Curious about what abroaden is, what we can and can’t do (yet), and who we are?
We got you covered. Read our FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What’s your story?
Our co-founders are two long-time US expats who met randomly at a startup pitching event in the summer of 2018 in Barcelona. They got to talking about living abroad and startups, and the discussion quickly shifted to how hard it was to access financial services when you’re an American overseas.
That led to a mostly part-time effort to look for a solution to this problem. Along the way, that lead to countless discussions with members from all corners of the international community about the issues we face investing, managing our money and getting trusted sources of information around finance.
As a result, abroaden was born in late 2020. In that time, the startup has gone through both incubation and acceleration, and is quickly becoming a voice of financial wellbeing authority for the international community in Barcelona and beyond.
What does “abroaden” mean?
Abroaden is the combination of two words: “abroad” and “broaden.”
“Abroad” is in tribute to our community of expats, international remote workers and others living abroad.
“Broaden” signifies the broadening of our financial horizons.
Where are you located?
We’re a US C-Corp, but are based in Barcelona, Spain. 😎
We do periodic meetups in town. Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn and come join us at our next one!
Which countries/regions do you serve?
While we welcome everyone living abroad, our current focus is on the European market (EEA and UK). Our growth plans will see us expand to other regions. If we’re not where you are yet, hang tight; we’re coming.
(Be the first to know when we can serve you by signing up on our early access waiting list).
Why abroaden?
Your financial well-being is only second to your health. For most of us living abroad though, finding trusted information from experts without strings attached is either out of reach or inexistent.
We know. We’ve experienced it first hand. That’s why we’re on a mission to change that.
As a team of people living abroad who nerd out over personal finance, we built abroaden with helping you understand, navigate and put your money to work for you.
Our goal is to use our expertise as certified experts to provide you with the resources you need to make informed and empowered financial decisions. That way, you can achieve financial well being regardless of where you call home.
Why should I trust abroaden?
Great question. For one, we’re composed of people who have lived abroad a really long time. Second, unlike others in this space, we’ve dedicated the better parts of our careers working in finance, banking, fintech, and investment advice.
We also realized that there weren’t any transparent and affordable options for the masses of middle class people who happen to live in a different country from where they grew up.
The people on our team who build the financial well being products and answer your questions are certified and experienced in investment advice (more on that below). In addition to spending countless hours studying for the qualifications, they also take continuous education classes to stay current (although we’re all nerdy about this stuff so we enjoy it).
Contrast that with many “coaches” out there who either have no qualifications, or worse, self-certify themselves.
That’s not us, and we know you and our international community deserve better.
What is financial wellbeing?
- Have a healthy and reasonable relationship with money
- Run a budget that fits both your needs and lifestyle (because you’re entitled to have fun with the money you work hard to earn).
- Know what your long term financial goals are and how you want to achieve them
- Possess the information and resources necessary to understand financial concepts whenever they present themselves
- Not stress when it comes to making a financial decision
For people living abroad like you, we know that obtaining this level of well being is even harder, since we’re always a bit lost in translation (even if we’re well integrated into our local communities).
That’s why we’re committed to helping you.
What is coaching?
For us, coaching is giving you perspective and context to help you reach your various financial goals. Our platform does that by letting you set budgeting rules and checking in with you periodically to measure performance and adjust based on learnings.
You can also ask us any money or finance-related question you’d like, and we’ll be happy to answer them in a way that aligns with your well being goals.
Can you give me investment advice?
Not at this time. See below for more information.
What’s the difference between you and other investment and financial coaches?
Unlike most people offering “expat financial coaching,” we’re trained and certified as investment advisors. We know your money is important and getting the right information from qualified experts can make or break your wealth.
We’ve seen some truly bizarre offers out there for our community, and each time we’ve checked, we’ve been shocked at what we found (and not in a good way). A lot of the information provided by these coaches works on flawed assumptions, misunderstandings of money, or flat-out inaccuracies.
We’re providing a knowledgeable alternative to that so you can have a trusted resource to help you gain financial well being.
When I connect my bank account, can you control it?
No. You connect to your bank account via a service known as open banking. Open banking is the concept of allowing 3rd parties to access bank account data in the name of building new financial services.
To connect to your account, we work with what’s known as a “third party provider.” This company has a license issued by both the FCA (UK) and the Central Bank of Ireland (EU) that enables them to connect to bank accounts and transmit that information to us.
To do so, though, you need to authorize them with your banking app. Once you’ve agreed to the connection, we can fetch this data at your request. If we’re helping you make a payment, that’s done with your absolute control.
We don’t keep your banking credentials on file, so we can never log into your bank account without your consent (not that we’d do that anyways).
I’m a US expat: can you help me?
Yes! Our co-founders are both Americans living abroad. They created abroaden exactly because they found it infuriating that they couldn’t grow their wealth or even access most financial services as US expats.
As you can guess, there are certain services we can’t offer to Americans abroad (just yet; we’re working hard to solve the big ones). However, if you’re a US expat, you’re more than welcome to join our platform.
I’m not living abroad. Can I still use your services?
We welcome everyone. However, we tailor our services to people living and working abroad who will periodically move countries. For us, we focus on how to obtain financial well-being when your life takes you through different countries. To that, there are specific needs and concerns, including taxes and understanding which financial products best fit this profile.
While we feel confident we could help you on your way to getting financial well being if you’re not living abroad, there are likely better sources for you where you live.
What makes you different from local banks, coaches, and advisors?
Most local financial services and coaches focus on a domestic audience -- one that will spend their entire lives in that country. For them, they create their products without thinking what would happen if their customer moved to a different country. (There’s nothing wrong with this, of course.)
We know that for us living abroad, issues arise when you start dealing with moving countries every so often. For us, not only do we need to understand money and finance, but also what happens when we bring our bank accounts, investments, and budgets across borders.
Domestic services don’t get that, or if they do, they don’t understand it well. We do, which is why we’re dedicated to helping our international community reach their financial goals and well being.
How do you select your partners?
- The complimentary services they offer that we currently can’t but there’s a demand for.
- How well the partner understands the needs and profiles of people living abroad.
- The price and transparency of their products coupled with reputation.
That way, we can ensure we’re referring you to services that will help and not hinder your quest for financial well being.
What can you do for me?
- Connect to your bank accounts, set budget goals for you, and give you guidance on where you can make savings
- Help you build a budget
- Consolidate all of the pension plans and other investments you’ve accumulated around the world so far so you know your net worth
- Give you access to training and workshop programs to build your financial knowledge as someone living abroad
- Connect you with our partners that can help build your wealth and make your financial lives easier (for example, accountants)
- Make your life more comfortable if you’re an international remote worker.
- Answer your questions in our chat
- Give you one-on-one coaching with one of our certified experts*
* Additional cost. Please see pricing for more information.
What can’t you do for me (yet)?
- Provide bespoke investment advice to you. For example, we can’t create an investment strategy where we select specific investments for you then tell you when and how to execute it. We can, though, help you understand different investments you ask us about by deciphering what it’s about so you can make a better informed decision.
- Manage your investments or investment portfolio on your behalf.
- Help you cheat your taxes or otherwise break the law.
Our roadmap is to register ourselves as a regulated financial services entity so that we can give advice and provide portfolio management. However, that is a long process. We’re committed to giving people living abroad legitimate and regulated financial services. That means doing it right, which does take time. Once we’re able to offer investment advice and management, you’ll be the first to know.
Why can’t I just do what you’re offering by myself?
- It takes a lot of time to learn budgeting techniques, find local experts, and speak finance
- When you’re living in a country outside of the one you grew up in, there’s a good chance you don’t know the local money culture or can speak the language comfortably enough to build you
- You can research online, but that’s also time-consuming
- There’s no guarantee that the information you get is accurate or fit for your profile
- A small mistake now can have an outsized impact later on
We address all of those issues (and more), so you have the best chance possible to achieve financial well being.
Are you a bank?
No, and we have no intention of becoming one. Banks are experts at helping you spend money through giving you a bank account, credit or debit card. They’ll also gladly lend you more money if you need to make purchases you can’t otherwise afford.
Our goal is to help you do the opposite: grow your wealth through coaching, education, and support, all while you’re living abroad (and even after you return home).
Are you an investment advisory?
No, well, at least not yet. However, some of our team members have investment advisor certifications from EU and UK-recognized bodies (Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments, European Financial Planners Association).
Additionally, they have experience helping people living abroad build investment strategies. These individuals build the workshops, tools, and provide the answers to your general financial questions.
That said, abroaden currently is not an investment advisory (we’re well on the path to becoming one though). As such, there are things we can and cannot do.
I run a coworking space. Can we partner with you?
Sure! We got our start and continue to work in coworking spaces. We know how important it is for you to offer your community benefits and perks that give them a sense of belonging.
Reach out to us here.
I’m an HR specialist in a company with lots of non-citizen employees. Can I use abroaden as an employment perk for our team members?
Of course! We know that attracting and retaining talent can be challenging, especially when your workers come from abroad. We can help you give your valued staff the insights and tools they need to make the most of their compensation.
We’re open to bulk discounts depending on your needs. Contact us to start speaking.
I’d like to work for you. How can I make that a reality?
Aww, that’s awesome. Follow us on LinkedIn to see our latest job postings.
Can I visit you in person?
We don’t have in-person client visits. However, do periodically host meetups, mainly in Barcelona where we’re based. Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn to see when we gather.
I’d like to invest in your startup. How can I reach you?
We’re always glad to talk about a potential investor fit to help us achieve our mission.
Is it true that if I don’t use it, I lose it?
Uh, maybe?
In reality though, not putting your money to work means you’re missing out on opportunities down the road. Getting “your money to work for you” can mean a lot of things, and is an evolving process.
It begins with a financial check-in, continues with an awesome budget, and finishes with you reaching your financial goals.