retirement accounts
U.S. Retirement Accounts When You Move Abroad
A move does not close a 401(k) or IRA, but it changes who will service it and how the account is described in a second tax system.
May 12, 2026 · 7 min read
Reader Situations
Living Outside the U.S.
The same U.S. account behaves differently depending on where you live, what passport you hold, and which stage of life you are in. Start from the situation that matches yours.
By Audience
Who this is for
Americans Living Abroad
U.S. citizens and green card holders keep U.S. filing obligations wherever they live, while their local country applies its own rules to the same accounts.
Read articlesNon-U.S. Owners of U.S. Assets
People who never lived in the United States can still hold U.S. brokerage accounts, property, or company shares, each with its own withholding and estate questions.
Read articlesCross-Border Families and Beneficiaries
Mixed-nationality families and heirs abroad often inherit U.S. accounts without knowing which country's process governs what.
Read articlesBy Life Event
What just changed
By Country
Where you live now
Ireland
Ireland hosts a large population of Americans, dual citizens, and returning Irish nationals who continue to hold U.S. retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, and property. Many of the recurring questions concern how a U.S. account is maintained from an Irish address and how income inside it is described in two systems.
Netherlands
The Netherlands draws U.S.-connected professionals, employees with equity compensation, and families who later inherit U.S. accounts. Questions about stock compensation timing, account custody, and estate documentation come up frequently.
Italy
Italy is home to Americans who have relocated, dual citizens who have returned, and families inheriting U.S. property and accounts from relatives. Inheritance mechanics and estate documentation are among the most common reading topics.
Recent
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