# American expats: how do you manage your US retirement accounts while in NL?



## bill2516 (Apr 18, 2014)

Hi,

I am an American/Dutch citizen planning on moving back from the US to The Netherlands to live closer to family for 3-5 years, to eventually move back again to the US after that. I’ve US retirement accounts such as IRA’s and 401k’s.

How are you managing your American retirement accounts while residing in The Netherlands?

1. Are you using an US investment advisor? My US investment advisor just told me he cannot serve me anymore if I move to the Netherland and have a Dutch address on my retirement accounts.
2. Are you using an US investment advisor? May I ask who and how do you like them being an American expat in The Netherlands?
3. Do you keep your US or Dutch address on your (retirement) account(s)?
4. Do you need to report your 401k and/or IRA on your Dutch taxes?

Feel free to private message me or share your answer here on this forum. I’d be very interested to know!

Thanks


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Basically, you can't add anything to your US retirement accounts while you're living in the Netherlands (well, unless you choose to go the FTC route instead of taking the FEIE - you can only contribute to IRAs or 401Ks from taxable earned income). 

What most folks do is to just leave their US retirement funds to accumulate while they are overseas. It sort of depends on how you have your funds set up, but I know the Vanguard and Fidelity accounts I had could all be "managed" via the Internet - to the extent that you want to shuffle the deck chairs while you're overseas. To a certain extent, it may be just as well to leave them as they are while you're out of the country.

For French tax purposes, I've always listed my IRA and 401K as "foreign assurance vie" contracts - on the theory that there is no penalty for over-reporting. But it may be just as valid to simply report them as "foreign bank accounts." Not sure what the Dutch government asks for on their tax forms.
Cheers,
Bev


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