Invest Offshore

International investors choose Capital Conservator offshore bank accounts for privacy and peace of mind.

The offshore banking dream is persistent. When people think of offshore bank accounts they think of yachts, fast cars and perhaps a balmy tax have lifestyle to complement it.

Maybe it involves moving to another country entirely, life in a far land supported by a Swiss bank account.

One of the hardest first steps is finding offshore banking that you can trust. But offshore bank accounts are made hard to find by design, and the primary stages during offshore account opening can be treacherous.

How many investors have trouble finding an offshore bank account that really keeps their information confidential?

The solution many look for is bank secrecy. What is often overlooked is that bank secrecy can change. While Switzerland or Panama may offer extreme secrecy one year, the next year their laws might change, or outside pressure could lead to relaxed secrecy. Other jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands or the Channel Islands seem safe and private, when their secrecy is actually dependent on the generosity of high tax nations like the UK and US.

Increasingly, alternatives are developing which allow private wire transfers and offshore banking irrespective of changes in bank secrecy - just how we imagined the secret Swiss bank account. If you acknowledge that bank secrecy in individual countries can change, the requirement then is a structure which holds strong irrespective of financial privacy laws.

Continue reading "Legal Offshore Bank Accounts For Confidential Offshore Banking" »

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Forex trading is getting more and popular with each day, and rightly so, since it’s such an unexplored part of the financial world for the average individual, or the r retail trader. Although forex offers great potential to anyone with the right attitude and background, it can and does lead to unfortunate results for some people who neglect their education and have misconceptions and too high expectations from the market. In this article we’ll take a look at five of the most common mistakes.

Continue reading "5 Common Beginner’s Mistakes in Forex" »

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5 Guidelines for Deciding the Perfect Broker

Currency trading involves numerous trials of analysis and decision-making before the trader has acquired the necessary abilities that will allow him to be successful in his endeavors. One of the most basic of these issues is the choice of the broker. Although this aspect of trading is often regarded as a peripheral issue and not emphasized as much as it could be, it is nonetheless exceptionally important for anyone seeking to ensure that his experience is free from worries and troubles as much as possible. We analyze the market to avoid faulty trades; we should analyze the brokers to avoid the bad apples who will ruin our plans and destroy our career before it has had a chance to begin.

Continue reading "Currency Trading, Forex Analysis" »

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The Monfort Plan (Wiley Finance, April 2010) presents the new architecture of a redefined capitalism. This summary piece introduces the five year action plan and explains why a new architecture may be needed in today’s environment.

Today’s capitalism is based on a vintage architecture that dates back to the 1940s and the American effort to pull the world away from Nazi Germany and Soviet communism. It was then when the four institutions of this old architecture were designed: the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the GATT. The old architecture designed by the Bretton Woods elites served a purpose: it contributed to the economic resurgence of Western Europe and brought peace to a continent that had fought wars for centuries.

Subsequent to the design of the new architecture the Truman Administration proposed and implemented the Marshall Plan, the plan for the economic recovery of 17 countries in Western Europe. The plan enabled the vision of Jean Monnet to come up with a European Community of Coal and Steel, the parent of the European Union. These were times of courage and vision. The great changes of the 1940s and 1950s were precipitated by the devastation of the two World Wars and the economic collapse of the Great Depression. The environment set the basis for thirty years of phenomenal economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic.

The second half of the twentieth century had two flavours that modeled the world's geo-political pattern of both Hemispheres: the cold war and the emergence of neoclassical economics fathered by Milton Friedman and Alan Greenspan and implemented by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Neoclassical economics brought about an increasing mathematical sophistication where economic sub-fields such as financial economics prospered thanks to the work of gifted mathematicians such as Merton, Black or Scholes. Monodimensional utility functions prioritized profit maximization over other variables such as human dignity or environmental sustainability. Academia was captured in the allure of models. Our economic policy-makers were constrained by mathematical models that worked on paper.

Continue reading "The Monfort Plan" »

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Uruguay is a place that people fall in love with. The extensive, untouched beaches, old-world charm of capital Montevideo, and warm Uruguayan attitudes towards foreigners all play their part. In fact the most trouble tourists have in Uruguay is when trying to leave!

But there's something else which is attracting alarming numbers of visitors. Uruguay real estate. To Europeans and Westerners Uruguay real estate is looking so attractive that it's even getting the Uruguyans worried.

The problem is, Uruguay house prices refuse to fall. Why is it that when real estate has been dropping like a stone in the US, Uruguay has carried on as if the financial crisis had never happened?

Low base prices - Uruguay had its own fiscal crisis in 2002, the effects of which have knocked real estate values down to what others might consider ''unnaturally low'' levels.

Low carrying costs - It's very hard to get financing in Uruguay - but the lack of debt and low insurance (from low debt and infrequent incidence of natural disasters) keep house prices down.

Low Taxes - Uruguay taxes are comparatively low, and, best of all from an expat view, you only pay tax on income derived in Uruguay,

Liberal laws toward foreign ownership - this has made it a haven of sorts for Brazilians looking for a safe place to park cash and Argentines looking for anywhere to hide funds outside the clutches of a government that appears to be in trouble. In fact, the Uruguayan government even offers fast-track citizenship for foreigners that purchase real estate over a certain value.

All these factors mean that property prices continue to grow across the spectrum in Uruguay. From, campos (large traditional farms) to chacras (cottages with 10-15 acres of land) to city centre apartments, prices remain level or rising. Increasingly, foreigners are getting in while prices remain affordable. It's still possible to get a city centre apartment (or even a small house) for around $30,000 dollars. You don't have to pay with Uruguyan currency, in fact native Uruguyans use dollars far more frequently than pesos when buying property.

That said, investors looking to make millions should look elsewhere. The most meteoric growth has been seen in the coastal ''balnearios'' and holiday towns like Piriapolis and Punta Del Este - growth fed by mostly by Uruguay's neighbours. Argentinians combine both a holiday house and a ''safe'' investment when they buy into Uruguay real esate. But in the capital Montevideo, prices have risen more steadily than dramatically.

Compared to most developed countries, Uruguay is manna from heaven. For a stable property investment, in a country where friendliness and good weather come as standard, Uruguay's hard to beat.

Get the inside scoop on uruguay real estate. Beautiful houses at the best prices. Find the latest news on property purchases and rentals in the real estate section of Uruguay's only English news digest.

Posted by Patrick Winters at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Capital Conservator is not a bank, nor is it a bank introduction or bank account opening service. The Capital Conservator Group is composed of multiple financial services companies, holding deposits and making investments for its clients using its own accounts in order to protect the privacy of its clients.

This means:

* Your funds are held in CC accounts at partner banks;

* Your investments are held in CC accounts at partner investment houses;

* Your gold and silver are held in CC accounts at bonded repositories;

* You ATM card is funded from a CC master account for enhanced privacy.

* Your affairs remain private between you and CC

CC requires modest and sensible due diligence and is pleased to welcome:

* accounts from offshore companies, trusts, and foundations;

* other non-resident accounts;

* customers without bank references;

* special account needs;

* escrow accounts; and

* short-term transit accounts.

Posted by Patrick Winters at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Privacy, Asset Protection and greater freedom of movement are just some of the qualities that lure investors offshore.

Some people are happy to have their money safely locked away, an insurance policy against volatile stock markets, currency fluctuations and avaricious authorities. Others see investing offshore as a way of maximizing their return, in other words they want to see the investment pay for itself.

You have or are thinking about opening an offshore bank account – how can you make your money work for you?

*Disclaimer*
Not all of these options will suit every investor – and remember that every great investment will be balanced by risk. If you are prepared to take the risk and have some idea about what to do with your money – here are some options I would definitely recommend.

Gold – In addition to being one of best financial reserves you can get, gold can actually increase in value during a bear market. If you had bought an ounce of gold in 2003 you would by now have nearly tripled your investment in only 6 years!!! Gold has its own intrinsic value unlike paper monies which can fluctuate wildly, especially in economic downturns when countries ‘compete’ to devalue their own currencies. Imagine having your very own offshore gold ‘plan b’ stored in a safe deposit box, anonymously, out of reach of creditors, greedy lawyers, the taxman and anyone else with a covetous eye on your assets. Best of all its value is quietly multiplying…

Certificates of Deposit – Rather than let your offshore assets sit idly by while inflation gobbles them up, invest in a certificate of deposit. Ranging from a couple of months to several years, these will pay you interest, usually based on a fixed annual rate. Sometimes you can get much better interest rates in a different country – this is one of the primary reasons for moving offshore – but remember to do your research beforehand. There have been countless cases of scams where investors were promised fantasy interest rates and ended up losing everything to a ponzi scheme. Part and parcel of ‘soft-touch’ regulation in tax havens is that you will come across schemes like these. The best method of research is to ask other banks who have had contact with the institution to give their professional opinion. Always remember the maxim – ‘if its sounds to good to be true, it probably is’. A bank offering interest rates of 10% when the benchmark is set at 2% is either a fraud or in serious financial trouble.

Tax-Free Trading - Once you have invested in an offshore bank account, think about expanding further and trading stocks. Most banks and brokerages will charge you for opening an anonymous investment account, but some might even do it for free! From a trading account you can buy and sell shares in all the major markets- anonymously- and since your account is offshore your gains are also tax free! Fees will vary greatly depending on the brokerage, but the best ones will give you an online platform so you can manage all your trades from the comfort of your own home, and with low overheads they can afford to charge nominal premiums on each trade.

Exotic Investments – Exotic investments are usually more risky than average, and may consist of financial instruments such as sovereign & corporate debt, high-yield investment schemes and other investments which are outside of your domestic reach. The best bet here is to find a broker you can trust to advise you in this area. If you are willing to accept a high degree of risk, exotic investments may just be for you, since in return for high risk the results can be spectacular.

Are you ready to take a giant step forward, and start making your money work for you?

Click to get started with Anonymous Offshore Investing

Posted by Patrick Winters at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Financier Allen Stanford, the man famous for promoting grassroots cricket in the West Indies, finds himself in the spotlight once again - but this time the attention isn't welcome. His Stanford Financial Group is facing a visit from regulators after doubts were raised over some of his best-selling financial products.

Here's an excerpt from a Business Week Report:

Financier R. Allen Stanford makes investors an enticing offer: He sells supposedly super-safe certificates of deposit with interest rates more than twice the market average. His firm says it generates the impressive returns by investing the CD money largely in corporate stocks, real estate, hedge funds, and precious metals.

But skeptical federal and state regulators are now taking a hard look at Stanford's operation—especially those CDs, whose underlying investments seem questionable. Over the past 12 months, the stock market and hedge funds have lost huge amounts of value even as Houston-based Stanford Financial Group continued to pay out above-average returns and claimed to have boosted the assets it oversees by 30%, to more than $50 billion.

BusinessWeek has learned that the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a major private-sector oversight body, are all investigating Stanford Financial. The probes focus on the high-yield CDs and the investment strategy behind them. According to people close to the investigations, the three agencies are also looking at how Stanford Financial could afford to give employees large bonuses, luxury cars, and expensive vacations. Selling CDs typically is a low-margin business.

Stanford Financial vigorously defends its practices. "All three [agencies] have stated to us they were visiting our offices as part of routine examinations," says company spokesman Brian Bertsch. The firm, he adds, "follows industry standards for marketing and generating sales."

With post-madoff markets still jittery about the possibility of another big revelation it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

More on offshore investment accounts

Posted by Patrick Winters at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Every day it becomes increasingly more evident that investing offshore requires professional guidance.

European Union states won't be able to fend off tax evasion inquiries by hiding behind bank secrecy rules under a proposal to be adopted on Monday. The measure is part of wider EU efforts to snare people who exploit loopholes in rules to escape the taxman.

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The Seychelles government has decided to remove all restrictions on foreign exchange dealings and has set up new regulations to allow the national currency (Rupee) to float, APA learns on Wednesday in the Seychellois capital Victoria.

According to a communiqué issued by the Finance Minister Danny Faure, the decision has been taken following the approval of the Foreign Earnings Regulations Repeal Bill and the Central Bank of Seychelles Amendment Bill by the National Assembly last week.

Continue reading Seychelles Liberalise Foreign Currency Dealings

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During a Wealth Management Summit being held this week in Boston, Singapore and Geneva, private banking executives provided some investment tips.

Jennifer Tay, Citi Private Bank, Asia-Pacific Head of Portfolio Counselling

"We tell clients, markets are not going to stay down forever. There will come a time when you have very decent recovery and typically even when you look at the (past) since the 1950s, you had nine recessions and after a recession markets just spike upwards.

Continue reading Investment tips from private bankers

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If you are an entrepreneur and thinking about doing business offshore, you are faced with a choice between an unincorporated branch operation, a foreign LLC or IBC or corporation that is treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. tax purposes or any of these entities that might be treated as either a disregarded entity or foreign partnership for U.S. tax purposes. In some cases, you might also want to have your foreign entity owned by a foreign trust.

On October 25th, three international tax experts from True Partners Consulting will join Vern Jacobs of Offshore Press at the Las Vegas Hilton Resort to explain these choices to those who attend. One of these experts is from England and will explain how the U.K. and E.U. tax laws affect the use of different kinds of entities.

Continue reading Offshore Investing Workshop

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In a speech on the outlook for the world economy, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría spoke about the impact of the financial crisis and OECD's work to produce a more inclusive globalisation.

The financial system is a conveyor belt through which the economy works. And if the financial system is partially blocked or paralysed, as it is now, then the economy cannot work normally.

Continue reading: The Global Economy and OECD

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Investors in gold are demanding “unprecedented” amounts of bullion bars and coins and moving them into their own vaults as fears about the health of the global financial system deepen. Industry executives and bankers at the London Bullion Market Association annual meeting said the extent of the move into physical gold was unseen and driven by the very rich.

Continue reading: Wealthy Investors Hoard Bullion

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