with everyone worrying nowadays about the IRS and the possible future crackdown by the U.S. govt. of the offshore industry (which i don't believe will ever happen, but some of you are worried about it)
there's a simple fix for all of this. start doing all your banking offshore.
don't believe all the hype and all the movies....offshore banking isn't just for millionaires (or billionaires) or criminals and drug dealers.
although, the guy who taught me everything i know about offshore banking actually used to be a drug trafficker, ha ha, so go figure...
anyway, there are plenty of banks that let you open accounts for as little as $25,000 USD (usually less for british pound accounts, about the same for euro...25,000E or so)
you get all the benefits of regular u.s. banks....online banking, 24/7 customer service, credit cards, ATM cards, checks (if anybody still uses those nowadays
and you're out of reach of all u.s. govt. agencies (i.e. IRS)
the best offshore centers, in my opinion, are austria, luxembourg, liechtenstein, switzerland (although Swiss banks have the worst CS in the world unless you truly are rich) and isle of man
i've heard good things about banking in panama and belize from the guys who run the website escapeartist.com (a great website if you're into the whole expat thing), but i prefer european banks (longer, more established tradition of banking privacy).
i'm still amazed to see all these guys in the states who have $50k or $75k (or more) in their banks in f-in topeka, kansas...all the while, wagering thousands of dollars offshore or with bookies (and probably not paying their taxes)...
it's 2006...and this is a global economy fellas! you guys buy the most modern laptops and plasma tv's and cars and everything else but you still do your banking at the brick and mortar place on the corner of your town!
oh, if you want a site to check out to see what you can expect...check out www.sboff.com
and no, i don't work for that site nor do i bank there. but a close friend of mine runs an investment firm in dubai and she's always recommended that place to me (it's on the isle of man). personally, i prefer austria for banking.
there's a simple fix for all of this. start doing all your banking offshore.
don't believe all the hype and all the movies....offshore banking isn't just for millionaires (or billionaires) or criminals and drug dealers.
although, the guy who taught me everything i know about offshore banking actually used to be a drug trafficker, ha ha, so go figure...
anyway, there are plenty of banks that let you open accounts for as little as $25,000 USD (usually less for british pound accounts, about the same for euro...25,000E or so)
you get all the benefits of regular u.s. banks....online banking, 24/7 customer service, credit cards, ATM cards, checks (if anybody still uses those nowadays
and you're out of reach of all u.s. govt. agencies (i.e. IRS)
the best offshore centers, in my opinion, are austria, luxembourg, liechtenstein, switzerland (although Swiss banks have the worst CS in the world unless you truly are rich) and isle of man
i've heard good things about banking in panama and belize from the guys who run the website escapeartist.com (a great website if you're into the whole expat thing), but i prefer european banks (longer, more established tradition of banking privacy).
i'm still amazed to see all these guys in the states who have $50k or $75k (or more) in their banks in f-in topeka, kansas...all the while, wagering thousands of dollars offshore or with bookies (and probably not paying their taxes)...
it's 2006...and this is a global economy fellas! you guys buy the most modern laptops and plasma tv's and cars and everything else but you still do your banking at the brick and mortar place on the corner of your town!
oh, if you want a site to check out to see what you can expect...check out www.sboff.com
and no, i don't work for that site nor do i bank there. but a close friend of mine runs an investment firm in dubai and she's always recommended that place to me (it's on the isle of man). personally, i prefer austria for banking.