What interesting times we live in and I could add, quite scary times. I shudder when I think that the free world’s peace is controlled by a very volatile and frightening man. Is it acceptable to threaten another country’s leader via Twitter? What about the old fashioned way of diplomatic channels and ambassadors, in private? Still, I am an old fashioned gal who wouldn´t dream of going on Facebook to discuss my private life and to see the office of the US President using social media in this way, when there is a conflict, disagreement, or just lashing out, I find appalling.

I am now going to drop a bit of a bombshell. Do you realise that when you get your Residencia accepted by the Spanish authorities, it is a European document which states you live in Spain. However, to be a full legal resident in Spain, you must be a fiscal resident. This means you must be registered by the Spanish tax office and submit yearly tax returns in Spain. This does not mean you necessarily have to pay tax in Spain, but you must do a yearly tax return, which is a legal requirement. This costs very little and protects you from a fine. If you are autonomos or working on contract, you are a fiscal resident. I feel, with Brexit on the horizon, it would be very wise to get your paperwork in order, because obviously there are checks being carried out on behalf of the governments in both Spain and the UK already. IBI, Basura and road tax are a totally separate issue, as they are in the UK. Would you consider Council Tax, rubbish collection and car tax in Britain as your tax return? Of course not!

Staying on the subject of legality and as part of Expat Services, when talking to my chosen financial advisor, he reminded me of a very good piece of sound advice. Although the company you are dealing with may be authorised to sell financial investments, did you realise that the advisor offering advice also has to be fully registered and regulated? Unless they are, they are not allowed to work in the UK at any time or offer advice in any other country, so take care and select your advisor very carefully, because it could spell trouble with a capital T.

If you are in any doubt on either of these two issues or wish to do a tax return which is due in June, you can always organise an appointment with one of my associates (the first consultation is free), telephone 966 461 690 or visit www.expatservicesspain.net.

I am very excited about my new advertisements that are just starting to appear in the newspapers. I hope you agree with me that they are very ‘relaxing’. There are eight different advertisements informing you of the services that we offer, one of which is a unique house insurance for your largest asset.

It is a very good policy, especially designed for the Expats and as far as I am concerned, knowing my way around the market as I do, it is the best. It might however, not be the cheapest but the extent of the cover is exceptional. Liability, water loss and especially accidental damage on both the contents and the building, are unique. A big percentage of the claims that come through my office are the result of accidental damage. With regard to contents cover, my Sales Consultants will advise you to take out a realistic sum and you would be amazed when you think about how much you spend on furnishing your home, clothes, personal items and valuables. Be very careful when it comes to expensive jewellery, paintings, watches and collections. For example, it you have rings and watches, you will need a full risk policy, not just insurance cover when they are locked in a safe. Also, do not be persuaded to under insure, because when it comes to total loss, you will find yourself in trouble with the insurance company. Never forgetting out-buildings, solar panels and pools, garden furniture, the list is endless. When you take all of this into consideration, you should expect to pay a realistic premium to reflect the cover. If it seems too cheap, whilst at the same time being assured it covers everything, I suggest you look very closely before committing. Liberty Seguros has specially designed policies for second homes, and for those properties that are rented or uninhabited for a certain length of time.

When you are renting your property legally, long term, special landlord insurance is a necessity and includes cover for non payment of rent and Liberty also have policies for tenants to cover their own contents and liability. Protect yourself and your home in the best possible way.

For more information or a quotation, please contact one of my consultants or visit my website www.jennifercunningham.net.

Just 1 Question…

Would you send your children to be taught in a school where teachers are not qualified?

Qualified

Is your financial adviser qualified?
There are a variety of qualifications within our industry, and as in many industries the level or, quality of qualifications, vary. From a qualification perspective, the UK is probably one of the most robust and rigorous environments.

You can easily check to see if your adviser is qualified to UK standards, by simply going to the Chartered Insurance Institute website, www.cii.co.uk . If you click on membership and then member search, you can then type in your advisers’ name. If they don’t appear with at least the designation Dip PFS next to their name, they would not be able to give advice in the UK.

Regulated
I am sure, like us, you will see many adverts in the press and on Social Media from firms and individuals offering to provide Financial Advice. Sadly, many of these are not regulated at all.
Being regulated ensures that you have important protection against unscrupulous advisers. If the firm is regulated, you will have protection and some recourse action should the advice be deemed to be inappropriate to your personal requirements. In addition, any regulated firm has to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance, which adds another level of protection for you.

Any firm who is regulated will always state on any advert, or on their website, exactly who they are regulated by. Any firm that is regulated will be happy to share their licences with you.

Would you happily get on a plane knowing the pilot isn’t qualified?

Our Consultants are regulated by the FSC in Gibraltar, Registration number FSC1118B, and also registered with the FCA (UK) and both the DGS and CNMV in Spain.
They are qualified to level 4 with the CII, and are members of the Personal Finance Society. Both hold the Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning.
In addition to being both regulated and qualified, clients will also have peace of mind, in that they are dealing with a Family business which is here for the long term.
So, if you are unsure of your advisers’ regulatory status, or qualifications, why not contact us now for a free consultation?

Pension planning has always been an important part of financial planning and never more so than
now. The pension industry’s legislation is forever changing and everyone should review their
options.

On top of this, we find ourselves in a transitional period where the UK are in negotiations with the
EU, hoping to obtain the best BREXIT deal possible. This, as one would expect, raises lots of
uncertainty and concerns about how UK pensions will be affected by BREXIT and equally, what
impact this has on individuals who live overseas.

We have seen an increasing number of clients living abroad opt to transfer their pension to
an overseas, tax beneficial, jurisdiction. This has given them peace of mind that their pension will no
longer be subject to unknown changes caused by BREXIT.

Most people will depend on a pension to provide them with their income in retirement. Their
pension may come from the State, from a company sponsored pension scheme or from a private
pension arrangement.

Governments around the world are increasing retirement ages and reducing the benefits that the
state provides, so we all need to have the means to support ourselves. Furthermore, with our life
expectancy increasing through breakthroughs in medication and education, our pension funds need
to last longer than ever before.

It is not uncommon for people to lose track of their pensions over time, or even forget about them
all together. If you want to maintain a certain level of lifestyle in retirement or have the option of
retiring when you want to, it is vital you have a plan in place.

We are able to carry out pension audits and reviews of existing schemes, whether your
pension be based in the UK or overseas. We will explain what your options are in plain English,
without the jargon, so that you can make informed decisions on how best to achieve your goals.

Contact Expat services today and we’ll put you in touch with a tried, tested and trusted advisor recommended by Jennifer herself

Could it get any worse? Every time a politician opens his mouth to speak, it is a different story. All I know is that it is becoming a bit of a dangerous farce. There are so many issues and differences to be discussed and many agreements to be made. One example is Northern Ireland, I cannot see an easy resolution happening here and when did the Irish ever resolve anything quickly, especially when it comes to border control and customs.

There have been many warnings of the effects of coming out of the EU, but especially the customs union and trade agreements. These warnings do not seem to be taken on board and there is a mountain to cross regarding the negotiations. I think if I lived in the UK I would be making an exodus to live elsewhere in Europe whilst I had the chance to do it relatively easily, making Spain one of the first choices.

I understand there are a number of people panicking about being able to stay in Spain. I have no fears whatsoever, as both Rajoy, the Prime Minster, his Foreign Minister and the Consulate have many times assured us that we are very welcome to stay (of course we are – the economy would drop enormously without us).

The advice given by the Consulate is to request your Residencia as soon as possible and they are advising that to do this you must have proof of healthcare and if you are not entitled to state healthcare, you need private health insurance, with a certificate which must be presented and approved by the police.

My company can provide you with this certificate when you purchase and complete payment of a health insurance policy. All my offices can assist you with this process, with the applications then be forwarded to my Head Office and your application for your health certificate processed.

I am a little disturbed by many applying for this certificate and after a year, cancelling the policy. Unless you are accepted into the state health system, you will, of course, not have any cover at all in Spain. At this moment it is not illegal to be without health insurance whilst living in Spain but it is very foolish. Accidents and illness happen far too frequently to be without cover. Not only could the costs be high, depending on the illness and if you are unable to pay the invoice you will find yourself with embargoes on your home or bank account.

The other situation you could find yourself in, is needing to reapply for health insurance and find yourself in another age bracket, or have a pre-existing condition, which will both increase the premiums and the pre-existing condition could affect your coverage. Another issue with the state health care is the huge waiting lists and the pressure on the resources. So take care.

Currently I am re-launching Expat Services and have introduced a new service which is named after my Sound Advice programme on Bay Radio – “Jennifer’s Sound Advice Surgeries”, starting in my Javea and Els Poblets offices and extending to the southern offices shortly. I have selected very trusted professionals, who are all fully regulated, to work alongside me, offering their experience of living and working in Spain and what is required to do so. This includes solicitors, financial advisors, currency exchange and a structural surveyor. Two pieces of advice I can give you now is to go to a solicitor when you are thinking of purchasing a property and make sure your solicitor is independent, especially when buying off plan or a new build. This advice will be invaluable, before you even start looking for a property.

When you need any insurance, always go to a specialist, not your bank or solicitor, as in all probability the result will be a Spanish policy, not a policy tailored for the Expats, which my company specialises in. This particularly applies to life insurance. The premiums could be far higher than necessary and you may not be sure of exactly what is covered. When purchasing Mortgage Protection, a medical may be necessary and if you are not offered this and have a condition, your estate may have problems when trying to claim.

It is that time of year again where we are thinking of going on holiday, camping, travelling, hotels or cruises. My company has an excellent policy which you can pay in Sterling, which has many benefits, especially the optional extras when you go on a cruise, which includes cover if you are confined to your cabin due to illness and miss pre-booked excursions, and cover for missing ports or connections during your trip. And of course, all the normal cover of lost luggage, illness and repatriation and being able to speak to someone in your own language is always beneficial.

For those who live near the Els Poblets office, where the Renewal Department is based, I require a part time Sales Consultant to sell general insurance. Sales experience is necessary and other languages would be an advantage. Please send your CV to accounts@jennifercunningham.net.

For more information, please contact one of my offices or email info@jennifercunningham.net and to book an appointment for the Sound Advice Surgery, email info@expatservicesspain.net.