OIL Opinion
Look beyond the political hyperbole about offshore financial centers and you find an industry that is responding to new commercial imperatives and is better managed and more regulated than ever before
Past Issues
In an increasingly mobile world, tens of thousands of Chinese nationals are migrating to the US each year. Navigating the tax issues that arise from moving assets across borders is challenging, but careful preparation – and using offshore trusts – can help Read
Skepticism towards tax treaties among some tax neutral jurisdictions is short-sighted: a DTT with a mid-shore location opens the door to a host of ancillary benefits and offers certainty to investors Read
With its reputation for onshore reliability and strong legal and commercial systems, Hong Kong remains a favored location among investors, according to OIL’s latest Offshore 2020 White Paper. Read
A recent World Bank report supports the long-held industry view that onshore jurisdictions are far more culpable than their offshore counterparts in dropping the ball on client due diligence. Read
Chinese investors have become prominent buyers in the London housing market. Locking in long-term financial benefits depends on setting up a tax efficient structure offshore. Read
Driven by investor and regulator requirements, fund structures are becoming more complex and cross-jurisdictional. Staying on top of the latest developments is vital to cost sustainability and maximizing returns. Read
Traditional dividing lines in Asia's offshore world are becoming blurred, with institution-focused service providers increasingly looking for individual client business. But there are still not enough qualified advisors to meet the needs of the region's fast-growing wealthy classes, leading to errors in financial planning. More must be done to convince clients that the cheapest option is not necessarily the best one. Read
Drawing on their international credibility and skilled workforces, Hong Kong and Singapore are a bridge between the onshore and offshore worlds in Asia. The rise of these two jurisdictions will not come at the expense of others; but all international financial centers must reexamine the role they play in increasingly complicated offshore structures. Read
Tax treaties and information exchange: Hong Kong and Singapore-based investors should be reassured by laws that prevent foreign tax authorities from freely digging into private financial affairs. Read