Vertical 05 of 06
Cross-Border & Relocation
Is moving jurisdictions a real tax arbitrage or a hidden double-tax trap?
The core problem
A move abroad is usually sold on cost of living and a headline tax rate. The real result depends on treaty mechanics: FEIE versus foreign tax credit, social-security totalisation, where equity vests, tax equalisation and what the currency does over five years.
What this vertical answers
-
01
FEIE vs. FTC
The exclusion and the credit are not interchangeable, and the better one changes with income mix, housing and equity.
-
02
Where the equity is taxed
RSUs and options can be sourced to the work location in the year they vest — a relocation mid-vest splits the same grant across two tax regimes.
-
03
Relocation payback
Moving costs, temporary housing and a spouse’s lost income are a capital outlay against future cash flow. It has a payback period, and it can be negative.
Flagship engine
Expat Financial & International Tax Evaluator
Compare cash flow and 5-year wealth impact of an international relocation (e.g. US to Spain). Model Beckham Law tax regime, US FEIE/FTC, tax equalization, and FX liability risks.
Open the engine →