Most of the friction people describe after an international move is not conceptual. It is a bank that closes an account, a verification code sent to a disconnected number, or a document that a foreign institution will not accept without an apostille.
Inventory before anything else
An inventory is unglamorous and it makes every later conversation shorter. It also tends to surface accounts nobody had thought about in years.
- Bank, brokerage, and retirement accounts, with custodian names.
- Property, entity interests, and any employer equity.
- Beneficiary designations and where estate documents are held.
- Recurring income sources and how each is paid.
Ask institutions in writing
Policies on foreign addresses differ by institution. A written answer from each one, kept with the inventory, is worth more than a general rule found online.
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