 Hi I’m soapy, married to Pauline and we have three kids. We moved to
Australia when our kids were teenagers. The oldest being our son who
was 19 at the time and two daughters 17 and 15. We knew it was going to
be tough, but we had a plan. I first fell in love with the idea of Australia I was a kid. My best friend
moved to Australia, but returned a year later. He told me how wonderful
it had been and all the different things he had seen and I'm sure I was
smitten from then on. Pauline had her own story. Her parents had
planned at least three times to move to Australia, but it never
materialised so I think it was always in our heads. Read on to find out more about our story.
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 In the recession of the early 1990’s it became a cliché that certain
banks were the UK’s largest private house holders as many owners
“handed back the keys” to their properties upon which they could no
longer continue to service the mortgage payments. A few months ago I was told that certain Spanish banks were anticipating an avalanche of
clients – particularly expats – who were in difficulties and would need
to seek to resolve their position. More recent reports suggest that the
prediction is coming true.
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 As an expatriate living in the Dubai it is hard
enough to know where to turn for a decent plumber, let alone specialist
advice on matrimonial and family problems. In the UK, the Solicitors
Family Law Association (now ‘Resolution’ ) or the Law Society may be
your first port of call. However in the event of a marriage or relationship breakdown whilst living in Dubai, it is more difficult to know where to turn.
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 After listening to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistar Darling's, latest budget speech, you may understand why Mark FR Wilkins would suggest Spain as a "Fiscal Paradise." Spain, a country
that is some circa three hours from office desk to home office, has
exceptional road, transport and health infrastructure, some of the best
golf courses on the planet, and as much beach as you and your kids can
dream of.
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 Eventually the day came when our daughter announced that she was going
to get married. Naturally we were thrilled and excited, until she told
us that she and her new husband were going to live abroad. Before long two grandchildren were born in their new country and
suddenly we discovered that we had become a Global Family and we were
Global Grandparents.
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 In April 2006, we saw the introduction of 'A-Day' and the so called
‘Simplification’ of the UK pension system. Amongst the many changes
that were made, was the ability for a UK pension policy holder to
transfer his / her pension into a QROPS. Anybody with a UK pension scheme either leaving the UK, or currently
living abroad can transfer all existing private pension provisions
into a QROPS.
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 "I arrived in Melbourne at the end of November in the hope of gaining
employement and starting a new life close to my daughter (she's 5). I
had set up some meetings with recruitement agents and potential
employers (I'm an ACA Accountant) before I left the UK." BritishExpats member richtea31 shares his story of his few free months in Melbourne and how he is settling in.
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