The terms you will meet, in plain language.

401(k)

A U.S. employer-sponsored retirement plan. Contributions may be pre-tax, Roth or a mixture, and the plan's own rules govern what former employees can do.

IRA

An Individual Retirement Arrangement opened by an individual at a financial institution, rather than through an employer. Providers set their own rules on who they can serve abroad.

Direct rollover

A transfer in which the plan sends an eligible distribution straight to another eligible plan or IRA, rather than paying it to you first.

Distribution

Money paid out of a retirement account. Depending on the type and your circumstances, it can be taxable and may carry an additional early-distribution tax.

Withholding

An amount the payer deducts from a distribution and sends to the tax authority in advance. Withholding is not the same as your final tax bill, which may be higher or lower.

Expense ratio

The annual cost of a fund, expressed as a percentage of the amount invested and deducted within the fund. It is one part of the total cost of an account.

Custodian

The financial institution that holds the assets in an account.

Tax residency

The country or countries that treat you as resident for tax purposes. It can differ from citizenship, and U.S. citizens generally remain subject to U.S. tax on worldwide income while abroad.

Roth conversion

Moving pre-tax retirement money into a Roth account. The converted amount is generally taxable in the year of conversion, so it needs separate tax review.

General definitions for education only. Rules depend on the specific plan, provider, your status and applicable law.