Free Report
International Trusts 101
“Is an international trust right for me?” is one of the most common questions we get. The correct answer is, of course, it depends. In very specific circumstances, it can makes sense. But for many clients, there are other options worth a closer look first.
In this report, we’ll explain under what conditions it make sense to consider a structure like this. You’ll learn when it makes sense and when it doesn’t. And you’ll discover how to avoid the common tax trap that causes a lot of these structures to fall apart under pressure.
Who This Is For
A Beginner’s Guide to International Trusts
This report is written for people either somewhat new or very new to the idea of moving assets into an international trust, also called an International Asset Protection Trust or an Offshore Asset Protection Trust. Specifically, we focus on those structures found in the Cook Islands, Nevis, and Belize.
- You’ve been presented with the idea of an offshore trust and want an objective third party to verify what you’ve heard.
- You’re trying to understand what sort of assets are best placed in an International Asset Protection Trust.
- You want to better understand the tax consequences of moving assets into an offshore trust.
- You want to learn what makes an international trust good for asset protection… and what threats they are best designed to handle.
- You’re looking for a “best practices” blueprint to help you make a final decision.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about this topic out there on the Internet. It’s important to get the facts up front before you make a financial commitment.
This report caters to the unique planning needs of American clients.
What’s in the Report
You’ll get a straight-shooting and balanced look into the world of international trusts, brought to you by a firm with years of experience helping US clients set up and maintain such entities.
6 Advantages of an International Trust
We take a look into the key reasons Americans consider setting up an international trust in the first place… from privacy to asset protection to potential tax benefits.
6 Disadvantages of an International Trust
We dive into the six big reasons not to set up an international trust, starting with the fees (they can be pricey) through to problems when investing in certain asset classes.
Who Needs an Offshore Trust?
We discuss three types of people who should at least consider a foreign asset protection trust and three types of people who should probably pass. We also break down the elements of a typical client for this service. See if you can spot which group you’re in.
3 Case Studies
To help bring theory into practice, we present three unique scenarios from our files.
Jurisdiction Review
When people talk about International Asset Protection Trusts, they are almost always talking about one of three places – Nevis, the Cook Islands, and Belize. We’ll review each of those places, as well as discuss the more general “offshore trust” jurisdictions that can work in certain edge cases.
How to Set Up an Offshore Trust
Conceptually, an offshore trust isn’t terribly difficult to set up. In practice, it’s a lot of paperwork. You’ll learn the five main steps that will take you from answering the question, “Is it right for me?” to full setup and ongoing management.
How Long Does It Take to Set Up an Offshore Trust?
A common question that we answer here. (Hint: it depends on jurisdiction and asset type.)
5 Alternatives to International Trusts
There are other ways to protect your assets. We’ll give you five options, some of which are free, others low cost, and one that’s actually more protective than an offshore trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t know what you don’t know. In this section, we’ll answer questions you might have… and ones you might not have thought to ask but probably should.
Our Expertise
For more than 40 years, we’ve been helping US clients invest internationally. A key part of that work is how to best structure those holdings – whether personally/jointly, through a US trust or company, or through an international entity like an international trust.
More than that, from 2014–2024, our founder, Mark Nestmann, also served as President of an international trust company called Fortress Trust, based in Nevis.
Our expertise is not just theoretical but gained through hard-won experience.
Free Offering
A Free Public Service
It’s important to us that Americans get an honest and unbiased look at International Asset Protection Trusts.
A previous version of this report was sold for $97, but we offer it to you for free with our compliments and without obligation.
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