Investment Management for Expats

Investing as an expatriate means planning for more than one currency, more than one tax system, and a future address you may not yet know. NEBA Private Clients builds and manages portfolios around those realities, starting with your goals and your attitude to risk.

How do you build my portfolio?

We start with a detailed assessment of your goals, time horizon, capacity for loss and attitude to risk, then recommend a portfolio matched to that risk level. Portfolios are built mainly from UCITS funds, which are regulated under a common European framework with rules on diversification, liquidity and the safekeeping of assets.

Your portfolio is reviewed regularly and rebalanced so that its risk stays in line with what we agreed with you.

What currency should I invest in?

Ideally, the currency you expect to spend. If you plan to retire in the UK, a sterling-based portfolio reduces exchange-rate risk; if your future is in the UAE, US dollar assets may suit, because the dirham is pegged to the dollar. Many expats hold a blend, and the balance can shift as your plans change. See Currency Transfer.

Where are my investments held?

Your investments are held with an independent custodian or investment platform, in your name or in a structure for your benefit, not by NEBA Private Clients. Depending on where you live, that may be an international investment platform or an offshore investment bond, which are taxed differently and carry different costs.

What does it cost?

Costs come in layers: our advice, the platform or bond charges, and the charges of the funds themselves. We set out every layer in writing before you invest, so you can see the total cost and how it affects your returns.

How do my residence and tax affect my investments?

Where you live decides how your investments are taxed, and a move can change that overnight. A portfolio that suits a UAE resident paying no income tax may be inefficient for someone returning to the UK. We plan around where you live now and where you are likely to be when you draw on your money. See Tax Planning for Expats and UK Repatriation.

How NEBA Private Clients helps

• We assess your goals, time horizon and attitude to risk before recommending anything.
• We build a diversified, risk-rated portfolio in the currency that suits your plans.
• We explain every cost in writing before you invest.
• We review your portfolio and your circumstances regularly, including before and after a move.
• We advise through regulated entities in the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and South Africa, and are affiliated to a UK firm authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Frequently asked questions

What is a risk-rated portfolio?

A portfolio built to a defined level of risk, usually on a scale from cautious to adventurous. Once we agree the level that suits your goals, time horizon and capacity for loss, the mix of investments is chosen to stay within it and is rebalanced if markets push it outside.

What are UCITS funds?

UCITS funds are investment funds regulated under a European framework that sets rules on diversification, liquidity and the independent safekeeping of assets. They are widely used for internationally mobile investors because they are recognised in many countries.

Can I keep my investments if I move country?

Usually, yes, but the products and providers available depend on where you live, and some restrict clients who move to certain countries. Tell us before you move, so we can check your portfolio and its tax treatment still suit your new residence.

What happens to my investments if NEBA Private Clients stops trading?

Your investments are held by an independent custodian or platform, separate from NEBA Private Clients, so they are not part of our assets. You would remain the owner and could appoint another adviser.

Important: the value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. Changes in exchange rates can affect the value of investments held in other currencies. This page is general information, not personal advice.