After working hard to accumulate assets, it is important to take steps to protect your net worth. While there are plenty of ways that you can protect your assets and see your holdings grow over time, one of the most popular for retirees and parents alike is the offshore trust. If you still have lingering questions about the perks and drawbacks of an offshore trust, get some answers below.
What is an Offshore Trust?
An offshore trust is a collection of assets that are protected and managed by a financial adviser of your choosing. An offshore trust differs from a traditional bank account for a number of reasons. First, your offshore trust can contain more than just liquid assets. You can put real estate, stocks, mutual funds, bonds and even heirloom jewelry into an offshore trust.
Those assets won’t be directly managed by you, but they can be earmarked for specific events or purposes in the future. Many retirees maintain offshore trusts to ensure there is cash available for their dependents later on, and parents may choose to open an offshore trust to store tax-free money for their child’s college education a decade in the future.
Are Offshore Trusts Legal?
There is a common misconception that placing assets in an offshore trust is in a gray area in terms of legality. However, that could not be further from the truth. Offshore trusts allow you to follow the letter of the law while simultaneously reducing your tax burden.
Countless individuals and corporations utilize offshore trusts to their advantage without breaking domestic or international tax laws in any way.
What are the Benefits of an Offshore Trust?
Some of the many benefits of opening up an offshore trust include lowered taxes, diversification, peace of mind and caring for dependents. Since offshore trusts are not immediately available even to owners, they are not eligible for domestic taxation.
In addition, an offshore trust can be a safer place to store assets than an ordinary domestic bank account. If you are eager to diversify your holdings and create a portfolio less vulnerable to risk, an offshore trust is a smart financial decision for anyone. Finally, an offshore trust can be an important step in estate planning, particularly for those who want to financially provide for their dependents.
Who are the Ideal Candidates for an Offshore Trust?
In many ways, an offshore trust is a versatile investment that can be beneficial to almost anyone. However, it is generally recommended for those who have assets that they don’t need access to.
Once assets are in an offshore trust, it can be a complicated process to use them personally. The most common individuals who opt to open an offshore trust are parents who want a financial safety net for their children, seniors who want to gift a large charitable donation after their death, anyone who wants to keep certain assets like real estate in the family name and those who want to try to reduce their tax burden through a completely legal process.
Learning more about offshore trusts can help you to determine whether this course of action is the right financial move for your assets.
