The Onshore Alternative for International Trade and Tax Planning

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The Offshore, the Developed countries and Tax Authorities

New Offshore Solutions

A properly configured and managed business structure can provide substantial tax benefits, protect assets, improve business efficiency, reduce costs and maintain confidentiality.

An improperly configured business structure is a recipe for disaster for the owner and his business.

Should I avoid the Offshore now?

Will it be illegal using the offshore?

Can I trade through an Offshore Company?
If I can use the Offshore, which cautions should I take?
And which other or New Offshore Options do I have?

Trading through an offshore company can cut your tax bill but, will all your business partners trade with is?

Confidentiality is a primary concern of many offshore practices, particularly asset protection.

When it comes to utilising an offshore company for trading however, a whole new category of priorities must be considered. These are the priorities of your trading partners and the attitude of onshore authorities.

Today legality and appearance are the essential requisites for the offshore entrepreneur.

In many circumstances, it is not desirable to raise invoices in the name of an exotic offshore company, nor is it possible to ask your offshore company’s clients or trading partners to make payments to a bank in an obvious offshore tax haven.

Remember that the books of your customers or trading partners are open to scrutiny by their local tax authorities and dealings with offshore havens (even if legal) are viewed with skepticism, if not suspicion.

Tax authorities of high-tax nations are aware that offshore companies can be used for illegal tax evasion by businesses that need to “reduce” their taxable profits before year-end. After all, the ownership of an offshore company is difficult and often impossible to establish. This allows dishonest business owners to incorporate a company in an offshore haven and use it to siphon money offshore, usually by having the offshore company raise invoices payable by the onshore business.

Consequently, trading directly in the name of a tax haven company can cause loss of business as many prospective customers feel uneasy about being wrongly suspected of participating in such invoicing.

In many developed countries, tax authorities do not even allow or recognise payments remitted to companies based in offshore tax havens. This reflects the opinion that anyone entering into a transaction with an offshore company is not doing so out of genuine commercial need, but solely for reasons of tax mitigation, if not tax evasion.

Of course, there are times when an offshore company can be used to close a one-off deal if both your trading partners and the relevant tax office feel happy about the arrangement, or they are not located, most usually, within Europe, North American and other sensitive countries.

But entering new markets or marketing products or services to unknown customers under the name of Tropical Island Trading Corp., incorporated in the Seychelles or Belize, which is perfectly workable, unless, of course, you really are exporting current consumer goods.

Even though the image of an offshore company has taken such a battering over the years, this does not mean that an offshore company is all but useless for the international entrepreneur.

Near-zero tax trading is still possible through an offshore company, but keeping a low profile is essential.

Not at all; whilst the minute legal details call for specialist knowledge, the underlying idea is usually simplicity itself – it involves the use of a respectable onshore company to front transactions.

Staying within the law!

Any tax mitigation structure must ensure compliance with the law. If mistakes are made, not only can any tax-saving benefits be lost, but heavy penalties can be incurred.

New “Offshore”Options

Not all offshore companies are treated equally by partners and tax authorities. Quite often more sophisticated low tax structures are demanded for trading and holding, rather than companies registered in tax havens (as Panama, Belize or BVI).

A properly configured and managed business structure can provide substantial tax benefits, protect assets, improve business efficiency, reduce costs and maintain confidentiality.

An improperly configured business structure is a recipe for disaster for the owner and his business.

The necessity for some or all of the optional services will always depend on the actual circumstances of each individual client, and his business. These options should best be considered before placing an order for incorporation, although their integration at a later stage is also possible.

Please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts, who will be ready to provide you full and immediate assistance to your personal enquiry.