Possibly to invest in Vanguard UK while living & working in Thailand?

[JohnChaingMai]

Hi all, hopefully someone can give some advice on this...

I'm looking to invest a lump sum and also monthly contributions. I'd like to invest with Vanguard UK, but their website says they won't allow it as I'm living and paying tax in Thailand (I'm a UK citizen).

Is there a way around this? Or any good alternatives? I'd want something like Vanguard's retirement target investment accounts, with similarly low fees.

Thanks all!

[Farangwithaplan]

Can you buy direct Vanguard ETFs through the FTSE? Then you could just use a regular online trading service to buy either in a lump sum or monthly.

 

Look here to get some ideas. https://investor.vanguard.com/etf/investment-options

 

Something might suit.

 

 

[Oxx]

The easiest solution is simply to lie about your residency and use a UK address.  The broker is most unlikely to check, and these days virtually everything is done online.

[Farangwithaplan]

2 hours ago, Oxx said:

The easiest solution is simply to lie about your residency and use a UK address.  The broker is most unlikely to check, and these days virtually everything is done online.

And if Vanguard do a simple tax check, which they will probably need to do at end of financial year, then what?

 

There are simple ways to do the right thing, why would you open up potential for problems?

 

[Oxx]

 

7 minutes ago, Farangwithaplan said:

And if Vanguard do a simple tax check

 

Which they won't.  It's not their job to do so.  All they do is report income to the tax authorities.  It's the individual's responsibility to make an annual tax return declaring all income received.  (Only income received within the UK for non-residents.  And as long term non-residents there's no CGT to pay.)

 

(I have opened two UK brokerage accounts by incorrectly stating my residence.  No problems whatsoever.)

Edited March 10, 2020 by Oxx

[Oxx]

One alternative would be to open an account with Internaxx in Luxembourg.  They do offer Vanguard funds, but their website appears no longer to list which actual funds are on offer.

 

Internaxx also offers BlackRock funds (again, I don't know which).  However, BlackRock's MyMap range is comparable with Vanguards LifeStrategy range, and actually has fractionally lower charges.  Might be worth a look.

 

An Internaxx account would also allow you to buy Vanguard ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange.  (You could also buy US-listed ETFs, but this is not tax-efficient because of US withholding taxes for non-residents.)

[myprivate]

One way...open a bank account with HSBC Expat Jersey (but review the minimum account balances first), then open a share dealing account with them, then buy your Vanguard or any other LSE traded fund/shares.

https://www.expat.hsbc.com/wealth/investments/products/shares/

 

[Oxx]

32 minutes ago, myprivate said:

One way...open a bank account with HSBC Expat Jersey (but review the minimum account balances first), then open a share dealing account with them, then buy your Vanguard or any other LSE traded fund/shares.

https://www.expat.hsbc.com/wealth/investments/products/shares/

 

 

Except the OP wants to buy Vanguard funds (specifically from its "Target Retirement" range) - not ETFs.  These funds not traded on the LSE.  HSBC Expat appears only to offer its in house range of (rather expensive) funds.

 

Of course, pretty much any offshore broker can give access to the LSE and its ETFs.  One can even do it through a Thai brokerage.