Where Wealthy Families Are Moving in 2026 — and Why
By Aurelius Advisory Team · Published 2026-07-05 · Updated 2026-07-07 · 7 min read
The short answer: Since the UK abolished the non-dom regime in April 2025, wealthy families have been relocating in record numbers. The four destinations dominating 2026: the UAE (0% personal income tax, DIFC/ADGM family-office regimes, golden visas), Switzerland (lump-sum taxation and stability), Italy (flat tax of €200,000 a year on foreign income), and Singapore (Asia's hub with strong fund incentives). The winners share three traits: predictable tax treatment, credible legal systems and genuine lifestyle infrastructure.
The trigger: Britain ends two centuries of non-dom
In April 2025 the UK abolished non-domiciled tax status, ending a regime that had made London the default base for international wealth since the Napoleonic wars. The replacement — a four-year residence-based scheme — is short, and inheritance-tax exposure on worldwide assets is the detail that moves families: it is one thing to pay tax on income, another to expose a century of family capital to 40% on death.
Advisory desks including ours saw the consequence immediately: the question changed from 'should we leave?' to 'which of these four, and how fast?'
The four destinations winning 2026
Each of the leading destinations solves a different equation:
| Destination | The tax proposition | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai / Abu Dhabi) | 0% personal income & capital gains; golden visas; DIFC/ADGM regimes | Families wanting zero tax with real infrastructure and Gulf/Asia reach |
| Switzerland | Lump-sum (forfait) taxation negotiated by canton; no need to disclose worldwide income | Privacy-led families anchoring in Europe long-term |
| Italy | €200,000 flat tax per year on all foreign income (15-year cap) | Families wanting EU lifestyle with fixed, predictable cost |
| Singapore | Territorial-leaning taxation; 13O/13U fund incentives; no capital gains tax | Asia-facing families and fund-heavy balance sheets |
What the migration data shows
Industry migration trackers have projected record millionaire flows through 2025–2026, with the UAE the single largest net recipient and the UK among the largest net losers. Dubai's family-office population has grown to well over a hundred offices in the DIFC alone, and Milan, Zug, Geneva and Singapore have all reported waiting lists in the schools that relocating families actually check first.
The pattern beneath the headlines: families are not chasing the lowest rate — they are buying certainty. Regimes that changed retroactively (or might) lose; regimes with published rules and decade-long horizons win.
Relocation is a structuring event, not a flight
Changing residence without restructuring is the most expensive mistake in wealth migration. Exit taxes, trailing inheritance-tax exposure, treaty gaps and badly-timed disposals can consume years of the expected saving. The sequence matters: structure first (holding entities, trusts or foundations aligned to the destination), then move, then unwind what the old residence required.
Our redomiciliation work typically pairs a destination decision with a full structural review — the same exercise behind our jurisdiction guides for the DIFC, Switzerland and Singapore.
Frequently asked questions
Why are wealthy families leaving the UK?
The abolition of non-dom status in April 2025 exposed long-term international residents to UK tax — most critically inheritance tax on worldwide assets — removing the regime that had made London the preferred base for global wealth.
Which country has no income tax for wealthy residents?
The UAE levies no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax on individuals, which — combined with golden visas and the DIFC/ADGM family-office regimes — has made it the top destination for migrating wealth.
How does Italy's flat tax for the wealthy work?
New residents can elect a flat tax of €200,000 per year covering all foreign-source income (doubled from €100,000 in 2024), for up to 15 years, with family members addable for €25,000 each. Italian-source income is taxed normally.
Is Switzerland's lump-sum taxation still available?
Yes, in most cantons: qualifying foreign nationals who do not work in Switzerland can negotiate expenditure-based taxation, decoupling their Swiss tax bill from worldwide income and assets. Minimum taxable bases vary by canton.