Passport To Wealth®

Whether you're a U.S. expat, a digital nomad, or someone with ties to the US looking to explore opportunities abroad, join us on Passport to Wealth®. Here we dive into the nuances of cross-border living as a US citizen living abroad. We'll be delving into essential topics such as managing your money while living abroad, staying compliant with US tax regulations, and uncovering stories of fellow expats who have forged the path to financial freedom while living abroad.  So, grab your passport and join us on this journey!

  1. 4d ago

    Swiss Real Estate Rules for US Citizens

    In Switzerland, the landlord chooses you, not the other way around. Özgür Ogulkanmis, founder of Swiss Expat Realtor and Swiss Agency Immobilien, joins the show to explain why the Swiss rental application process is so demanding, what US citizens specifically can and cannot buy as non-EU/EFTA residents, and why local relationships matter as much as paperwork. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Why a Swiss-born, globally-experienced team focuses on serving expats 02:36 - The biggest misconception Americans have about Swiss apartment hunting 09:36 - Why most clients secure permanent housing before ever going temporary 18:27 - Who is actually allowed to buy property in Switzerland 20:45 - The difference between a B permit and a C permit for property rights 22:40 - What to know before applying to rent or buy in Switzerland ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Özgür Ogulkanmis is the founder of Swiss Expat Realtor and Swiss Agency Immobilien, a Zurich-based team of former expats helping international families, including Americans, navigate Swiss real estate, immigration paperwork, and school placement. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Follow Swiss Expat Realtor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swissexpatrealtor Visit Swiss Expat Realtor: https://www.swissexpatrealtor.com ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook"

    Swiss Real Estate Rules for US Citizens
  2. Oct 20

    French Tax Residency Rules for Americans

    A US living trust can create unexpected French tax and reporting consequences once someone moves to France, and French tax residence is not determined the way most people assume. Thomas Dubanchet, a French tax lawyer and founder of Bespoke, joins the show to explain how France treats US trust structures, why French tax residence cannot be determined by a day count alone, and how a formal written position from French tax authorities can address specific situations before committing to a move. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Why a French tax lawyer builds his practice around US-connected clients 05:25 - The planning gap FATCA created between US and French systems 08:23 - The common mistake of optimizing your old state's plan instead of coordinating with the new one 19:03 - How France treats US living trusts 23:15 - Requesting a formal written position from French tax authorities 25:36 - Why French tax residence is not just a day count ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Thomas Dubanchet is a French tax lawyer admitted to the Nice Bar and founder of Bespoke, a French tax law firm advising US-connected individuals and families on relocation, French tax residence, trusts, and estate planning. He works with clients' US tax and legal advisers to coordinate planning across both countries. He is a member of the Passport To Wealth® Directory. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Find Thomas Dubanchet in the Passport To Wealth® Directory: https://www.passporttowealth.com/thomas-dubanchet ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network

    French Tax Residency Rules for Americans
  3. Oct 13

    Why Indian Mutual Funds Get Taxed as a PFIC in the US

    A US citizen inherits a family property in India. A mutual fund he's held for years suddenly won't accept him as an investor anymore. His old Indian bank account becomes illegal to keep in its original form. None of this is a mistake, it's what happens when two entirely separate financial systems collide. Amol Desai, CFP® and CFA and founder of Perceptive Wealth Advisors, joins the podcast to unpack exactly this, drawing on his own journey as a first-generation immigrant from India and the cross-border planning practice he built around it. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - From engineering student to cross-border financial advisor 03:17 - The wealth and education assumptions behind first-generation immigrants 05:45 - Why NRIs are legally required to convert their Indian bank accounts 08:30 - NRE versus NRO: what each account is actually for 12:15 - How Indian mutual funds became a US tax problem nobody saw coming 15:36 - A $180,000 lesson in gifting versus waiting for inheritance 27:24 - What to ask before hiring a cross-border advisor ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Amol Desai is a CFP® and CFA, founder of Perceptive Wealth Advisors, and a member of the Passport To Wealth® Directory. He specializes in US-India cross-border financial planning for first-generation immigrants, work he began after navigating these exact challenges himself. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Connect with Amol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amol-desai Visit Amol's Directory page: https://www.passporttowealth.com/amol-desai ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network

    Why Indian Mutual Funds Get Taxed as a PFIC in the US
  4. Oct 6

    Why Do You Want to Move Abroad? Chapter One Read Aloud

    The Expat Money Playbook is officially out today. In this launch week special, Arielle Tucker steps away from the usual guest format to share her own story and read Chapter One aloud. She covers her own path to Switzerland, how she landed in US tax compliance during the exact week FATCA hit Swiss banks, and why she wrote this book collaboratively rather than alone. Then she reads Chapter One: starting with why, the Values First Expat Exercise, and the SMART goals framework. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - From bored 24-year-old to trailing spouse in Switzerland 03:17 - Landing in US tax compliance the exact week FATCA hit 06:00 - Why she wrote this book with dozens of contributors, not alone 09:00 - Chapter One: starting with why, not logistics 15:36 - The Values First Expat Exercise 20:38 - SMART goals: turning a dream into an actual plan 24:34 - Where to find the book and the free companion toolkit ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE BOOK ────────────────────────────────────────── The Expat Money Playbook, published by Wiley, is Arielle Tucker's first book, written with contributions from dozens of cross-border professionals. Available now wherever books are sold . ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── JOIN THE LIVE AMA ────────────────────────────────────────── This Tuesday, October 6, 1:00 PM EDT, join Arielle and a panel of cross-border experts live for a full AMA, simulcast on Facebook and YouTube. Bring your questions about the book, moving abroad, or cross-border planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealthYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PassportToWealthOfficial ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

    Why Do You Want to Move Abroad? Chapter One Read Aloud
  5. Sep 29

    How to Register to Vote From Abroad

    Every American living abroad has the right to vote in federal elections, yet every cycle, a meaningful number of ballots never make it home, not from apathy, but from a form that arrived late, a lost ballot, or simply not knowing a backup option existed. Ada Shen from votefromabroad.org, who has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas register, request, and return a ballot, joins the podcast for a fully nonpartisan, procedural walkthrough of how voting from abroad actually works. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Yes, Americans abroad can vote, and here's what's actually on the ballot 01:32 - The one form that registers you, requests your ballot, and updates your info 04:43 - Why "last resided" isn't a choice, it's a rule 09:27 - Getting your ballot by email, and the deadlines that matter this cycle 15:07 - The backup ballot almost nobody knows they can use 25:14 - Clearing up the biggest misconception: voting and taxes are separate ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Ada Shen has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas navigate voter registration and absentee voting through VoteFromAbroad.org, guiding voters through registration, ballot requests, and the specific rules that apply to citizens living outside the United States. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Visit VoteFromAbroad.org: https://www.votefromabroad.org ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory

    How to Register to Vote From Abroad
  6. Sep 22

    The Path From Work Visa to German Passport

    A YouTuber built a channel documenting American life in Germany, then leveraged it into an actual self-employment visa, and eventually German citizenship, without ever going through a traditional employer sponsor. Donnie Ashburn, a dual American-German citizen and content creator, joins the podcast to walk through his path from dependent visa to self-employment to citizenship, and what he'd tell anyone considering the same route. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Quitting two jobs, traveling nine months, and landing in Germany by chance 02:43 - COVID and the moment "backup plan" stopped being hypothetical 08:10 - What Germany's self-employment visa actually required, dollar for dollar 21:18 - Why becoming self-employed meant giving up his wife's EU Blue Card 23:11 - The real bureaucratic weight of running a business in two countries at once 27:35 - Why he pursued German citizenship as insurance, not just a milestone ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Donnie Ashburn is a dual American-German citizen and content creator living in Germany's Pfalz region. He built a YouTube channel documenting life as an American in Germany, later turned that platform into a self-employment visa, and became a naturalized German citizen in 2025. He now helps other content creators navigate Germany's self-employment visa route. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Subscribe to Donnie's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PassportTwo ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Order "The Expat Money Playbook"

    The Path From Work Visa to German Passport
  7. Sep 15

    How to Prepare for Long-Distance Financial Caregiving

    A valid, properly signed power of attorney still isn't a guarantee a bank will honor it. Beth Pinsker found that out the hard way while managing her mother's care and finances from several states away, an experience she turned into "My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving." Beth, a CFP and award-winning journalist, joins the podcast to walk through what financial caregiving actually looks like day to day, why one family member usually ends up doing it whether or not they agreed to, and what changes when the people involved live in different countries. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - The distance every caregiver feels, whether it's states or oceans away 01:26 - How a "temporary" trip turned into nine months of caregiving 06:22 - Big-picture money talks versus the daily bill-paying reality 09:19 - Why one person always ends up "the doer" in every family 11:59 - What changes when trustees and heirs live in different countries 21:14 - The power of attorney fight that took three appointments at the bank, and the one document every family needs before a crisis ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Beth Pinsker is a CFP and award-winning journalist who has covered personal finance for outlets including MarketWatch and The Wall Street Journal. She managed her own mother's care and finances from several states away and wrote about the experience in "My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving." ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth Order My Mother's Money: https://bethpinsker.com ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

    How to Prepare for Long-Distance Financial Caregiving
  8. Sep 8

    Better to Live than Die in France: Estate Planning for Americans

    France can tax an American's retirement income at zero. It can also be one of the least forgiving countries in the world to die in. Both are true, and most families only learn the second half after they've already moved. Vincent Berthier de Bortoli, a French tax attorney and STEP member whose clients are now almost entirely American, joins the podcast to explain how the US-France tax treaty actually works, why France has no legal concept of an "estate," and why a US trust can quietly turn a 0 percent tax situation into a 31.4 percent one. ────────────────────────────────────────── CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS ────────────────────────────────────────── 00:00 - Why Americans are moving to France right now 02:35 - Inside the US-France tax treaty: pensions, IRAs, and Roth accounts taxed at zero 07:31 - Why dying in France is never a good idea, tax-wise 10:22 - Inheriting from a US parent while living in France, and the six-year tax holiday 13:47 - The one-euro filing rule most Americans don't know about 17:56 - Why French tax authorities almost always come after a US trust ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT THE GUEST ────────────────────────────────────────── Vincent Berthier de Bortoli is a French tax attorney and STEP member based in the French Alps. He has practiced tax for nearly a decade, founded his own French tax practice in October 2023, and now advises a clientele that is roughly 90 percent American families relocating to France. He also is a member of the Passport To Wealth® community. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT YOUR HOST ────────────────────────────────────────── Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning. ────────────────────────────────────────── LOVE THIS EPISODE? ────────────────────────────────────────── Follow the show and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it's the single biggest thing you can do to help other cross-border families find this show. ────────────────────────────────────────── ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH® ────────────────────────────────────────── Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats. We connect globally mobile Americans with vetted, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad. ────────────────────────────────────────── LINKS & RESOURCES ────────────────────────────────────────── Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth VBDB Website: https://www.vbdbtax.com/en/international-tax-attorney Vincent's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentbdb ────────────────────────────────────────── This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions. ────────────────────────────────────────── Mentioned in this episode: Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Click here to subscribe to our newsletter Order "The Expat Money Playbook" Passport to Wealth is a proud member of the SwissCast Network Discover more podcasts for English-speaking Switzerland SwissCast Network Find your cross-border expert on the Passport To Wealth® directory

    Better to Live than Die in France: Estate Planning for Americans

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Whether you're a U.S. expat, a digital nomad, or someone with ties to the US looking to explore opportunities abroad, join us on Passport to Wealth®. Here we dive into the nuances of cross-border living as a US citizen living abroad. We'll be delving into essential topics such as managing your money while living abroad, staying compliant with US tax regulations, and uncovering stories of fellow expats who have forged the path to financial freedom while living abroad.  So, grab your passport and join us on this journey!

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