Each is delivered as part of one coordinated plan rather than in isolation.
UK pension transfers from the UAE
If you have built up UK pension benefits, living in the UAE raises the question of how best to hold and draw them. Options such as a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) or a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) each carry trade-offs around tax, access, currency and regulation. The right choice depends on your circumstances and your likely future residence. We give independent advice on whether a transfer is appropriate for you, and we will tell you when leaving a pension where it is makes more sense. For background reading, see our guide to UK Pension Transfers for Expats.
Tax planning for UAE-based expats
The UAE imposes no personal income tax, but your home-country obligations may continue. We help you understand your exposure to UK Inheritance Tax and capital taxes based on domicile, structure investments appropriately for your situation, and plan ahead of any eventual return home. Tax rules are complex and subject to change, and we work alongside specialist tax counsel where it is needed. See also our tax planning service and our guide to Offshore Financial Planning in the Middle East.
Regulated advice in the UAE
NEBA Insurance Brokerage L.L.C is authorised by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), and NEBA Private Clients Financial Advisor L.L.C is authorised by the Capital Market Authority (CMA). We are part of a group licensed across the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa and the UK.
Speak to an Adviser
Arrange a conversation with a NEBA Private Clients adviser to discuss your financial planning as an expatriate in the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
Do expats pay tax in the UAE?
There is no personal income tax in the UAE. However, your obligations in your home country may continue depending on your domicile and residence, which is why cross-border planning matters.
Can I transfer my UK pension while living in the UAE?
In many cases yes, through a SIPP or a QROPS, but suitability depends on your circumstances and future plans. We give independent advice on whether a transfer is right for you.
Is NEBA Private Clients regulated in the UAE?
Yes. We hold authorisations from the Central Bank of the UAE and the Capital Market Authority, as part of a group licensed across five jurisdictions.
What does a financial adviser for expats do?
An expat adviser helps you coordinate investments, pensions, tax and protection across the country you live in and the countries you remain connected to, so the parts of your financial life work together.
