If you're like many expat investors, you may not be aware of just how much of your investment return you're spending on investment expenses, and how much room you may have to save on these expenses. The total portfolio fees expats typically pay can come as a surprise. For example, most of us have a good idea of what we pay in other types of expenses, because the act of writing a check or having fees explicitly deducted on a monthly basis make the amounts transparent (for example, paying rent or a mortgage). However, portfolio fees can be much less obvious, since they're often both hidden and layered. The end result is if you ask most expats how much they're paying in fees on various financial products or their investment portfolio, they either won't be able to come up with an answer or will significantly underestimate the total amount.

This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended as specific tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor for advice relevant to your situation.

If you're an American expat with kids who one day plan to attend college or university, you've probably read or heard about how quickly the cost of higher education has been rising. Recent figures bear this out; according to the latest survey by The College Board, the 10-year historical rate of increase in tuition and fees has averaged approximately 7.9% percent per year, or an average of 5.6% per year above the rate of general U.S. inflation (which averaged 2.3% per year for 2001–2011). For the most recent academic year, all-in total costs (tuition, books and supplies, room and board, and transportation) averaged $33,973 per year at four-year public colleges for out-of-state students, $42,224 per year for private universities, and up to $52,000 for some Ivy League schools. Rising college expenses aren't limited to the U.S.; tuition costs for international students in other English-speaking countries have also been rising quickly, in part as cuts in public funding take their toll.

Many expats tend to lead event-filled lives driven by travel, new opportunities, increased social obligations, and managing the challenges of everyday expat life. This leaves little time and energy for the more mundane chores of everyday life, like managing an investment portfolio. Unfortunately, the complications of cross border finances, multiple tax jurisdictions, currency choices, and planning for a retirement overseas require even more attention and involvement than they would back home.

When living outside your home country, there are a number of things to consider when you are deciding whether you should buy or rent your home. As we pointed out in an earlier blog post, "Considering Buying a Home Overseas? Five Reasons Why Renting May Be a Better Option for Expats," some of the things to think about include a relatively short time horizon (often expats only expect to be in a given location for a few years), maintaining flexibility, avoiding hassles, and the fact that financially, it's often cheaper to rent.