Quote from wilburbear:
Can you point U.S. residents to the best sources of information on minimizing taxes through offshore structures?
My base is in HK. I have done some work in the past for U.S. citizens who were currently of non-resident status, but know little of current legitimate tax avoidance/deferral schemes for U.S. residents, i.e. tax-residents.
For those expat Americans, (and I'm speaking of 10 years ago) I used an insurance structure ...the 'Offshore' Deferred Variable Annuity , which were (apparently) still IRS-friendly after the owner returned to the U.S. But I believe that the IRS has been challenging the use of these in recent years.
Almost all of the reputable offshore asset management firms I deal with will not accept U.S. residents' business, though some accept U.S. citizens. However, that still doesn't eliminate the requirements of U.S. tax codes.
Expatriate U.S citizens do, of course, invest into offshore funds and asset holding vehicles. In countries where there is a national I.D. card, they will use this as their proof of identity rather than using a U.S. passport which would betray nationality.
Often, they use a product popular with British expats and HNW individuals called a 'portfolio bond' (technically a unit-linked whole-of-life assurance policy) which facilitates the purchase/sale of equities and bonds across a multitude of global exchanges, as well offering low minimum investments into hedge funds.
The assets within the policy are transacted and held in the name of the insurance company, and the policy itself can be owned by an offshore company.
- melo