Welcome to Offshore Living Letter, Your #1 Resource for Offshore Diversification

Author: Lief Simon

05 Feb
An expat woman looking at the skyline in Malaga

The Difference Between Resident, Expat, And Expatriation

At a meeting in London a little while ago, I was among dozens of expats from all around the world. Many took offense to being described that way… to being called “expats.” They found the term derogatory; however, not for the reason people typically object to the word. Some among the group in London who’d […]

27 Jan
A picturesque cozy park in Medellin, Colombia

The Reasons Why Life In Medellín, Colombia, Might Not Be For You

I’ve been spending time and investing money in Colombia and reporting on those adventures for a dozen years. Still, people tell me I’m crazy. You could find things to complain about in Colombia… as you could anywhere. However, safety and security—both personal and financial—aren’t among them. What might you gripe about in Colombia? A few […]

24 Jan
General view of apartments for rent in Portimao, Algarve, Portugal

How To Survive And Thrive During A Real Estate Market Crash

Tiny homes, digital nomads, early retirees, home offices… These and other related trends are spurring the real estate world into action. Some developers are designing buildings specifically targeting digital nomads, trying to capture the expanding population of traveling millennials who can work from anywhere. Others are picking up on the less-is-more movement in the United […]

20 Jan
Senior couple standing at top of hill on hike through countryside

Finding True Wealth: What Is Your Magic Retirement Number?

On the plane flying from Paris to Panama earlier this month, I read an article about a librarian who made the decision to take all of her money out of the stock market. It’s not that she’s worried about the stock market crashing. It’s that she’s reached her number. As the woman explained, she’s accumulated […]

17 Jan
Skyview of Manila, Philippines

7 Emerging Markets In 2022 For Offshore Diversification

If you aren’t taking at least some of your profits out of the U.S. stock market and putting it into real estate overseas, you’re not paying attention. The question isn’t whether to diversify beyond U.S. markets and specifically beyond U.S. stocks… it’s where, specifically, you should be placing those gains. Where am I focused this […]

13 Jan
Adobe Stock/Yurii Kibalnik

The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Explained

How To Earn $224,000 Tax Free In 2022 The most important tool in the U.S. expat's tax toolbox is the foreign-earned income exclusion (referred to in tax-planning circles as the FEIE or "the exclusion"). If you qualify, it allows you to exclude up to US$112,000 in 2022 foreign-earned income from U.S. federal income tax. All [...]
30 Dec
Skyline at night of Bogota, Capital City of Colombia

Market Distortions Are The Key Chance To Profit In 2022

As 2021 comes to an end, it’s increasingly difficult to recall the world as it was before COVID-19 joined the party. Trying to predict what 2022 will look like is anybody’s guess. Travel has become as hassled an administrative process as I remember it from 30 and 40 years ago. Only now rather than collecting […]