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When it does not pay off

A low-tax country is not always the right answer. These are the cases where we would think twice.

01 Your income is low

Below roughly €40,000 a year, the saving rarely covers moving, rent and health insurance.

02 You will not really live there

Moving only on paper does not work: your old country keeps taxing you if your life stays there.

03 Your family stays behind

If your spouse or children keep living in your old country, many tax offices presume you live there too.

04 You hold large shareholdings

Exit taxes in Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands or the US can cost more than years of savings.

05 Your clients withhold tax

If your clients are in your old country, they may still withhold tax unless a treaty helps.

06 You are a US citizen

The US taxes its citizens wherever they live, so moving rarely removes US tax on its own.

07 You need public healthcare and pensions

Leaving can mean losing contributions, healthcare rights or future pension years.

08 You will be unhappy there

Climate, language, distance and friends matter. A cheaper life you do not enjoy is not a saving.

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