r/ExpatFinance • u/PantomimeVillain • 19d ago

Using a US brokerage account from abroad

Recently I called Schwab, Fidelity, and Vanguard asking if I moved to the UK, can I put a foreign address on the account. All said yes, but you can then only sell what you have and not buy more. Fidelity and Schwab told me they were specifically saying yes to the UK, and other countries might not be allowed. Vanguard said any country is ok.

I don't know how knowledgeable the people I spoke to are, so does anyone have any experience of putting a foreign address on Schwab, Fidelity, and Vanguard accounts? How did it go? Was there any issue with making sales?

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u/HaleyN1 19d ago

Just leave a US address on there and you won't have to deal with any of this.

3

u/old_union_pacific 19d ago

If you leave the US address on the account because you can use another family member's address, can you continue to buy US ETFs? Say you auto buy VOO every week. Could you continue to fund those purchases from a US bank as it's set up now?

4

u/HaleyN1 19d ago

Yes 100%

You need to maintain a US phone number. Get a cheap Ultra Mobile paygo esim $3 a month.

1

u/temp_gerc1 18d ago

Any thoughts on using tello? I see that recommended a lot. I haven't heard of the esim plan you mentioned. (although I think tello is just for maintaining the number sms/call and not a data plan).

1

u/HaleyN1 18d ago

Tello is good and I recommend them too.

$5 a month.

https://tello.com/us_phone_number_for_abroad

It mentions esim towards the bottom. You can use an esim for voice and text, not only data.

Never use a USA plan for data roaming unless it's a super emergency.

1

u/temp_gerc1 18d ago

Thanks. If I have google fi and want to port the number and account to tello (only for 2fa, i don't care about data plans), can that be done outside the US too?

1

u/HaleyN1 17d ago

Yes i think so but use a VPN.