Jeremy Ferguson Spectrum IFA

07/09/2026

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗤&𝗔 - I have an annuity from my UK pension which was set up before I left the UK. Is this treated as per income tax rates, or as Capital Gain?

I get asked this a lot. The important thing is what age you were when the annuity was ‘bought’ in the UK. This then determines what percentage of the annuity is taxable. This amount is then taxed at income tax rates. The overall effect usually means the effective rate of tax is minimal. As ever, with these sorts of questions, always feel free to get in touch.

04/09/2026

💡 Top Tips for Expat Life – Get back to networking this September
💪 September is a great time for business, and there are lots of events that you can attend to make the most of this time.
🤝 One of the biggest is taking place in Mijas on the 22nd of September, in association with all the Costa del Sol’s networking groups, including Business 1st.
🤝 This event will be an excellent way to make new contacts, reconnect with existing contacts and start the Autumn off right for your business.
🎫 Tickets need to be purchased in advance, all the details are in the poster below.

01/09/2026

Here’s a great article from my Spectrum IFA colleague in Valencia Matthew Green, with lots of thought-provoking questions to consider when you’re planning for your retirement.

❓ What if you decide to stop working earlier than planned?
❓ What if you want to spend more in the first few years of retirement while you are fit and healthy?
❓ What if investment markets fall just as you begin taking an income?
❓ Or what if, quite simply, your priorities change?

As he says, these aren’t necessarily problems. In fact, having the financial flexibility to respond to them can be one of the greatest benefits of good planning.

If you’re planning your retirement, or are wondering whether your plans are still relevant for you, think things through carefully, and make sure you get advice, so your finances can change if your situation does.

The retirement you haven’t planned for The Spectrum IFA Group Or what if, quite simply, your priorities change?

29/08/2026

🎂 Happy Birthday Michelle! 🎁
🎉 After a fun packed and exhausting summer with the boys, we hope you can relax and celebrate today.
🥳 Enjoy your special day. 🎈

25/08/2026

😎 Summer is nearly over and these two have had an absolute blast!
🏖️ Boats, beaches, pools, playgrounds, birthdays and lots of lovely family time.

17/08/2026

The things that confuse expats the most about living in Spain, apart from the language, has to be the bureaucracy and the tax system.

Making mistakes with Spanish taxes can cause big problems, so we wanted to share this great article from our friends at Spence Clarke which details 10 common tax pitfalls for expats in Spain – and how to avoid them.

Link in first comment

14/08/2026

It was amazing to be living in Spain during the World Cup and being part of the scenes of elation after each match. Although it was sad for England to get knocked out, being swept up in the national obsession with the World Cup here was a lot of fun.

I was very interested to read the article in Euro Weekly Newspaper about how the rest of the world got behind Spain’s team as well, and that it had an unexpected result, which was that people from China were searching for flights to Spain in record numbers – interest increased 19-fold in a matter of days!

While of course not all searches result in bookings, experts predict that this surge in interest from China will be a real boost for the country’s tourist sector.

Read the full article in the first comment. 👇

11/08/2026

I definitely believe in the quote from Benjamin Franklin that “𝘉𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭” and so I wanted to share this excellent article from my Financial Advice for Expats - The Spectrum IFA Group colleague Matthew Green in Valencia all about the importance of preparing and planning and how he learned and applied that lesson in the army, and continues to apply it as a financial advisor.

He rightly says that when you make the move to another part of the world, you need to ensure your financial plans change to match your new circumstances, so that they are working for you in this new chapter of your life.

You can read the article in the link in the first comment and we recommend that you speak to one of our team of advisors before you make the move, to ensure you can prepare to avoid making costly mistakes.

07/08/2026

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 – 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗮 (𝟳-𝟭𝟲 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁)

One of the wonderful things about living in Spain is the food! If you love Spanish “𝘫𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯” as much as we do, don’t miss the ham festival in Estepona, which starts today. Every evening for over a week, you can find the best ham producers and ham cutters all along the paseo, serving thousands of plates of delicious ham and other Iberian products, along with free concerts and a fantastic atmosphere. The stalls open from 7pm until 2am, and the concerts start at 11.30pm.

Find out more about the festival and other great things to see and do in Estepona on the Estepona Turismo page

06/08/2026

🎂 Wishing our cheeky little monkey Ben a very Happy Birthday! 🎁

🥳 He’s 4 today and having a wonderful day.