Tool 22 of 33

Institution Notifier

Who do I tell, and what happens to each account?

Who to tell

3 institutions to notify, in this order

Your sequence

1
Accountant / tax agent
Brief them on your departure date and residency position so your part-year return is right.
2
Super fund
Update your address and beneficiaries; check insurance inside super still suits you abroad.
3
Private health insurer
Decide suspend vs cancel, suspending preserves your Lifetime Health Cover position for when you return.

Broker & platform non-resident stance indicative

Select the ones you use. Policies change without notice, confirm directly before acting.

Copy-paste notification letters

Bank, change of residency

To: [Bank name]
Re: Change of tax residency, [Your name], account [number]

I am writing to notify you that I ceased/will cease to be an Australian tax resident on [your departure date]. My new residential and postal address is:

[Your overseas address]

Please update my records to reflect my non-resident status for withholding tax purposes, and confirm the withholding rate that will apply to interest on my account(s). I would like to retain this account for the receipt of Australian tax refunds.

Please confirm these changes in writing.

Regards,
[Your name]

Broker/platform, change of residency

To: [Broker/platform name]
Re: Change of tax residency, [Your name], account [number]

I am writing to notify you that I ceased/will cease to be an Australian tax resident on [your departure date], and my new country of residence is [country]. My updated address is:

[Your overseas address]

Please advise: (1) whether my account can remain open as a non-resident; (2) any change to available products or services; (3) the withholding and reporting treatment that will now apply. If any action is required from me to keep the account compliant, please set it out.

Please confirm in writing before making any changes to my holdings.

Regards,
[Your name]

Health insurer, suspend cover

To: [Insurer name]
Re: Private health cover, suspension request, [Your name], membership [number]

I am moving overseas on [your departure date] and will be a non-resident for an extended period. I wish to suspend (not cancel) my hospital and extras cover while I am abroad, to preserve my Lifetime Health Cover position.

Please confirm: the maximum suspension period available, any conditions, and the exact steps to reactivate cover on my return.

Regards,
[Your name]

What most people miss

Notifying your broker before repositioning can lock you out mid-restructure
This is the sequence that costs people money. A platform can restrict or close a non-resident account faster than you can rebalance. Finish all buying and selling first, then notify. The order below is deliberate.
Keep one Australian bank account
Don’t close everything. One low-fee transaction account is worth keeping for ATO refunds and loose ends. It carries almost no residency weight.

Get this reviewed

A licensed financial adviser

Portfolio, super and insurance restructuring decisions belong with an adviser holding an Australian Financial Services Licence (or authorised representative), ideally with expat experience.

What to bring: the downloaded report from this tool. It lists every number and assumption, so the meeting starts at the answer, not the data-gathering.

We don’t take referral fees and don’t collect your details. This site has no backend to send them to.

Next: Non-Resident Investing Comparator →