Podcast Interview with Jake Barber, international local finance expert

Moving abroad opens up possibilities, but it also adds layers to your financial life that most people don't see coming. In this episode of Let the Adventure Begin!, Josh Wood sits down with Jake Barber, Founder and CEO of SJB Global, to talk through what locals and expats are actually dealing with right now - from currency swings and cross-border tax headaches to the costs that quietly reshape a family budget after a move.

Jake brings a perspective that's hard to find. He's been advising locals and expats for years, but he's also lived internationally since childhood and is currently raising a bilingual family in Marbella with his Colombian partner. The conversation moves between professional insight and lived experience in a way that makes the financial side feel a lot less abstract.

Flexibility Is the Real Expat Advantage

When global events hit - wars, currency shocks, sudden policy shifts - locals and expats have an option most people don't: they can move. Jake was actually considering the relocation of his business to the Middle East when the Iran situation flared up, and he pivoted within days. That kind of fluidity is an important characteristic of successfully building an international life.

The First Year Abroad Costs More Than You Think

Most people budget for cost of living, but it's the setup year that gets them. Housing deposits, immigration fees, school enrollment, healthcare - the one-off costs stack up fast, and it usually takes a year or two before your monthly spending settles into something predictable.

Currency Is the Risk Nobody Talks About

Last year the US dollar dropped roughly 14% against the euro. For an American moving to Europe, that's a meaningful cut in spending power without a single bad investment decision. Jake gets into how hedging works, why cash and bonds behave differently than equities, and what most locals and expats overlook when their money lives in one currency and their life is in another.

Cross-Border Tax Is Where AI Falls Short

Jake is seeing more clients show up with ChatGPT printouts asking him to confirm the advice. His take: cross-border tax may be one of the last areas AI gets right, because a single situation can have twenty different outcomes depending on treaties, residency timing, and asset location. He shares a recent client case that shows how quickly small structural details can turn into big consequences.

Americans Worry About Filing. Brits Tend to Ignore.

The two groups make different mistakes. Americans get tripped up on tax filing and estate planning - assuming a US will holds up abroad, or that leaving the country means leaving the IRS behind. Brits often just don't engage. With reporting standards now linking tax authorities across most countries, the old "they'll never find out" approach is running out of road.

Digital Nomad Visas Aren't Always the Best Deal

The headline tax rate looks attractive, but Jake cautions against stopping there. Depending on your situation, a standard residency visa paired with proper tax planning can end up cheaper - and come with benefits the digital nomad route doesn't.

What Catches Expat Families Off Guard

Two costs reshape family budgets more than any others: private schooling and private healthcare. If your kids can't attend local schools, private tuition becomes a permanent line item, and healthcare costs hit harder than they look once you account for the taxes you paid to earn that money.

Plan Six Months Out, Not Six Weeks Out

Some tax strategies are only available while you're still resident in your home country - once you leave, those doors close. Jake also recommends sitting on a much bigger cash cushion than usual before a move, because the first year tends to throw curveballs.

The Benefit That Doesn't Show Up on a Spreadsheet

Raising kids across cultures and languages isn't a line item, but it might be the most valuable thing an expat life offers. Jake shares what it looks like in his own household, and why he thinks early international exposure shapes kids in ways that pay off long after the move.

Listen to the Full Episode

There's a lot more in the conversation - including Jake's thoughts on Bitcoin in the current bear market, why retirees often underspend out of fear, and how SJB Global has built its reputation around long-term client relationships. Have a listen, and if you want to learn more about Jake and his team, you can find them at sjb-global.com.