Outline of non-US domiciles

This article contains details specific to global investing. It is intended for United States (US) investors, non-US investors, and US citizens and US permanent residents (green card holders) living outside the US.

This wiki section contains articles about Bogleheads® investing for people living in countries other than the United States (US).

• For topics organised as series of frequently asked questions (FAQs), see: Non-US frequently asked questions.
• For an introduction, see: Investing from outside of the US.
• For information on how to ask for advice on your portfolio, see: My portfolio: seeking advice.
• For steps to get you started, see: Investing start-up kit for non-US investors.

Non-US domiciles covers US nonresident aliens, and also US citizens and US resident aliens (that is, green card holders) living outside the US. A nonresident alien is someone who is not a US citizen or resident. US citizens, US resident aliens and US residents are US persons.

Before investing

Pay special attention to the sections on tax complications. They show how US tax laws adversely affect even people living outside the US.

For nonresident aliens: The US has unfavourable tax rules for US assets held by foreigners, some bordering on confiscatory. It taxes dividends that US stocks and US domiciled ETFs pay to foreigners at up to 30%, and may apply an estate tax of up to 40% on all US situated assets above a minimal $60,000 exemption. Be sure to understand how these tax rules will apply to you. To avoid them, do not use the usual US domiciled investments that US investors discuss and use, but instead use equivalent investments domiciled in other countries, for example Ireland. For US persons: Uniquely among developed countries, the US taxes its citizens and permanent residents on their worldwide income whether they live in the US or outside. It uses protectionist tax laws to dissuade US citizens and residents from holding non-US domiciled investments. Because of these, you must usually invest as if living in the US, and you effectively cannot use normal investments freely available to non-US persons living in the same country as you.

In both cases, be sure to understand these tax rules and restrictions early on. This will help you avoid huge problems later.

General information for investors outside the US

Getting started Getting started for non-US investors — Where to begin, if you are a non-US investor Investment philosophy for non-US investors — The core investing principles, with a special emphasis on non-US investors Investing start-up kit for non-US investors — Helps you find the right starting point to explore wiki content Non-US frequently asked questions — Non-US topics as series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) Boglebot — An interactive tool that suggests ways you can create a two-fund portfolio

Investing from outside of the US Investing from outside of the US — General introduction to investment and tax Domicile — Describes how your residency and any links to other countries affect how you invest Index funds and ETFs outside of the US — Discusses some global features of index funds and ETFs Bond basics for non-US investors — Explores bonds and their role in a non-US portfolio Stock asset allocation for non-US investors — Looks at how to set your allocation to stocks Building a non-US Boglehead portfolio — Shows the steps to build a portfolio, including example funds Simple non-US portfolios — Shows how to create a simple portfolio, including example funds Complex non-US portfolios — How to add investments to create a more complex portfolio Investment trusts — Discusses these alternatives to traditional index funds and ETFs Non-US robo-advisors — Robo-advisor platforms available across Europe and elsewhere Real estate investment trusts for non-US investors — Describes how you can include REITs in your portfolio Comparison of accumulating ETFs and distributing ETFs — Choosing between funds that distribute dividends and funds that reinvest them Sharia investing for non-US investors — Specific investing challenges and strategies for Muslim investors List of non-US domiciled ETFs — Links to information for many non-US domiciled ETFs mentioned in the wiki

Forum for non-US investors My portfolio: seeking advice — The best way to ask a question about your portfolio on the forum Non-US Investing forum — Link to the forum's non-US investing area

General US tax complications Non-US investor's guide to navigating US tax traps — Describes multiple difficulties and challenges that US tax laws create

US tax complications for nonresident aliens Nonresident alien's ETF domicile decision table — Decision table to help you choose between US domiciled and non-US domiciled ETFs Nonresident alien taxation — Summary of unfavourable US tax rules for a US nonresident alien (NRA) Nonresident alien investors and Ireland domiciled ETFs — Shows why and when it is better for you to use Ireland domiciled funds instead of US domiciled funds

US tax complications for US persons living outside the US Taxation as a US person living abroad — Tax filing information for US citizens and permanent residents living outside the US US tax pitfalls for a US person living abroad — Discusses investing obstacles that US taxes cause for US persons living outside the US Passive foreign investment company — Describes punitive US tax rules for US persons who hold non-US domiciled funds Passively managing individual stocks — One way to avoid some of the punitive US tax rules on non-US domiciled funds

US tax complications for non-US investors moving to the US US tax pitfalls for a non-US person moving to the US — Discusses problems that US taxes cause for non-US persons who move to the US

Currency issues Currency risk for non-US investors — Describes how currency exchange rates affect your investment returns Non-US investors and ETF currencies — Untangles the effect of multiple currencies in ETFs

Investing in and from European Union countries‎

Introduction to investing in and from European Union countries EU investing — Describes investing for European Union residents EU non-habitual residence — Some European Union countries offer attractive tax regimes to new residents Cash equivalents for EU investors — Discusses cash and near-cash investments useful for EU and other non-US investors

Belgium‎ Investing from Belgium — Saving and investing suggestions for Belgian investors

Germany‎ Investing from Germany — Bogleheads style investing suggestions for German investors

Ireland Investing from Ireland — Investment options and tax information for Irish investors

Italy Investing from Italy — Investment options and tax information for Italian investors

Netherlands‎ Investing from the Netherlands — Investing, tax, and pension suggestions for Dutch investors

Spain Investing from Spain — Investing with Vanguard for Spanish investors Spain Non-US Investing forum — Link to the Spanish investors' forum Bogleheads España — En español

Investing in and from non-European Union countries‎

Australia Investing from Australia — Portfolio construction and tax suggestions for Australian investors

Brazil Investing from Brazil — Investing considerations for Brazilian investors

Canada‎ finiki — The Canadian financial Wiki Financial Wisdom Forum — Link to the Canadian investors' forum

India Investing from India — Savings and investment suggestions for Indian investors

Japan‎ Investing from Japan — Index funds, tax, and savings for Japanese investors TOPIX indices Japan specific to US persons living outside the US Investing from Japan for US citizens and US permanent residents

Singapore Investing from Singapore — General investing suggestions, and CDP accounts, for Singaporean investors

Taiwan Taiwan bond indexes Taiwan stock indexes Taiwan treasury bill rates List of Taiwan exchange traded funds

United Kingdom Investing from the UK — Overview of investment suggestions for UK investors UK Individual Savings Accounts — Discusses tax-free savings and investments accounts for UK residents UK personal pensions — Describes tax-deferred wrappers for UK retirement savings UK abbreviations and acronyms — Expansions of abbreviations commonly seen in UK personal finance sites and forums FTSE UK indexes United Kingdom specific to US persons living outside the US Investing from the UK for US citizens and US permanent residents US domiciled ETFs that are UK HMRC reporting funds

Pension fund performance studies

Global (excluding US) pension fund performance Canadian pension fund performance Dutch pension fund performance Finnish pension fund performance Greek pension fund performance Hong Kong pension fund performance Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global performance Swiss pension fund performance Turkish pension fund performance

Outlines
Outlines
529 plans Academics Asset classes Bonds Employer provided retirement plans ETFs and mutual funds Financial planning Indexing Investing Non-US domiciles Personal retirement plans Research material Retirement planning Stocks Tax considerations Tax law changes