Saving used to be a virtue. This was rewarded with an interest on the amount of savings. But times have changed. At the moment, you receive virtually no interest on your savings. Is your “piggy bank” a bit fuller? Then both the tax authorities come along with wealth tax and the bank with a “savings …
Beware of the financial pitfalls when looking for returns Read More »
In the past 12 months we have been providing you with a number of financial topics to consider. For many of you, managing your mortgage costs have been important in especially the second half of 2020. It still is an important item for most but we see many have taken the opportunity to lower their …
Many of our international clients do not only build their capital during their Dutch stint. They may have inherited money or goods in their country of origin, or have built capital before they arrived here. Almost all international clients are extensively being advised on their tax management. That is: mostly only income tax. The Dutch …
Why giving away your future inheritance can make sense Read More »
Many expat clients do not participate in a Dutch pension scheme. Sometimes the employer does not offer participation in such scheme because its Dutch size of business would make it very expensive to set up. Or it elects not to make decisions for the employee and leaves arranging/saving for future income to the employee. A …
In a few weeks from today the new normal for having more than €100,000 in a Dutch bank account means you have to pay your bank to hold that money for you. No wonder savers are pushed to alternatives of which the stock market is everybody’s best friend it seems. Being forced to accept risk …
If you are motivated to make your money matter more and invest in so-called ESG funds or impact funds you expect your money will be put to work in activities that will make the world a better place. Right? MSCI provides this concise overview of motivation drivers here. Let’s assume there is a fund open …
Can you have a day without your mobile phone? Or do you already slightly panic if it is missing for a while? The mobile phone is essential in our lives. It has become our main source of information. Whether it’s checking our bank balance quickly, checking our mail or knowing what the latest news is: …
Sorry to barge in like this. This is a snippet from Dolly Parton’s famous song D.I.V.O.R.C.E. It was unfortunately true for one of our clients. Her marriage ended almost a decade ago and the former spouse obstructed about anything you can think of on the road to settlement of assets and liabilities. One of the …
After a death, the widower / widow has a lot to worry about. Most Dutch homeowners have a mortgage and one of the tasks is to notify the mortgage lender that the partner has died. Sometimes this notification results in part of the mortgage being repaid from a pledged term life insurance policy. The result …
We will not soon forget the year behind us. An invisible virus has radically changed our lives. Collateral disappeared. Much suffering unexpectedly came our way. With the advent of a vaccine, we dare to look ahead carefully again. As a financial advisor, we are also thinking about tomorrow. About what we, in our field, can …
We are more vulnerable than we feel comfortable about Read More »
We strive for long-term relationships with the clients. We are also in regular contact with each other. Why? We are happy to explain that to you here. We are your advocate in the field of financial services We are independent. This means that we are free in the advice we give to our customers. We …
Many Dutch couples feel the consequences of Book 1 of the Civil Code. It dates back to the French emperor Napoleon during his occupation stint in the Low Lands at the end of the 18th century. It has been modernized over time; although most of what a marriage meant 200 years ago in law is …
The Netherlands has many different insurance companies. When we talk to our customers about choosing which insurance company to place the risk with, we often notice something in the spirit of “what are you worried about; all those insurers are the same.” That is really a misunderstanding! We are happy to explain this to you. …
It is a type of “elephant in the room” subject: is your estate large enough and liquid enough to provide for your family should you die? It is the combination of the two that often causes challenges. In some households there are two incomes; if one falls away there is at least one. But what …
If there is a top 5 with “abstract financial concepts”, I expect that for most Dutch people the pension will be in the top 2. Actually, that is no surprise, although it is by far the biggest frustration of us financial planners. The Dutch pension system has been around for more than 50 years and …
