Retirement

QROPS List – October 10, 2017

The special relationship between the USA and QROPS pensions for British expats and Americans with UK pension savings is back on.

The USA rejoined the list of QROPS centres this week after a false start.

Earlier in the month the USA was scrubbed from the QROPS List when a revised list was posted online within hours of announcing the Transform Group Simplified Employee Pension Plan.

Now, the QROPS is reinstated on the list, bringing the USA back into the fold of financial centres offering the pensions after an absence of five months.

The latest list adds seven QROPS, including the US scheme, while HMRC says one is removed and 14 have been updated.

In detail, Australia has added two QROPS, and one each have gone to Germany, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Liechtenstein and the US. The removed scheme was in Ireland.

For more information about QROPS and the benefits it provides, download the iExpats QROPS Guide or complete the Get Advice form.

QROPS List By Financial Jurisdiction

Financial CentreNo of QROPS
Australia484
Austria5
Barbados1
Belgium1
Bulgaria3
Denmark1
EU Institution1
Finland1
Germany12
Gibraltar41
Guernsey35
Hong Kong21
Hungary2
India13
Ireland59
Isle of Man288
Jersey37
Kenya1
Latvia3
Liechtenstein2
Luxembourg2
Malta35
Mauritius2
Netherlands16
New Zealand31
Norway1
South Africa3
Spain1
Sweden2
Switzerland2
USA1
Total:1107

Source: HMRC

The table shows the net number of schemes, accounting for new listings and removals since the publication of the last list.

 

What is the QROPS List?

The HMRC list tells overseas pension providers and retirement savers transferring funds from a UK pension to a QROPS or between offshore pension providers which schemes qualify for QROPS status.

QROPS providers certify their schemes meet UK offshore pension and tax rules to go on the list, but HMRC warns this does not mean any are approved or certain to be QROPS. Retirement savers should check this before transferring any money.

The next HM Revenue and Customs QROPS List is scheduled for October 15, 2017.

QROPS overseas transfer charge

The overseas transfer charge started in March 2017 and is calculated as 25% of the transfer value of a fund into a QROPS.

For expats living inside the European Economic Area (EEA), countries with QROPS that are not subject to the overseas transfer charge are:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • The Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Sweden

QROPS countries outside the EEA

Countries outside the EEA are subject to the transfer charge if an expat does not live in the same country as the pension is administered – these are:

  • Australia
  • Barbados
  • China – for any QROPS based in Hong Kong
  • Guernsey
  • India
  • Isle of Man
  • Jersey
  • Kenya
  • Mauritius
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
  • USA

Other exceptions to the transfer charge may apply if the overseas scheme is run by an employer or multinational non-government organisation, such as the EU QROPS.

A five-year residence rule may also apply.

Click here for official guidance on the overseas transfer charge

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