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International Financial Resources
One of the most incredible parts of growing Her First $100K has been seeing just how far of a reach we have across the globe. It used to be that we’d have an international follower or two who might hop into the comments, but now we get emails and comments daily about financial advice for their home countries.
We get asked a lot about HYSA, retirement accounts, and other financial service equivalents in other countries. So, my team has done some research to put together recommendations and information for financial services in our most popular international communities!
A quick note –– 80% of the financial information you find at Her First $100K will be applicable to other countries. We spend a lot of time discussing the greater themes around money like budgeting, spending, negotiation, and releasing shame. These tips will help you regardless of where you live in the world.
This list is not exhaustive but is a great starting point if you’re looking for specific advice outside of the United States.
Quick definitions
Pension: A guaranteed regular monthly payment from your employer that begins paying out when you retire. In order to become eligible for the full pension amount, you usually have to work a set number of years.
HYSA: A savings account with a higher than average interest rate that helps your savings stay up to date with inflation.
Roth IRA/401K: A type of retirement brokerage account that holds your investments. A Roth IRA is opened by an individual, and a 401K is usually opened and contributed to by an employer, up to a certain percentage. Both accounts are tax-advantaged.
What to look for from financial creators and blogs
When you’re starting to research financial creators in your home country, it might feel overwhelming. The process of vetting a creator when you’re still learning about finances yourself isn’t always clear-cut. Here’s what to look for:
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Does this person have an inclusive space that recognizes societal and systemic impacts to finance such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.?
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Does this person have features in reputable publications?
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Does this person have testimonials or real-world applications they readily share as part of their advice?
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Is their information both easy to digest and factually accurate? It never hurts to double-check information against other sources –– which is why I recommend following a few different creators and blogs to get a well-rounded and diversified perspective.
Now that we’ve covered the basics –– we’re off!
France
Pensions: One of my favorite places in the world, it was so exciting to see more and more french followers joining us at Her First $100K. The French system of retirement is built around pensions. These are compulsory payments (AKA non-optional), but there are additional private pensions you can take out if you’d like to contribute beyond your requirements.
Important note for US ex-pats –– you need to work in France for ten years to be able to take advantage of their pensions.
HYSA: Start saving the smart way with Cashbee’s HYSA for French residents. You can open a FREE account in 5 minutes and instantly earn 3% interest for 3 months (for up to 75K euros), followed by 0.7% thereafter. Download the app to start making your money work harder for you!
Roth IRA Equivalents: France does not currently have a Roth IRA or traditional retirement account equivalent outside of their pension program.
Best Finances Resources for France:
Australia
Pensions: Like France, Australia has a social pension program for its citizens called Age Pension. Also, like France, you must meet a 10-year citizen requirement.
Where Australia differs from France and the United States is their version of a 401K, which is a mandatory program called a superannuation account. This program requires 9.5% of your annual income and is steadily rising over the next few years—sort of similar to the US’s social security.
HYSA: Australian banks do offer savings accounts with higher interest rates, but most banks do have account maximums or specific terms (much like CDs in the U.S.).
Roth IRA Equivalent: Australia doesn’t have Roth IRA equivalents, but it does have their own version of the American Stock Market, called the ASX, which you can invest in.
Best Finances Resources for Australia:
Canada
Pensions: Our neighbor to the north is known for its social programs, and their pension system is no different. Canada’s pension program is completely funded through the government and available to citizens who have lived there for at least ten years.
HISA: As far as savings accounts are concerned, Canada, like the US, has quite a few options for high-interest savings accounts. Make sure to read up more on restrictions and terms! Check out the account I recommend.
Roth IRA Equivalent: The Canadian version of a Roth IRA is a TFSA (tax-free savings account). Like a Roth IRA, a TFSA is tax-advantaged, and as long as you are over the age of 18 and have an SIN, you can open one! TFSAs have yearly contribution limits –– currently, it is $7,000 a year.
Best Finance Resources for Canada:
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Mallory Rowan, marketing and money coach & speaker
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Kelly Keehn, personal finance educator & author
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Parween–– The Wealthy Wolfe, millennial money coach
United Kingdom
Pensions: Starting to sense a pattern? The UK also offers a mandatory pension plan for its citizens. Like other countries, you can also opt for a private pension plan in addition to the mandatory pension plan. These are meant to be additional sources for retirement income.
HYSA: Banks in the UK offer savings accounts that have above-average interest rates. You can learn more about these accounts here! Like many countries, the combination of the 2008 crash and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought interest rates down substantially.
Roth IRA Equivalent: The SIPP (self-invested pension plan) is the closest equivalent to the United State’s IRA or 401K.
Best Finance Resources for the UK:
As we mentioned above, this list and resources are not exhaustive –– but hopefully, they’ll help you get started on your journey to financial literacy for your home country!
More HFK resources:
5 Favorite Personal Finance Books for Women
Navigating the Negotiation: how to negotiate your salary and get paid what you’re worth
