No one looks forward to filing taxes, saving for retirement, writing a will or filing for divorce. Such matters can be trickier for expats, who need to negotiate between the financial and legal climates of two or more countries.

This is why it is important for expats to understand the jurisdiction that will apply to their affairs--and what the consequences are.

In succession planning, for example, Luxembourg law applies to a party deceased in Luxembourg, regardless of the jurisdiction in which their will was written. For divorce, it could be the law of Luxembourg, the law of either of your nationalities, or even the law of another country in which you have resided.

Experts say the same thing. Find out what that default jurisdiction is. Understand what the application of that law would mean for your wishes. And, if you don’t like it, amend your will, or write a mid-nup (the mid-marriage alternative to a prenuptial agreement) stating the jurisdiction that you would like applied to your affairs. Often it’s these small things that save a lot of money (and headaches!) down the road.

Outside of marriage and death, buying a property is one of the biggest life events we will grapple with. In addition to the tips outlined in this section, there are a couple of programmes in Luxembourg that we would advise any current or prospective homeowner to check out.

First, future homeowners can write off thousands of euros from their tax bill using a special scheme, called the home purchase savings plan, with the funds becoming available to purchase and rehabilitate a property that will serve as a primary ­residence. Contact one of the organisations indicated in the listings pages.

Second, Luxembourg has a combination of national and local subsidies to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and cut their energy bills. Download the Myrenovation app, which consolidates all the subsidy data and spells out the process. Aid packages can cover part of materials and installation costs on projects ranging from insulating roofs and walls to the installation of renewable energy kit such as solar heating and photovoltaic electricity systems.

Being an expat has wonderful benefits, not least expanding your horizons and creating new memories. However, it’s easy to fall foul of laws unless you stay informed. It is a worthwhile investment of your time and money to speak with a professional advisor about the financial, legal and estate planning issues that could impact your particular situation.