Posted by offshorepedia on Mar 10, 2011 in Featured, Offshore Banking, Switzerland | 0 comments
The Swiss banking secrecy is subject to much discussion at the moment and Switzerland is under strong pressure to change the country’s banking secrecy laws. It is easy to say that Switzerland immediately must change their banking secrecy laws since it only protect criminals around the world. But why does Switzerland have such strong bank secrecy and why was the laws in this area once created? There is almost always a good reason (well, a reason anyway) behind laws and of course the Swiss banking secrecy laws are no exception.
Switzerland itself explains that “According to the Swiss conception of democracy, citizens are not here for the State, but rather the State is here for the citizens. Citizens are not primarily taxpayers, but rather free human beings who have a right to privacy. Banking secrecy should be seen in this context. Banking secrecy protects the financial privacy of citizens from unauthorized access by other private persons or also by the State. Banking secrecy does not protect criminals, however: banking secrecy is subject to various legally defined limits.”
One could always argue about how strong secrecy laws should be but the philosophy that the citizens are not here for the State, but rather the State is here for the citizens is something that most of us will be prepared to accept even though in the practical life you have the impression that the situation is quite the opposite.
Switzerland has published a more detailed account for its bank secrecy and the country’s obligations in an international context with exchange of tax information etc. It is definitely worthwhile reading for anyone who would like to get more knowledge in the subject and the complete text can be obtained by clicking the link down below.
Swiss Banking Secrecy according to Switzerland
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Posted by offshorepedia on Feb 16, 2010 in Offshore Banking | 0 comments
The Expatriate Magazine Nexus has awarded the Anglo Irish Bank Corporation as the best offshore bank for expats. However, this may not have come as a surprise since it has won the award the five previous years. The award is based on how many times an offshore savings account has appeared in the magazine’s ‘Best Buy’ during a 12 month period.
Anglo Irish Bank came top in three award categories:
• Best Offshore Bank for Expats, Overall
• Best Offshore Bank for Expats, US Dollar Accounts
• Best Offshore Bank for Expats, Euro Accounts
Additionally Anglo Irish Bank was voted as Highly Commended in the following award categories:
• Best Offshore Bank for Expats, Sterling Instant Access
• Best Offshore Bank for Expats, Sterling Notice
The bank’s website can be found on the following address:
http://www.angloirishbank.ie/
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Posted by offshorepedia on Dec 14, 2009 in Offshore Banking | 1 comment
Many of us think of offshore bank accounts as something that applies only to celebrities or spies, but they actually have some great advantages for regular investors. Offshore investment accounts are mainly about reducing taxes and liability. Read on to learn more about this exciting method of investing.
What is an Offshore Bank Account?
As exciting as the term “offshore bank account” sounds, it’s really less about James Bond than you might think. Offshore bank accounts are any bank holdings you have in another country. Despite the associations many people have, there isn’t anything illegal about opening an offshore investment account.
Offshore bank accounts come with a multitude of advantages. Most people find that the many benefits of offshore investment accounts help them overcome their preconceptions about the topic. Some of those advantages include the following:
- Keeping your money in an offshore bank account can have significant tax advantages, since the income from these accounts is not reported to your home country.
- When liability is a concern, offshore investment accounts are a good idea. A creditor is limited in accessing your money when it is held in an offshore bank account.
- Privacy is another important advantage of offshore investment accounts. When your money is kept offshore, you are the only one who has to know the details about your account.
What are QROPs?
“QROP” stands for “qualified recognized overseas pension schemes.” QROPs are offshore investment accounts that are a great alternative for citizens of Canada and the UK who are living in other countries. This is a completely legal way for citizens to move their pension accounts off shore. Citizens of the UK and Canada must have lived overseas for more than five years to be eligible for QROPs.
Advantages of QROPs
There are several advantages to setting up a QROP. It’s important that investors work with a reliable, responsible offshore investment firm to ensure the process is handled legally and correctly. Some of the many advantages of QROPs include the following:
- QROPs allow investors to consolidate their pension accounts. Rather than hassle with managing several accounts, pension-holders can handle one QROP instead.
- QROPs allow pension-holders to choose exactly how much they receive from their accounts and when they receive it. This flexibility is extremely helpful to most people.
- If you have a QROP, your assets may not be vulnerable to estate taxes. This is important for investors who hope to protect their assets for their families.
- Setting up a QROP is easy!
Typical Services Provided for Offshore Investment Accounts
In many ways, having an offshore investment account is much like having any other type of bank account. Many of the same services are provided, including the following:
- Offshore banks take deposits and extend credit to customers.
- Electronic funds transfer is available for most offshore bank accounts.
- Most offshore banks provide fund management, trustee services, and investment management.
- Offshore banks usually provide letters of credit and participate in foreign exchange.
These services are not offered by all offshore banks.
More About Offshore Investment Accounts
It is estimated that about one third of the money belonging to wealthy individuals is held in offshore bank accounts. This amounted to $6 trillion in 2000. In addition, more than a quarter of the world’s wealth is held in offshore investment accounts.
Offshore investment accounts are a great alternative for many people. These accounts have many of the same benefits as regular bank accounts, as well as many unique advantages.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Wondering how an offshore bank account can benefit you or if you can apply for Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme , contact LOM. Our market professionals can answer any of your questions related to your offshore bank account.
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Posted by offshorepedia on Dec 5, 2009 in Offshore Banking | 0 comments
Author: Doug Snistola
One of the misnomers about an offshore bank account is that it is only for the very wealthy. An offshore corporation plus offshore bank account is more economical than one might think. An offshore bank account is an account that you open in a country or jurisdiction outside your own. Thus opening an offshore bank account is a good place to begin on the freedom road and such an offshore banking relationship can provide the foundation of what follows. The most obvious legitimate reason for opening an offshore bank account is the cash-flow advantage of getting interest on deposits paid gross, without the withholding tax usually imposed on non-resident bank accounts. One of the numerous benefits of opening an Offshore Bank Account is that they are often situated within tax havens, which means that the individual pays less tax.
Offshore Bank Account
Most offshore bank accounts come with a cash card that can be used to withdraw funds anywhere in the world. Offshore Bank Accounts the Ultimate Protection Seeking to protect you money in an offshore bank account once someone has laid a claim to your assets just won’t happen, its already too late. An additional benefit of an offshore bank account is that if you are not willing to leave a high tax nation you can benefit by moving money to a tax free secure and private haven. Asset security and privacy is what the offshore bank accounts and the financial world are designed to accommodate.
Opening an Offshore Account
To actually open an overseas bank account, you must firstly do some research – which country and which bank will be most suitable for your needs. Although you may not need any of these things; opening an offshore account can be as straightforward as just having a checking or savings account. Most people who open an overseas bank account want to enjoy the significant tax breaks that this will give them. A passport, a driving license, and a untilty bill are all you need to open an offshore account.
Privacy
Offshore privacy can no longer be taken for granted. Having a offshore bank account may be something you can explore in regard to banking privacy, being insulated from predatory lawsuits, building your assets and to legally avoid excessive taxation. This is a popular choice for people who are very particular about their privacy and anonymity. For maximum privacy and asset protection, however, the best advice is this: Establish an offshore corporation to own your offshore bank account. The Anonymous Panama Corporation adds in a nice thick layer of privacy protection. Right now, a secure, private bank account is reserved for your personal use in countries with some of the strongest bank privacy laws on earth.
Investment
An offshore account is an excellent way to diversify investments and take advantage of global tax savings. Sure you have to report your earnings in most places and pay taxes, but you can still open up an offshore bank account for greater investment possibilities, protection from domestic lawyers who might want to sue you for your life savings and for greater financial privacy. And, you must report any interest payments or dividends you have received from any offshore investments made using that account. You can have instant access to the world’s best investment opportunities, including currencies and precious metals without concern about your home nation’s legal restrictions.
Legal
The proper way to open an offshore bank account is through an experienced law firm offering offshore legal services. As a matter of principle the rights to privacy can be suspended when a criminal investigation is underway. Don’t rely on banking secrecy being upheld if you are engaging in illegal activites. Some countries like Panama are more tolerant than others.
Services
Typically a tax free haven is offered by countries that have little or no means of exporting goods and services to offset the imbalance they would otherwise have in terms of their overall currency exchange. You may want to consider other services the bank offers, such as different types of accounts, credit cards and safety deposit boxes. There are advantages either way here – a larger bank may offer greater security and more services, but with higher fees. Many offshore banks offer a full range of private banking services, but have certain terms and conditions that need to be met by their clients. An offshore corporation combined with the quality banking and commercial services found in Panama consistently meet the needs of diverse types of clients.
International
If you’re in regular receipt of international transactions it can make sense to establish an offshore company structure in a jurisdiction like the Seychelles where no tax is levied on income generated outside the jurisdiction and where such a company is not required to fill out annual financial or activity reports. Such a company can then open and hold an account which can be used for international personal OR business transactions. If you’re moving overseas you have a number of choices available to you – you can let your current bank know and they may change your account type to be an international account. You can then use this account to pay bills back home and conduct international transactions.
Visa
The way these programs work is Visa and MasterCard do not know who the actual card holder is – no date of birth, no address, no tax id numbers etc. So a subpoena to MasterCard or Visa would produce very little and since the bank is in a country with bank secrecy this avenue is going to be a long burdensome process that would be unlikely to be pursued and could only be pursued by a government in a criminal matter. The more private way of doing this is to get a Visa or MasterCard debit card from another bank, not your Panama bank.
Bank ATM Debit Card
Some people obtain an ATM card from another unrelated financial institution. These cards typically have no name imprinted on them which right away adds to your privacy protection. These cards also do not leave a trail to your real bank. Money can be transferred to the ATM card by wire from your Panama or other bank account and then withdrawn as needed. Some people are fond of using these cards to cover corporate expenses like travel, entertainment and other business expenses. Usually the ATM card purchase requires a copy of a passport.
Offshore banking has many advantages, some of which include the access to politically and economically stable jurisdictions, and the lower cost and higher interest rate. You can use a foreign bank account as an integral tool in an aggressive, two-pronged offshore wealth strategy. In other words, an offshore private bank account is not just a place for safekeeping cash. You might think it is a bit odd at first to open an offshore account when away on holiday but if you are going to that destination anyway on holiday it makes something nice to do one day.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/top-9-offshore-bank-account-considerations-307494.html
About the Author:
To learn more about the Panama Offshore Bank Account and other Panama Offshore Banking issues, visit Panama Offshore Legal at http://www.offshorelegal.org/offshore-banking/swiss-switzerland-offshore-banking/offshore-bank-account-tips.html
