Tax Havens Today The Benefits and Pitfalls of Banking and Investing Offshore

by Barber, Hoyt

• ISBN13: 9780470051238
• ISBN10: 047005123X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-12-05
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Filled with in-depth insight and expert advice, Tax Havens Today arms you with the knowledge, strategies, and contacts needed to avoid expensive mistakes and make the most of your offshore endeavors. Divided into four comprehensive parts, this timely resource will bring you completely up to speed on a variety of issues that anyone aspiring to go offshore must be familiar with.

Author Biography

HOYT BARBER is an authority on tax havens and offshore banking and has served as a financial consultant to clients worldwide. Barber has authored nine books, including his first novel, From Hell to Havana, released in 2006. Barber is President of Barber Financial Advisors in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a provider of offshore financial services, and is publisher of Offshore Dossier, a newsletter for American investors and expatriates. Visit the author's Web site at www.hoytbarber.com to learn more.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
PART ONE THE OFFSHORE CONTROVERSY	1	(30)
1. Why Are so Many People Going Offshore?	3	(4)
2. Whipping the Taxpayers into Shape	7	(3)
3. The Big Squeeze	10	(5)
4. The Changing World of Tax Havens	15	(3)
5. The International Dragnet	18	(3)
6. The Global Laundromat	21	(2)
7. The Tax Police	23	(3)
8. Barbarians at the Gate	26	(5)
PART TWO BUILDING A SOLID OFFSHORE FINANCIAL FORTRESS	31	(90)
9. The Benefits of Going Offshore	33	(2)
10. Best Strategies for Going Offshore: Personal and Financial Lifestyle Changes	35	(2)
11. Expatriating	37	(2)
12. The $80,000 Annual Loophole	39	(3)
13. New Citizenship and Renouncing Your U.S. Citizenship	42	(2)
14. Eight Ways to Sunday	44	(4)
15. T-7 Tax Havens: The Green List of the World's Best Offshore Havens	48	(6)
16. Selecting the Best Tax Haven for Your Plans	54	(7)
17. Establishing an Offshore Presence without Leaving Home	61	(2)
18. Offshore Business Structures	63	(10)
19. Secrets of Offshore Banking	73	(8)
20. Offshore Financial and Investment Strategies	81	(8)
21. Offshore Estate Planning	89	(8)
22. The Swiss Angle	97	(8)
23. Placing Your Assets Offshore and Avoiding Fraudulent Transfers	105	(2)
24. Offshore Business	107	(3)
25. International Tax Planning	110	(7)
26. Offshore Privacy	117	(2)
27. Offshore Caveat	119	(2)
PART THREE TODAY'S TAX HAVENS	121	(116)
28. Tax Information Exchange Agreements	127	(2)
29. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty	129	(2)
30. Profiles of Tax Havens	131	(106)
Andorra,	131	(2)
Anguilla,	133	(2)
Antigua and Barbuda,	135	(1)
Aruba,	136	(2)
Austria,	138	(2)
The Bahamas,	140	(3)
Bahrain,	143	(1)
Barbados,	143	(3)
Belize,	146	(1)
Bermuda,	147	(4)
British Virgin Islands,	151	(3)
Brunei Darussalam,	154	(1)
Campione (Italy),	155	(3)
Cayman Islands,	158	(4)
Channel Islands—Guernsey,	162	(4)
Channel Islands—Jersey,	166	(5)
Cook Islands,	171	(2)
Cyprus,	173	(4)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates,	177	(2)
Gibraltar,	179	(3)
Grenada,	182	(1)
Hong Kong, China,	183	(4)
Isle of Man,	187	(5)
Labuan, Malaysia,	192	(2)
Liechtenstein,	194	(3)
Luxembourg,	197	(3)
Madeira,	200	(2)
Malta,	202	(4)
Mauritius,	206	(3)
Monaco,	209	(2)
The Netherlands,	211	(3)
The Netherlands Antilles,	214	(3)
Panama,	217	(3)
Saint Kitts and Nevis,	220	(1)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,	221	(3)
Seychelles,	224	(1)
Switzerland,	225	(4)
Turks and Caicos,	229	(2)
Vanuatu,	231	(4)
Western Samoa,	235	(2)
PART FOUR RESOURCES—THE BIG PICTURE	237	(46)
Offshore Citizenship and Retirement Opportunities	239	(1)
Dominica	239	(1)
Saint Kitts and Nevis	240	(1)
Profiles of Retirement Havens and Foreign Residency:
Andorra, Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Campione (Italy), Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Panama, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Switzerland, Turks and Caicos, United Kingdom, Uruguay	241	(13)
More Countries to Investigate	254	(9)
Travel Destinations	263	(1)
Offshore Reading	264	(1)
Offshore Reference Works	264	(1)
Newsletters	265	(2)
Travel Books	267	(1)
Travel Bookstores and Map Dealers	267	(1)
Travel Information	267	(1)
Financial Information and Business Opportunities	268	(1)
Bank Resources	269	(1)
Antisurveillance and Privacy Sources	269	(1)
Books of Interest	270	(1)
Publishers of Unusual Books and Hard-to-Find Information	271	(1)
Periodicals	272	(1)
Real Estate	272	(1)
Expat Information	272	(1)
Expat Books	273	(1)
Retirement Resources	273	(1)
Health Insurance for Expatriates and Travelers	273	(1)
Organizations	274	(1)
Government Web Sites	275	(1)
Financial and Investment Services	275	(4)
Immigration Services	279	(1)
Tax Problems	280	(1)
Worldwide Serviced Offices	280	(1)
Global Mail Drops	281	(1)
International English Language Newspapers	281	(1)
Online Resources	281	(1)
Government Publications	281	(1)
Offshore Dossier	281	(1)
Offshore Evaluation Service	282	(1)
Offshore Financial Services	282	(1)
Appendix	283	(33)
About the Author	316	(1)
Index	317