I had seen the Le Tour de Finance advertised in 2013 through the usual expat advertising spots in the lower end of Deux Sevres. I thought at the time of going along, but a number of things stopped me from signing up. The biggest one being, the information that they will be sharing doesn't apply to us yet. How wrong was I! And how naive of me to think like this.
Fast forward another 2 years and husband and I are still in France and have every intention of having a full and happy life here. It's not the easiest country to navigate through the bureaucracy, on top of running our businesses, trying to learn the language and fit in. All of this takes it's own sweet time.
One thing that is sure to fly by as well as the annual migration of cranes is time! We now have to give consideration to our pensions, not just the amount that is like to cover the cost of a baguette from the UK but also how we prepare for our pensionable years in France. What goes on in the UK is not what goes on in France. Things change, laws change, plans change, so where we thought we could sail through life and worry about it later. A move to another country means a kick up the derrière to think about these things sooner rather than later.
We don't have children, but we need to think about what to do with any remaining assets when neither of us are here. My husband works in a precarious field of work which needs consideration should the biggest chunk of our income not be forthcoming.
So back in 2012/2013 we didn't give much regard to what the Le Tour de Finance had to offer. Since then circumstances have changed which have left big knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. I am fortunate enough to have Amanda Johnson and Sue Cook on my networking radar and when I saw that Le Tour de Finance would be cycling into Chef Boutonne I quickly signed us up to go. And I am very glad that I did.
Fast forward another 2 years and husband and I are still in France and have every intention of having a full and happy life here. It's not the easiest country to navigate through the bureaucracy, on top of running our businesses, trying to learn the language and fit in. All of this takes it's own sweet time.
One thing that is sure to fly by as well as the annual migration of cranes is time! We now have to give consideration to our pensions, not just the amount that is like to cover the cost of a baguette from the UK but also how we prepare for our pensionable years in France. What goes on in the UK is not what goes on in France. Things change, laws change, plans change, so where we thought we could sail through life and worry about it later. A move to another country means a kick up the derrière to think about these things sooner rather than later.
We don't have children, but we need to think about what to do with any remaining assets when neither of us are here. My husband works in a precarious field of work which needs consideration should the biggest chunk of our income not be forthcoming.
So back in 2012/2013 we didn't give much regard to what the Le Tour de Finance had to offer. Since then circumstances have changed which have left big knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. I am fortunate enough to have Amanda Johnson and Sue Cook on my networking radar and when I saw that Le Tour de Finance would be cycling into Chef Boutonne I quickly signed us up to go. And I am very glad that I did.
It was clear from the presentations just what is important to expats who migrate to another country: tax, pensions, health cover, making plans for the future. What stood out for me was what Amanda and Sue could bring to the expat community; a wealth of knowledge and customer assurance that there is a wider network available in a language that we understand. It's not just a case of reading expat forums and discussions and listening to other people's experiences. Yes they help but everyone's needs are different and it is important for expats to be able to access this knowledge year on year as the expat journey changes. I for one, am very happy that they are in my network and hope that Le Tour de Finance are a regular feature of my French life.
Here is a run through of the Tour de Finance team:
The Spectrum-Ifa Group - Amanda Johnson amanda.johnson@spectrum-ifa.com / 0673272543
Amanda gave an overview of Spectrum's range of services, explained how they are regulated in France to provide financial advice and outlined the process they follow in order to give advice on investments, inheritance tax & pension planning.
Prudential - George Forsyth
George explained the diversity in how the Prudential invested it's funds and how this delivers their planned growth rates each year.
Standard Bank - John Hall
John provided information on their bank account, for French residents, which can be opened in Euros, sterling and dollars. John also gave details on Standard Bank's 5 & 1/2 year fixed term deposit where the initial capital is 100% protected.
SEB -Jeremy Ferguson
Jeremy explained "what is an Assurance Vie", why you should have one and why you should choose one that isn't attached to your local bank, but rather one which. provides portability should you move back to the UK and give you a choice of investments and currencies.
Currencies Direct - Pippa Maille (Sue Cook sue.c@currenciesdirect.com / 0689992889 or karolyn.c@currenciesdirect.com 0623835892
Pippa provided an outline of how foreign exchange works work and why Currencies Direct are different in their regulation, the local coverage provided and their online and telephone options available through their London office.
Rathbones - Chris Wanless
Chris explained that Rathbones manage "Private Clients", who typically benefit from a more hands on approach with their investments. He also gave an overview of the history and heritage of company with an update on the current financial situation.
Peterson Simms - Paulette Peterson & Gerry Simms Paulette Peterson ppeterson@petersonsims.com 0780042119
Paulette and Gerry gave delegates a presentation on the recent changes in French tax laws affecting small businesses and individuals, as well as changes to French residents disposing of property in the UK.
The Tour de Finance is an annual series of seminars, often oversubscribed, so it is worth registering for future dates or speaking to Amanda or Sue to express your interest in other seminars they may running.
Yours socially
Here is a run through of the Tour de Finance team:
The Spectrum-Ifa Group - Amanda Johnson amanda.johnson@spectrum-ifa.com / 0673272543
Amanda gave an overview of Spectrum's range of services, explained how they are regulated in France to provide financial advice and outlined the process they follow in order to give advice on investments, inheritance tax & pension planning.
Prudential - George Forsyth
George explained the diversity in how the Prudential invested it's funds and how this delivers their planned growth rates each year.
Standard Bank - John Hall
John provided information on their bank account, for French residents, which can be opened in Euros, sterling and dollars. John also gave details on Standard Bank's 5 & 1/2 year fixed term deposit where the initial capital is 100% protected.
SEB -Jeremy Ferguson
Jeremy explained "what is an Assurance Vie", why you should have one and why you should choose one that isn't attached to your local bank, but rather one which. provides portability should you move back to the UK and give you a choice of investments and currencies.
Currencies Direct - Pippa Maille (Sue Cook sue.c@currenciesdirect.com / 0689992889 or karolyn.c@currenciesdirect.com 0623835892
Pippa provided an outline of how foreign exchange works work and why Currencies Direct are different in their regulation, the local coverage provided and their online and telephone options available through their London office.
Rathbones - Chris Wanless
Chris explained that Rathbones manage "Private Clients", who typically benefit from a more hands on approach with their investments. He also gave an overview of the history and heritage of company with an update on the current financial situation.
Peterson Simms - Paulette Peterson & Gerry Simms Paulette Peterson ppeterson@petersonsims.com 0780042119
Paulette and Gerry gave delegates a presentation on the recent changes in French tax laws affecting small businesses and individuals, as well as changes to French residents disposing of property in the UK.
The Tour de Finance is an annual series of seminars, often oversubscribed, so it is worth registering for future dates or speaking to Amanda or Sue to express your interest in other seminars they may running.
Yours socially
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