88. Portugal for American Expats: Golden Visas, Tax Traps and Big Rule Changes

About this episode

The episode discusses essential information for Americans considering a move to Portugal, focusing on visas, tax implications, and recent rule changes.

Portugal has become one of the most popular destinations for Americans moving abroad, but the move is not always as simple as it looks. From visas and tax residency to Golden Visa funds, PFIC reporting, retirement accounts and recent citizenship changes, there are plenty of details that can catch Americans out if they do not plan properly. Richard Taylor - dual UK/US citizen and Chartered Financial Planner - is joined by Zeev Fisher - an international advisor and founder of Fresh Legal Group - a boutique firm specialising in international wealth and cross-border tax. Together, they unpack what Americans need to know before moving to Portugal, especially those navigating US tax, expat tax advice, and complex cross-border rules. They break down the key visa routes for Americans, including the D7 passive income visa and the D8 digital nomad visa, and when a Golden Visa makes sense. They also explain how PFIC rules can create unexpected US tax issues, why using retirement funds for a Golden Visa investment can trigger serious penalties if done incorrectly, and how these decisions fit into broader cross border financial planning. Richard and Zeev also discuss Portugal’s new tax regime…

People in this episode

Host: Richard Taylor

Guest: Zeev Fisher

Topics covered

• Golden Visas
• Tax Residency
• Expat Tax Advice
• Cross-Border Financial Planning
• Citizenship Changes
• Visa Routes

Keywords

• Portugal
• Golden Visa
• D7 visa
• D8 visa
• PFIC reporting
• retirement accounts
• citizenship changes
• expat tax
• cross-border rules

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fresh Legal Group

Places: America, US, Portugal, UK

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