Buying ETF's, FTSE 100 companies, etc..

[LesserEvil]

I'm looking to move to Thailand from the UK when Covid dies down.

 

I currently have a substantial sum in shares in the UK, but due to when we were in the EU, its still very limited which ETF's we can actually buy.

 

So, i'm wondering what platform people who are living in Thailand are using to buy ETF's, is it restricted, and is there any tax on the dividends?

 

Same applies for buying FTSE, DOW Jones, NASDAQ shares .... is there any tax on the dividends when living in Thailand.

 

Any help is much appreciated.

[Oxx]

49 minutes ago, LesserEvil said:

its still very limited which ETF's we can actually buy.

 

Huh? There are 2,750 ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange.  And you can buy ETFs on pretty much any market in the world.  Not "very limited" in any sense or way.

 

Unless your dividend income will lead to your paying tax in the UK, you could stick with your current broker.  Otherwise, open an account with an offshore broker.  That'll be more easily done when you're not resident in the UK.  Swissquote is very familiar with dealing with UK expats.  Interactive Brokers is cheap, but it's not easy to use.  Saxo is pretty good.

 

55 minutes ago, LesserEvil said:

is there any tax on the dividends when living in Thailand.

 

In practice there's no local tax on overseas dividends.  (Theoretically you need to keep the income offshore for a while before bringing it into Thailand, but I don't believe that's monitored or enforced.)

 

As for buying US stocks, be aware that there is a 30% withholding tax on dividend income.  (This can be reduced to 15% thanks to a Thai/US tax treaty, but many brokers don't implement this lower rate.)  Also, if you hold US stocks through a US broker, death taxes could be an issue.  In my opinion, best avoided to keep things simple.

 

[LesserEvil]

29 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

Huh? There are 2,750 ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange.  And you can buy ETFs on pretty much any market in the world.  Not "very limited" in any sense or way.

 

Trust me they're limited .. i'm wanting SIL, SILJ, URA ... there is a UK equivalent of GDX, GDXJ, ... after many others which its too late for me to remember.

https://www.justetf.com/ch/news/etf/us-domiciled-etfs.html

 

Thanks for your further information, i will get in touch with them.

Edited May 26, 2021 by LesserEvil

[Firefan]

As a foreigner you can open an account in the US w. Schwab.com International and get access to all those ETFs. Minimum to open $25k. Debit card w no foreign exchange fees and refunds ATM fees globally.

Dividends are taxed (withholding) at 15% as mentioned above. They have the 1 page W8-BEN form to fill for US/Thai tax agreement. No tax on capital gains. CHeers!

[rwill]

25 minutes ago, Firefan said:

As a foreigner you can open an account in the US w. Schwab.com International and get access to all those ETFs. Minimum to open $25k. Debit card w no foreign exchange fees and refunds ATM fees globally.

Dividends are taxed (withholding) at 15% as mentioned above. They have the 1 page W8-BEN form to fill for US/Thai tax agreement. No tax on capital gains. CHeers!

also you can wire money for free, like your Thai bank account.  There is a fee but it gets instantly rebated.

[LesserEvil]

1 hour ago, Firefan said:

As a foreigner you can open an account in the US w. Schwab.com International and get access to all those ETFs. Minimum to open $25k. Debit card w no foreign exchange fees and refunds ATM fees globally.

Dividends are taxed (withholding) at 15% as mentioned above. They have the 1 page W8-BEN form to fill for US/Thai tax agreement. No tax on capital gains. CHeers!

Do you know if there is a withholding tax on FTSE companies for someone registered as living in Thailand.

 

Ive some BP, VOD and RDSB, that pay relatively large dividends.

[jrward42]

I have all my shares in a self-trade ISA thing with Interactive Investor. I can trade ETFs and buy US shares and so on through it, although it is UK based and most of my stocks are UK-based. It depends on how much of your ISA allowance you've used up but it is all tax free, including dividends.

[Brick Top]

I use an American broker based in Bangkok , I am from the UK and lived here 20 years , I have used 3 different brokers in those 20 years , two of them proved to be hopeless and in it only for themselves. I then found this guy about 5 years ago and he is absolutely brilliant , everything he has me advised me to invest in and arrange for me has made money. I am holding around 25 different funds , lots of Vanguard , Morgan Stanley , Guinness , Smith Fund etc and all performing very well indeed.  I have around 2.7 Million GBP invested so I would not recommend this guy if he wasn't 100% and he really knows what he is doing.  

If you need his contact details you can message me on here and I will gladly supply you with them.            

Edited May 27, 2021 by Brick Top
Spelling

[LesserEvil]

11 hours ago, jrward42 said:

I have all my shares in a self-trade ISA thing with Interactive Investor. I can trade ETFs and buy US shares and so on through it, although it is UK based and most of my stocks are UK-based. It depends on how much of your ISA allowance you've used up but it is all tax free, including dividends.

This is the thing, i am looking to fill in the appropriate form with HMRC stating that i am living overseas, and will not be paying any UK tax .... thus as i'm not paying UK tax i presume i'm not entitled to ISA tax wrappers.

 

So i would be buying UK based shares as in essence a non resident.

 

Hence why i'm curious if for the sake of argument, a non UK citizen buys some BP shares, is there any tax on the dividends with held, in the same way the USA does.

Edited May 27, 2021 by LesserEvil

[LesserEvil]

6 hours ago, Brick Top said:

I use an American broker based in Bangkok , I am from the UK and lived here 20 years , I have used 3 different brokers in those 20 years , two of them proved to be hopeless and in it only for themselves. I then found this guy about 5 years ago and he is absolutely brilliant , everything he has me advised me to invest in and arrange for me has made money. I am holding around 25 different funds , lots of Vanguard , Morgan Stanley , Guinness , Smith Fund etc and all performing very well indeed.  I have around 2.7 Million GBP invested so I would not recommend this guy if he wasn't 100% and he really knows what he is doing.  

If you need his contact details you can message me on here and I will gladly supply you with them.            

Thanks, i like that Guinness Energy fund, will be looking to buy into that once the FED tightens/ raises interest rates and we get the real crash!

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, LesserEvil said:

This is the thing, i am looking to fill in the appropriate form with HMRC stating that i am living overseas, and will not be paying any UK tax .... thus as i'm not paying UK tax i presume i'm not entitled to ISA tax wrappers.

 

So i would be buying UK based shares as in essence a non resident.

 

Hence why i'm curious if for the sake of argument, a non UK citizen buys some BP shares, is there any tax on the dividends with held, in the same way the USA does.

If living overseas you still keep existing ISAs but can't use yearly allowances.

 

Presumably you'll pay UK tax on your UK pension?

[LesserEvil]

44 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

If living overseas you still keep existing ISAs but can't use yearly allowances.

 

Presumably you'll pay UK tax on your UK pension?

Im still in my 40s so no access to my SIPP for a long while yet.

 

I will be working so i dont want to be liable to pay anything to HMRC, hence why i want to totally cut my self off from the UK.

[Oxx]

2 hours ago, LesserEvil said:

Hence why i'm curious if for the sake of argument, a non UK citizen buys some BP shares, is there any tax on the dividends with held, in the same way the USA does.

 

For any non-resident (including British citizens), there is no withholding tax.  If your only income is from investments (excluding property) there is no income tax to pay.  If you do have additional income, income tax is payable, but you get the usual tax allowances.  There is no CGT, provided you don't return to the UK and become resident again.

[Brick Top]

9 hours ago, LesserEvil said:

Thanks, i like that Guinness Energy fund, will be looking to buy into that once the FED tightens/ raises interest rates and we get the real crash!

I am holding that Guinness Global Energy fund also