Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Any advice for a dual citizen who came over to the U.S. as a 21 year old and will be returning as an OAP to live in Folkestone for a greater percentage of the year?
Culture shock aside, any practical tips regarding opening a bank account, initiating utilities, dealing with taxes and US pensions (401K, Social Security), getting my driving licence etc much appreciated.
Has anyone been away that long and successfully repatriated without going crazy in the process?

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Yes, I was gone 45 years and coincidentally returned to live in Folkestone in 2011. I can't comment on the pension aspect as I'm not at retirement age yet. If you were licensed to drive in the UK before you left and remember your old address, the DVLA should be able to find your old license. As for a bank account, try Lloyd's on Sandgate Road. FWIW I enjoyed my time in Folkestone and would have been happy to stay there had hubby's job not gone sour. Good luck with your move. :starsmile:

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Thanks curleytops. Did you have any readjustment problems after 45 years and how did you find Folkestone?

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Strangely enough it was almost as if I'd never left and I think that was largely due to feeling like I could finally be me again. My then husband-to-be was working down in Folkestone at the time. We are both originally from the northeast which is where we live now but as I said, we were both quite happy in Folkestone at the time.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

I have a cousin of retirement age who lives in Folkestone, and he seems quite happy there. Due to health issues, he is on a low income and in social housing.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Going back this year after 25+ years away. I have the expectation that I will feel pretty much like curleytops - able to just be myself again. I never did fit in with the US way of life.

We opened an HSBC account online from here. If you can manage a Premium account that will easily allow you to open an account in the UK and manage currencies back and forth.

I also welcome any advice on setting up utilities.

Coincidentally, I see you are in Norwich Vermont. We are heading for Norwich in the UK. Also, my favorite politician is from where you are - easy guess I'm sure ;)

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

The prob with utilities is that coming from abroad we were quite ignorant of how it all functions, not street wise.
Consider just going with the suppliers for the previous tenant / owner on a flexible (non-contract) which will give you a base level of usage. Then use a compare site like uswitch.com to look for competitive quotes to what you have already.
Switching suppliers can take weeks and may be a challenge to get done for your first days or weeks in the new property.
When you start with the old supplier you tell them the meter readings to restart the account under your name.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Threads like this always make my toes tingle.

I can't help as we've not returned....yet & I have only been gone 13 years but I so identify with some of the comments.

Here is to your return being smooth and trouble free with happy new beginnings and discoveries Jensmate.

Have some BE karma.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Thank you all for your help. Even after 40 years, 38 of those as a citizen, I've never felt like this was home. The U.S. has been a place that has given me a superb education, a great career (two, in fact) and a more than decent standard of living.
But, home is where the heart is and my heart has ways been with my blood family, my dear friends and that quantifiable yet undeniable mix of history, architecture and countryside that whispers "this is where you belong."
It's going to be quite a journey to dismantle a lifetime and rebuild it again on the Kent coast.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

As far as finances are concerned I would roll your 401k into a Vanguard IRA and also move any mutual funds you have outside of retirement accounts into Vanguard ETFs as those will be tax "non-toxic" in both the US and the UK.

Your US SS will only be taxable in the UK, but withdrawals from your 401k....I mean IRA as you will have rolled it over to Vanguard.......will be taxed in both the US and the UK. You will pay the UK first, then resource the income to the UK so you can take a foreign tax credit on your 1040.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Why Folkestone if I may ask? Horses for courses but the area was a bit depressing the last time I was there in 2011. Maybe it's changed but there seem to be nicer/cheaper places to live.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Nun, what exactly do you mean by "non-toxic" and i was thinking of using Fidelity instead of Vanguard as they have a brick and mortar office nearby

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

Thanks for taking the time to reply nun. I have a federal employee TSP 401k. Do you know if there any reason I could not let the funds stay in that account where it is earning well and TSP fees are low to non existent and have the money they dispersal made to the bank account of my choice in the UK?

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

[QUOTE=Moses2013;12153979]Why Folkestone if I may ask? Horses for courses but the area was a bit depressing the last time I was there in 2011. Maybe it's changed but there seem to be nicer/cheaper places

Not my first choice I must admit, but family and friends are there.

Re: Going back after 40 years....advice please
 

[QUOTE=Jensmate;12155050]Certainly a good reason:lol: and far worse places to be. It's not that it didn't feel safe or anything and there are some nicer parts like the lower leas coastal park. Just think that some parts are now run down, similar to Dover.