What if you could legally reduce—or even eliminate—your tax burden while expanding your freedom, investments, and impact across the globe?
That’s exactly the conversation being led by Mikkel Thorup, founder of Expat Money and host of the Expat Money Show. Known for helping entrepreneurs and investors think beyond borders, Mikkel has built a global movement around one core idea: you don’t have to be tied to a single country’s tax system to build wealth and live freely.
In today’s world of rising taxes and tightening regulations, high-net-worth individuals are increasingly looking offshore—not just for lifestyle, but for strategic financial positioning. From establishing tax residency in favorable jurisdictions to leveraging international real estate and global banking, the opportunities are significant… if you know how to navigate them correctly.
In this article, we’ll break down the top tax strategies Mikkel Thorup teaches and explore how pairing global mobility with smart exit planning can unlock a new level of freedom—not just for your capital, but for your life.
Because the real goal isn’t just paying less tax.
It’s gaining more control over where—and how—you live, invest, and make an impact.
Episode Highlights Here:
Brett
Before we jump into this episode, I want to invite you to join our community to help you become a better steward scale to billions and ultimately give more or all of it away. All I want you to do is to click the subscribe button right now. I love your support. It’s incredible to see your comments, and we’re just getting started. I can’t wait to go on this journey with you. Thank you so much for subscribing. It means the world to me. Welcome to the build it to billions podcast where we’ve got successful entrepreneurs and investors on their journey from millions to billions. We believe that the key to scaling and compounding wealth and life starts every single day with the mindset and practice of stewardship, of ownership and applying billionaire biblical principles. Our ultimate goal is that we scale and compound your wealth and life, so you can get more all of it away to help MVPs, the most vulnerable people. My name is Brett Swarts, and each episode, we’re joined by the top entrepreneurs, millionaires, billionaires, who share their secrets, wisdom and insights with us, so we can all level up and make a bigger impact. I’m excited about our next guest. He is he is originally from a place in Canada. He’ll tell you about that, but he has expat money.com and he’s going to talk about, we’re talking about some taxes, living tax free abroad, and some cool things about, you know, becoming an expatriate, what that all looks like. And overall, we’re going to dive into some neat stuff this. This guest is the world’s most sought-after expert and ex Pat consultant. He focuses on high-net-worth private clients to legally mitigate tax liabilities, obtain a secondary residence and citizenship and assemble a portfolio of foreign investments, including international real estate and so much more. Please. Welcome to the show with me. Mr. Mikkel. Thorup. Mikkel, how you doing?
Mikkel
I’m very well. Brett, thank you very much. Excited about today’s conversation.
Brett
Should be a good one and hopefully inform and inspire your audience. A little bit should be good, excellent. Love it for our listeners. Get to know for the first time, would you give us a little more about your story and your current focus?
Mikkel
Yeah. So as you mentioned, I’m Canadian citizen, born and raised, left in 2000 been living overseas for 25 years straight now, lived in nine different countries, circumnavigated the globe over 400 times, visited about 120 countries, owned real-estate in about a dozen different countries, and I kind of do this work on the professional, the hobby and the family level. So, I’m kind of really in the thick of this for the last two plus decades and more than anything, I hope you guys get from today that I’m still super passionate about these things, and I still really love talking about them, and I’m excited to talk to you about them today. Brett,
Brett
amazing. Let’s write into it, what’s the number one secret when it comes to living tax free abroad and then basically using every means necessary to legal means necessary tobe able to grow your wealth in a tax efficient way?
Mikkel
Yeah. I mean, I think that the first thing that people need to understand is that not all countries tax the same way. There are actually many different tax systems around the world, and just because we are born in one country and, you know, we’re born into a certain set of laws, don’t necessarily mean that that we need to follow those forever. Now, if you’re an American and we’re talking taxes, there can be some tricky parts, because Americans tax actually based on citizenship, not just residency. So, I guess that would be the first thing that people would need to understand. There are two countries in the world that tax on citizenship. One is Eritrea, which is a small African country which is known for blatant human rights violations. And the second is the United States, every other country in the world, taxes in a different manner, usually if you are a tax resident. So, if you’re deriving your income from there, or you’re living there, you’re spending a certain amount of time in that country, then you will be a tax resident. Will owe taxes there. But for the Americans, you can move overseas. You can live in another country. You cannot go back to the United States for a dozen years, and you still owe a tax return and taxes on your worldwide income every single year. So that’s kind of where we have to start. And, you know, define the problem, let’s say, and then we can kind of go from there.
Brett
Yeah, it does seem like that the America is like the IRS of the world, right, where they tend to be in a lot of places all at once, and especially if you’re an American citizen and you go somewhere else. And so, what’s the truth to that? Or are there any myths in that? Or what you know, what can you expand upon that?
Mikkel
Yes, I mean, so there are a number of strategies we can still use for Americans when going overseas. The main thing that I want people to, I guess, to understand is, if you’re an American, that you do have to file and you may owe taxes on your worldwide income no matter where you live. So, it’s not like one of the. These things, you know, you see in movies, it’s like, oh, they just structured the things offshore and there’s no taxes, or they put it in an offshore bank account and there’s no taxes, or, you know, some numbered account in Switzerland, it’s like, all of that stuff is long gone right now. You have a legal responsibility to report and file taxes on your world.
Brett
So, if you like this little, short clip of the interview I just did, click over here to watch the full interview, and please don’t forget to subscribe. Thanks so much, everybody
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About Mikkel Thorup
Mikkel Thorup is an international investor, entrepreneur, and global mobility strategist best known as the founder of Expat Money and host of the Expat Money Show. He specializes in helping entrepreneurs and investors legally reduce their tax burden, diversify their wealth across borders, and create greater personal and financial freedom through international living.
With over two decades of experience in offshore investing, real estate, and expatriation strategies, Mikkel has guided thousands of individuals on how to establish second residencies, invest in turnkey international real estate, and build globally diversified portfolios. His work focuses on empowering clients to think beyond their home country and take control of their financial future through strategic, compliant global planning.
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