Onwards and upwards

I always wondered if this day would come, but here we are. This will be my final post on this blog.

Don’t worry, I am not leaving Japan or retiring. I’ve been fortunate to join Leo Wealth, initially to support their Japan expansion and, in time, to help build out their wealth management business here, subject to the appropriate regulatory approvals.

My relationship with Leo Wealth goes back a long way. I first met founder Jessica Cutrera in 2003, and we worked together for several years. In all my time in this industry, I have never met anyone with a higher level of skill, integrity, and commitment to serving clients. When she asked me to join the firm, I was delighted to accept.

Leo already operates a successful wealth management, tax planning, and investment business in Hong Kong and the US, alongside a highly regarded tax compliance and consulting practice in Japan. Work is now underway to expand the wealth business into Japan, with plans to apply for Discretionary Investment Management and Investment Advisory licenses with the Kanto Finance Bureau in the coming months.

Many wealth managers claim independence. However, Leo is a true fiduciary, meaning we sit firmly on the side of our clients. Please visit the website to learn more about what we do.

I have been writing here for 9 years. What started as simple financial planning tips gradually evolved into my (occasionally over-opinionated) views on markets, investments, asset allocation, crypto, and much more. Thank you to everyone who has read, guest posted, and engaged over the years, and a special shout-out to those who joined the meetups along the way.

If you would like to keep up with my work, I’ll now be contributing to Leo Wealth’s Insights page, alongside a highly experienced team of professionals. The depth of expertise within the firm has genuinely impressed me, and I’d encourage you to bookmark the page and follow along.

As a starting point, here are two excellent Japan tax articles from my Tokyo-based colleague Thomas Lu:

Overview of Japan’s Inheritance Tax for Foreigners

Everything You Need to Know about Japan Exit Tax

Leo Wealth combines deep expertise with a genuinely approachable team, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or would like to start a conversation. I will also continue my coaching work under the Leo banner, and we are already helping clients in areas that don’t require regulatory approval while our licenses are being put in place.

You can reach me at: martin.phillips@leowealth.global

Finally, thank you again for reading over the years. If our paths cross, the drinks are on me.