Israel & Aliya
What To Do If You Can’t Buy U.S. or Israeli Mutual Funds
Retirees Fired by Their Brokers in America
More and more Americans living in Israel have recently “been fired” by their brokers in America. Their advisors, with whom they may have worked for decades, have informed them that their brokerage firm will no longer service accounts with non-American addresses. Although people of all ages have been ousted, retirees have been hit the hardest…. Read more
How to Invest Your Dollars When You Live in Israel
“I’m making aliya next month, Doug,” a soon-to-be-retired doctor called from New York to tell me. “Now that I’ll be living in Jerusalem, should I move my investments to Israel and transfer all my brokerage and bank accounts to one of the Israeli banks?”
Look at each part individually
Moving yourself and your family to Israel,… Read more
Did You Get the “Dear Client, We Can’t Help You Letter”?
Many American brokerage companies have stopped servicing their clients who have foreign addresses, including those who made aliya. These firms have decided that government regulations have simply made the job of maintaining clients overseas too complex. For some people, it may seem like bad news when their broker sends them a letter saying,… Read more
What American Expats Need to Know About Foreign Mutual Funds
If you’re an oleh from the United States and you’re considering putting your money into an Israeli or other foreign mutual fund, think again.
Here’s why:
Owning a foreign mutual fund may cause increased U.S. taxes
If you have money in a teudat sal,… Read more
Can Mutual Funds or ETFs Improve Your Portfolio’s Performance?
Myth: Americans living in Israel can’t buy mutual funds.
Fact: Americans in Israel can buy mutual funds, but read carefully….
On last week’s The Goldstein On Gelt Show, I offered a free download of a 7-step list for investing in mutual funds…. Read more
What Happens to Your IRA Account When You Make Aliya?
What should you do with your American IRA account (Individual Retirement Account) when you live in Israel?
Your initial thought might be to cash out your IRA account and transfer the funds to Israel. But considering the tax-deferred nature of an IRA, that might not be the wisest move.
Moving your retirement account to Israel may be expensive
IRAs are good vehicles for retirement saving because they let you defer paying American taxes on capital gains,… Read more
Should I Invest Through My Israeli Bank or U.S. Brokerage Firm?
If you are an American oleh, people may encourage you to open an investment account through an Israeli bank. But if you try to do so, as an American citizen, you will need to sign some very specific documentation.
Is the alphabet soup a deterrent: FATCA, FBAR, PFIC?
As a result of FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act),… Read more
How to Manage a Multi-Currency Lifestyle
Multicurrency strategies are part of the everyday life of most dual citizens.
If you are balancing your investment account in U.S. dollars but recording your grocery and rent expenses in shekels, you’re probably an American oleh.
The following three areas make currency volatility a real challenge for cross-border investors:
Currency trading
Two-thirds of retail foreign exchange traders lose money…. Read more