CALLING ALL BRITS! Updates on International Tax & Estate Planning, UK Pensions, Immigration and More! - Everything Expats Need to Know

Whether you are new to the Bay Area or have been here a while, there are things you need to know to ensure success with your tax and estate planning, immigration status and current and future finances.  Navigating the immigration laws, establishing your credit history, understanding the taxation system, and oh, what to do with that UK pension you left behind? While these issues may seem separate, your decisions about one issue, may negatively, or positively, impact one of the other areas.

This is your chance to get your questions answered from a panel of experts in tax, immigration law, estate planning and UK pensions.  You will also get a chance to connect with people who are in the same situation as yourself.

Join us for some in-person networking at 5.30pm. The panel session will start at 6.00pm. Light bites and wine included.

Some of the questions you will have answered:

• Do I have to declare my worldwide assets and/or worldwide income when I file my tax return?
• I will only stay in the US for a short period of time; can I claim some tax back when I leave?
• I want to transfer some money from Europe to my US bank account; do I have to declare something?

• Now that I'm here, how quickly can I get a Green Card?
• How does having a Green Card impact my tax situation here and abroad?
• How difficult is it to change employers?

• Can I transfer a UK pension plan to the United States?
• What can I do with my UK Pension now I have moved?
• What are the new UK pension flexibilities introduced in 2015 and how do they affect me?
• What is the UK's Lifetime Allowance Tax?

• How do I leverage an International Bank to assist with home buying?
• How to get a mortgage without established US credit history?
• How to find out if I am qualified for a US mortgage?

PANELISTS:











Simon Plumb - MODERATOR
Head of USA





 

Currencies Direct offers an integrated foreign exchange and international payment solution.
Since its formation in 1996, Currencies Direct has seen dynamic growth based on a determination to overcome boundaries and provide value and innovation in the foreign exchange arena. Our mission is to provide ease and expertise for our customers, both private and corporate, who want to trade and travel overseas.

That?s what Money without frontiers is all about.

Qi Wang is a tax manager at Spott, Lucey & Wall, Inc. CPAs in San Francisco, California. Qi works with high-net-worth individuals and multi-national businesses on tax planning and compliance. She specializes in expatriation tax planning and compliance, US inbound and outbound investment and business structuring, and evaluation of tax treaties for avoidance of double taxation. Qi is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting and Information Systems from University of Washington. Qi is an active member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA) and co-chair of the Young and Emerging Professionals committee of CalCPA San Francisco Chapter.
 

Emma Cockerton, Florin Pensions LLC
Co-Founder and CEO

Emma Cockerton is co-founder and CEO of Florin Pensions LLC, a US based investment advisory firm specialising in advising expatriates on UK pension transfers. With only British expatriate advisers working at Florin, Florin is well placed to help its clients make sense of their UK pensions and provide local advice on how to manage them before and during retirement.

Florin is headquartered in San Francisco, but has advisers also located in New York and Florida. Prior to Florin, Emma worked in London as an Executive Director in the risk management function of GE Capital EMEA. She started her career as an UK attorney/solicitor working as a Senior Associate with Ashurst LLP, a multinational law firm based in London.
 

Gregory Wald
Partner






 

Gregory Wald?s experience includes representing multinational and Fortune 500 companies and individual clients in all aspects of immigration law, including non-immigrant visas and immigrant matters regarding multinational executives and managers, individuals of extraordinary ability and professionals.

He has appeared before the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), US Department of Labor (DOL), US Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review and various federal courts.

From 1997 to 2000, Gregory was an assistant district counsel for the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in the Miami and San Francisco districts. In this role, he advised the INS on multiple aspects of immigration, naturalization, criminal and civil law. As a member of the Employer Sanctions team, he provided analysis and consultation to special agents on the legal sufficiency of Notices of Intent to Fine regarding Form I-9 audits, compliance and worksite enforcement operations.

Gregory is a frequent speaker on business immigration and compliance matters. He has presented in seminars and conferences of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Worksite Immigration Compliance Symposium at the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance, ILW.COM?s Technology Immigration: Update From the Trenches, as well as client seminars regarding the latest trends in employment-based immigration and government enforcement actions. In addition, Gregory regularly publishes on the latest developments in immigration law and worksite compliance.

Gregory served as chair of the Northern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association in 2010/2011. In 2009, he was nominated as one of California?s leading practitioners in the field of corporate immigration and listed in Who?s Who Legal: California. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating for ability and ethics. He is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America and has been listed as a Northern California Super Lawyer.

Jeffrey P Needham

Senior Vice President
US Head of Mortgage Originations  
West Region Manager (Interim) Private Bank & Wealth

 

Jeff Needham leads HSBC?s US Mortgage Originations business.  He is also serving as Interim West Region Manager for Private Bank and Wealth, a position he held prior to his current posting.   Jeff began his career with HSBC in 1993 and has held various positions throughout his thirty-year career with the organization.  Previous positions included managing HSBC?s Retail Banking and Wealth Management businesses across New York City, as well as responsibility for our National Residential Mortgage Lending business across the United States. 
 
Jeff presently sits on the National Corporate Advisory Board of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and is a former Board member of both the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) and the NYC Citizens Housing & Planning Council (CHPC).