Hi all, I am a young expat 47, living in thailand. I would like to see my excess money grow and am already an avid investor in foreign etfs and stock using my Americam brokers and with American currency as I am a us citizen. I wish to expand my portfolio and invest in stocks worldwide hedging the strength of foreign currency in the future. Mainly the Singapore dollar, Australian and the Maysian ringgitt.

 

What is the best vehicle to do this?

 

I want to convert my us dollars to foreign currency and invest in that currency while keeping the money in the foreign currency. My thinking that if the chosen stocks do well then I will make money on both ends, hopefully the value of the currency will outpace the us dollar and the stock or etf will also make money. The only question are taxes. Being a us citizen I have the pleasure of investing through a tax sheltered Roth IRA or investment retirement fund.

 

Thanks in advance for all the positive helpful comments

 

If you have no helpful or kind words to share please keep them to yourself.

you missed out on the SET , thailand stock index. It went up over 12 percent in the last two months.

Like i said if you dont have anything positive or helpful dont reply. You dont know if i missed or not.

Like i said if you dont have anything positive or helpful dont reply. You dont know if i missed or not.

Most Australians would be looking the other way!

There is a belief amongst the Financial Controllers (Minister for Finance, Reserve Bank, Private Bankers and Economic pundits) in Australia that the Aussie dollar is still too strong. It is at about $A1 - $US0.93 at present. The Reserve Bank wants it down to around $1 - $US0.85 to increase exports and reduce imports, as the Aussie Balance of Payments is troublesome. Unemployment is also creeping up - today 6.5%. And the Aussie real estate bubble has as yet not deflated. Also remember that if China sneezes, Australia catches cold.

So, if I were to do anything with the Aussie, I would probably short it, not buy in at present levels. (Please note that I am not a financial advisor. I am not an economist. I am merely an interested investor reporting what little I know in the hope it is of some assistance to you).

OP,

 

I don't see how the Roth IRA or TIRA come into the picture.  Foreign brokers are not going to set up either kind of account for you.  So, if you are talking about exchanging dollars for foreign currencies to invest in local markets you must be talking about after-tax money since it wouldn't make sense to take a distribution from either type of IRA, losing the tax deferral/exemption thereby exposing your investments to US income tax.  Since you live in Thailand and therefore have living expenses in Thai baht, you are going to have two currency conversions: from USD to AUD, RM, or SGD to invest and then eventually from those currencies to THB to spend.  It could easily be 1% for each conversion.  Why not just continue to invest in low-cost ETFs in the US markets since they probably get better conversion rates than what is available to you as well as lower transaction costs?  You can get the diversification from ETFs or US mutual funds without having to worry about the onerous tax consequences of investing in foreign mutual funds?  I don't see the advantage.

OP,

 

I don't see how the Roth IRA or TIRA come into the picture.  Foreign brokers are not going to set up either kind of account for you.  So, if you are talking about exchanging dollars for foreign currencies to invest in local markets you must be talking about after-tax money since it wouldn't make sense to take a distribution from either type of IRA, losing the tax deferral/exemption thereby exposing your investments to US income tax.  Since you live in Thailand and therefore have living expenses in Thai baht, you are going to have two currency conversions: from USD to AUD, RM, or SGD to invest and then eventually from those currencies to THB to spend.  It could easily be 1% for each conversion.  Why not just continue to invest in low-cost ETFs in the US markets since they probably get better conversion rates than what is available to you as well as lower transaction costs?  You can get the diversification from ETFs or US mutual funds without having to worry about the onerous tax consequences of investing in foreign mutual funds?  I don't see the advantage.

 

I agree 100 percent thats why I have not moved my money from roth ira. just seeing if anyone knew other low cost creative ways

today, SET index went up about 2percent.