Investing Offshore to Slash Your Tax Dollars

Isn’t it scary how much governments are intruding into our lives?

In Australia, the average person now pays 69% tax.

The OECD, the world “secret police” who monitors offshore tax havens, now controls the tax systems of most countries in the world. Citizens of western countries are now paying a fortune in tax and makes investing offshore less attractive.

(I love how the OECD say their purpose is to “eliminate unfair tax competition”, which in layman’s terms, means punish countries who are giving low tax rates so the big countries can charge more in taxes, but that is another story … )

The fact is, paying higher taxes is becoming more of our lives each day, and our hard-earned wealth is more at risk than ever!

For businesses and investors to get ahead, knowing how to do 100% legal tax minimization in Australia is critical. As Google, EBay, Starbucks and Facebook have shown, with their sexy “Double Dutch Sandwich” structures involving Ireland (only 12% corporate tax rate), and Netherlands (tax-free for holding intellectual property), the big companies have worked out the game, and hence, make more money for their shareholders and with the extra dollars, can give more jobs back into the community.

To build a strong global business, all these companies know how critical it is to work with experts knowing high quality international tax planning solutions. As Kerry Packer said at the Print Media Enquiry in 1991:

“I am not evading tax in any way, shape or form. Now of course I am minimizing my tax and if anybody in this country doesn’t minimize their tax they want their heads read, because as a government I can tell you you’re not spending it that well that we should be donating extra.”

I love how Kerry puts that! I could not have put it better myself …

The rich build their wealth by investing offshore and paying low tax. Kerry Packer and many high net worth individuals have shown this. If you look at the end of the page, you will see how a high tax jurisdiction will seriously inhibit your ability to build financial freedom.

Yet on the other hand, we don’t want to go to jail for our tax planning either, as many found to their peril with Operation Wickenby …

This is what happened in Operation Wickenby.

Many Australian doctors, business owners and high wealth individuals became fed up with paying so much tax when investing offshore, or doing business in Australia. Some tax planners promoted some aggressive tax planning schemes using Vanuatu companies to shift monies through. Australian business owners sadly fell for it.

Very simply they did something like this …

• A Vanuatu “management” company was set up
• Agreements were made between the Vanuatu company and the Australian entity whereby management fees and royalty or intellectual property fees were charged that were very high, and way beyond any service the company actually provided
• These payments were a tax deduction in Australia
• The Vanuatu company paid the monies back into Australia as a loan to the Australian people, or to their companies or trusts, but in practice, the loan was never repaid, and was never going to be

Indeed the Tax Office has targeted celebrities like Paul Hogan, Glen Wheatley, and others. It’s certainly not worth going to jail for money!

This has scared many businesses and investors from investing offshore to save more of their tax dollars.

The days of using dodgy tax planning schemes to avoid paying tax are well and truly over.

The fact is, you are limited as an Australian business owner or investor from international tax planning for your offshore investing through overseas structures. However, overseas structures can still be incredibly powerful to protect assets, as you will see as you read further on.

There are still many ways you can use to minimize your tax by investing offshore. These include:

• Using offshore companies in places like Hong Kong, Singapore or Seychelles to hold cash or other assets for privacy reasons
• Using offshore companies (or IBCs) in a range of jurisdictions with tax treaties with Australia, eg. Malta, USA, New Zealand, Ireland
• Using offshore companies (or IBCs) in a range of non-treaty jurisdictions, eg. Seychelles, Gibraltar, BVI, Samoa
• Using Offshore trusts
• Setting up international bank accounts
• Using overseas foundations and charitable trusts (Panama foundations are very popular, especially good for holding assets where you have a higher purpose)
• Second mortgages overseas, that is, you set up an overseas company which takes a mortgage over property in Australia
• International tax treaties
• And many others!

The good news is, there are many situations where you can legally minimize your tax by investing offshore. For example:

• If you set up an overseas business with global clients, while still living in Australia, although you’ll pay tax when the money comes back into Australia, there are tax deferral benefits which can make a significant difference in accumulating and compounding wealth.
• If you choose to become a perpetual traveller and establish a residency outside of your home country (Australia, US, etc.) you will not have to pay tax on any offshore income from your business, or from trading the markets or your investments. You’ll only have to pay tax on your Australian or home country income.
• If you trade the markets and are still an Australian resident, you can set up a company in Singapore, Hong Kong, or Malta, and although you still have to pay tax in Australia, you don’t have to pay tax until you bring the money back into Australia. This gives you a tremendous opportunity to compound and build wealth.
• You have international tax treaties that can allow you to pay less tax, eg. capital gains tax in certain instances for companies which buy real estate in Australia, or buying assets overseas under certain treaties

That is why you need to work with experts who know what they are doing, and will slash your tax while investing offshore, but ensure it stays 100% legal.

In summary, investing offshore, and setting up overseas structures and bank accounts is one of the most powerful asset protection options in Australia, as well as for tax minimization for residents of Australia.