Steve Thompson, Financial Planner in Portugal Helping successful families with wealth to protect, move to Portugal with clarity, confidence, and tax-smart planning | Published author | Founder/CEO | Chartered Fellow FCSI | Ultimate UK→PT Relocation Guide coming 🔜 January 2, 2026 Two real ways people do it, and why the “same” investment can produce very different results. If you’re a UK expat (or you’ve lived in more than one country), chances are your money is a bit… spread

Steve Thompson , Founder, Atlas Bridge Wealth | Specialist advice for individuals and families moving to, living in, or leaving Portugal 🇵🇹 December 4, 2025 If you’re a Brit living in Portugal and still own a property back in the UK, whether it’s your old family home, a buy-to-let, or something you hung onto “just in case”, this might be one of the most important things you read this year. Because there’s a quiet little tax trap that almost nobody talks about. And occasiona

Steve Thompson , Founder & CEO @ ATLAS BRIDGE WEALTH | Boutique cross-border financial advisory | Europe & Middle East | Chartered Fellow CISI® November 20, 2025 I'm going to tell you a story.... Recently I met a British couple in their mid-60s who’ve lived in Portugal for a number of years. Let’s call them  Chris & Margaret . Their kids had moved out years ago, the house felt too big, and they wanted to simplify life. So they made a big decision: Sell their main home in the

Portugal’s tax regime affecting expats has gone through recent changes. Read on for more information on what to expect from taxes as an expat in Portugal. Disclaimer : This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Anyone acting on this without tailored professional counsel does so at their own risk. Why Portugal? Portugal has become a top destination for international professionals, retirees, and digital nomads. With a high quality

Welcome to the Atlas Bridge Wealth guide to pension planning in Portugal - 2025. This guide explains how UK pensions are taxed when you become resident in Portugal. It breaks down the treatment of State, occupational, government, and personal pensions under the UK–Portugal Double Taxation Agreement, including the powerful 85/15 Category H rule that can reduce effective tax to as little as 3–4%. It also covers the NT (No Tax) code process, lump-sum withdrawals, voluntary UK Na

Steve Thompson, cross-border financial planner in Portugal Helping UK families with £1m+ assets move to Portugal with clarity, confidence, and tax-smart planning | Published author | Founder & CEO | Chartered Fellow FCSI | “Steve helped us avoid costly mistakes during our move.” December 17, 2025 Moving abroad is exciting… until you realise the UK doesn’t need a formal “exit tax” to make your departure expensive. In reality, the cost often shows up in quieter ways: reliefs yo

Steve Thompson , Founder, Atlas Bridge Wealth | Specialist advice for individuals and families moving to, living in, or leaving Portugal 🇵🇹 December 7, 2025 Whenever markets wobble, someone will always ask me the same question: “Steve… is now really the right time to be investing?” And almost every time, I point them back to one place:  the S&P 500 — the clearest long-term mirror of the U.S. economy, and arguably the best teacher in investing. But to really understand why t

Steve Thompson - Founder @ Atlas Bridge Wealth | Specialist advice for individuals and families moving to, living in, or leaving Portugal 🇵🇹 December 2, 2025 When people talk about moving abroad, they’ll tell you about the sunshine, the lifestyle, the golf, the slower pace of life. What they  won’t  tell you — until you’re already knee-deep in it — is just how messy your financial life becomes the moment you become an expat. Almost every week I speak to someone who says a

By Steve Thompson, Founder & CEO @ Atlas Bridge Wealth | Guiding families and individuals in Portugal November 29, 2025 Every week I speak to British families who’ve made the move abroad, or are planning to. Portugal, Spain, Malta, Dubai… the destinations differ, but the theme is the same: “Steve, how does the UK tax me now that I live here?” And the honest answer is: until recently, the rules were messy. Domicile was vague, subjective, and open to interpretation. It made lon

Today’s UK Autumn Budget wasn’t dramatic. Today’s UK Autumn Budget wasn’t dramatic for its policies, but it certainly had an unusual start. The Chancellor’s speech was briefly overshadowed by an unprecedented error, when the Office for Budget Responsibility’s analysis was accidentally published early, prompting the Shadow Chancellor to call it “outrageous.” A “pre-Budget Budget” unfolded online before a word was spoken in Parliament, with journalists scrambling to digest the

Steve Thompson - Founder & CEO @ Atlas Bridge Wealth November 25, 2025 The story behind why we built Atlas Bridge Wealth Moving to Portugal isn’t simply a lifestyle decision, it’s also a financial one. For many British nationals, the appeal is obvious: year-round sunshine, lower living costs, beautiful coastlines, and a pace of life that feels healthier and more grounded. Yet behind the dream often sits a complex financial reality. The moment you become a Portuguese tax resi

Consider these points before you leave... By Atlas Bridge Wealth Relocating from the UK to Portugal is an exciting lifestyle decision, but it’s also one of the most significant financial transitions you’ll ever make. The tax systems don’t align neatly, and without the right planning at the right time, many British expats unintentionally create avoidable tax bills, lose valuable allowances, or miss out on opportunities available  only before  they leave the UK. At Atlas Bridge

Steve Thompson Founder & CEO @ ATLAS BRIDGE WEALTH | Boutique cross-border financial advisory | Europe & Middle East | Chartered Fellow CISI® November 18, 2025 By Atlas Bridge Wealth When the UK formally ended the non-domicile tax regime in April 2025, the change signalled far more than a technical tax reform. It marked the end of a century-old framework that shaped how globally mobile individuals structured their wealth. The UK has now entered a  residence-based tax system

By Steve Thompson, Founder & CEO @ ATLAS BRIDGE WEALTH | Boutique cross-border financial advisory | Chartered Fellow CISI® November 15, 2025 An Atlas Bridge Wealth Guide for UK Expats Portugal has firmly established itself as one of Western Europe’s most attractive destinations for individuals and families seeking a fresh start abroad. It has now overtaken Spain as the preferred base for retirees, remote workers, globally mobile professionals, and lifestyle-driven relocators

Moving to Portugal is about more than sunshine and scenery, it’s about creating a lifestyle that’s financially sustainable. Whether your income comes from pensions, savings, or investments, the goal isn’t just to make your money last, it’s to make it  work  for you throughout retirement. Pre-Relocation Planning The best financial planning starts before you pack your bags. Taking advice while still UK-resident can  unlock opportunities that disappear once you’ve left,  such as

Here we consider the tax implications for individuals who cease their UK tax residency, including the loss of access to valuable tax reliefs and exemptions. Key Points What is the issue? Individuals and business owners leaving the UK face significant tax consequences through the loss of various tax reliefs and exemptions. Ceasing to be a UK tax resident can lead to unexpected liabilities on future income and gains, making early and effective tax planning crucial. What does it

UK Capital Gains Tax is a tax which is levied against the profits made on assets, this article looks at how non-UK residents are affected by UK capital gains tax. UK Capital Gains Tax: A quick summary Asset disposals/sales (selling property, shares, business interests) may trigger CGT, even when not tax resident in the UK. 2025/26 CGT Allowance: £3,000 annual exempt amount. CGT Rates:Residential property: 18% basic, 24% higher-rate taxpayers.Other assets: 18% / 24%.Business A

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Most workplace pensions will attract inheritance tax  How will the new rules work? At the moment, UK pensions are typically outside people’s estates for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. But in the autumn budget last October, Rachel Reeves announced that money left in a defined contribution (AKA money purchase) pension after your death will be pulled into the IHT net from April 2027. Most workplace pensions and all private pensions are defined contribution. The changes mean tha