In a time of uncertainty…
Private Wealth helps you protect what you've worked hard for...
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Since 1984, thousands of Americans have trusted us to help them build proven wealth protection plans. Work with us and you can also enjoy:
- Peace of mind knowing your assets are protected with the best available US and international tools and structures.
- Knowing your investments are safeguarded against the whims of a country on the wrong path... and a government seemingly bent on destroying the dollar.
- A lower tax bill (sometimes much lower) thanks to legal, but not well-known, tax reduction opportunities.
Fully legal and 100% compliant with US regulations.
John and Kathy were two wealthy professionals on the edge of retirement…
They were concerned about where this country is headed. And what that could mean for their hard-earned savings.
So they did what most smart people do… they started researching. They searched online, subscribed to an international newsletter, and went to a few “wealth protection” conferences.
They found what looked like the perfect solution. Thankfully, they checked with us first. Because this “perfect solution” was a well-known tax scam that could have gotten them in a fair bit of trouble.
It’s cases like this that makes us feel good about what we do: help law-abiding US clients protect their wealth, safeguard their assets, and even legally reduce their taxes.
That’s what we’ve been doing since 1984. For thousands of clients.
If you’re concerned about any of the following, please give Private Wealth some serious consideration:
POLITICAL
RISK
DOLLAR
COLLAPSE
EXCESSIVE
TAXATION
You’re concerned about having your assets taken through taxation to feed a bankrupt system.
CAPITAL
CONTROLS
You’re wondering how long the debt can continue to rise before Uncle Sam is forced to take drastic action.
BANK
BAIL-INS
You’re worried about the next bail-in and don’t know a safe place to keep your savings.
ESTATE
TAX
MAKING A
COSTLY MISTAKE
YOU PLAN TO
EXPATRIATE
LEGAL TAX
REDUCTION
You want to legally pay less taxes… sometimes a lot less.
Getting started is easy. Book an introductory consultation with a Nestmann Associate to get your questions answered, see how we can help you reach your goals, and determine if our wealth protection planning is right for you.
Which Private Wealth is Best for You?
Who are our clients?
We work with a wide range of clients – from solo entrepreneurs to other advisors in related areas. But our core clients fit into one or more of the following groups:
High Net Worth Families and Individuals
This group has at least $2,500,000 and/or a pre-tax annual income of $400,000. They tend to have a wide range of assets – both traditional and alternative… and have access to opportunities not available to the general public.
Because of their wealth, frivolous lawsuits can be a problem. Estate planning is usually more complex. Specialized asset protection may be necessary. And there are often tax reduction opportunities.
Business Owners
We work with many business owners who are asset-rich but cash-poor. They often have a big chunk of their wealth tied up in their business and/or the building it’s in and/or the land it sits on.
With such clients, reducing risk is a big necessity. But there’s a lot of opportunity too – business owners have the chance to reduce their tax burden in a way other groups don’t.
Expatriates
Americans living overseas have some unique problems that those living stateside don’t have to deal with.
As it relates to wealth protection, the biggest is never-ending reporting to Uncle Sam on almost any asset held overseas – from bank accounts to stocks to foreign property not held in your own name.
When we work with such clients, we often have to focus a lot on compliance and reporting issues. But there are also some opportunities – most notably substantial tax breaks Americans living overseas can access that others can’t.
Professional Investors
Over the years, we’ve worked with quite a few professional investors.
They often fit into one or more of the other groups and have some of the same needs as other groups. But because they (usually) have their fingers in so many pies, risk management tends to be a focus for their planning.
Is Net Worth a Factor? It is, yes. But it’s not just about net worth. You need a proper plan whether your nest egg is $1 milion or $100 million.
What will change is the tools available to you and the type of experts you’ll need to build it.
What Our Clients Are Saying About Us
The vast majority of Nestmann clients are very happy with our services. They value the fact that we have so much experience in helping US clients successfully protect their assets using domestic and often offshore opportunities.
And they appreciate the fact that the principals of the firm are still so heavily involved in each client’s case, with a dedicated point of contact to guide them through the process.
Here are just a few comments:
I am truly grateful for the outstanding guidance and international expertise provided by Mark, Brandon and the entire team. They have extensive insights, resources and experiences and most importantly are highly principled with their recommendations to serve my needs first and upmost. With the increasing financial and political threats against the individual, it is very reassuring to have the Nestmann Group as trusted partners to preserve wealth and freedom…
I felt having a second passport from Dominica would give me additional freedom in an uncertain world. I wanted to be sure there was always an option for me to live free of government abuse.
I chose to work with The Nestmann Group because I have been following them for years and had developed a comfort level that made me able to trust them with this important transaction.
In particular, I appreciated the quick turnaround time. I rarely had to wait long for an answer.
When you’re making this kind of an investment, you want someone who is attentive to your needs and they were.
I worked with The Nestmann Group on getting a second citizenship. Brandon and Mark, and the whole organization, did a great job for me. They were expert and prompt. I especially appreciated the fact that they so clearly put my interests first. I would highly recommend The Nestmann Group.
My consultation with Mark Nestmann ended up saving me hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I consider the money I paid to Mr. Nestmann for his advice one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
I could not be happier with the results your guidance has produced for me.
Super sharp, trustworthy, legitimate, serious, and “the real deal.”
4 Sample Profiles
Because every client is different, your own wealth protection plan will be different too. But that’s not to say they don’t follow the same basic format. Here are a few (greatly simplified) examples from recent work we’ve done.
John Bookman*, 56
Married with two adult kids, one of which he is still supporting while in college. Entrepreneur with a successful small business that he wants to sell in a few years. Total net worth: Approximately $2.7M including business and primary residence.
Why he engaged our services:
- Concerned about frivolous lawsuits that could arise for business reasons.
- Hates FATCA and wants a way to avoid it.
- Is overwhelmed by all the conflicting offshore information out there; just wants his offshore strategy set up and then managed properly so he can get on running his business and getting ready to spend time with his upcoming first grandchild.
Recommendations:
- Structure the sale of his business to legally and substantially reduce taxes owed.
- Invest in FATCA-reporting-free assets offshore and legally keep some level of financial privacy from the feds.
- Get set up with the Nestmann Group’s trusted partners who specialize in helping American citizens stay fully compliant with offshore reporting requirements.
Benefits:
- Tax deferral on the sale of his business (more than enough to cover all fees for the initial work with the Nestmann Group, the required structures and many years of ongoing costs).
- Peace of mind.
Norman Enkelman*, 65
Recently divorced (mostly amicably). Employee at Fortune 500 company – about to retire. 32-year-old son who is already self-supportive. Looking to protect $3 million of post-divorce assets in retirement. Pension and Social Security income meet ordinary living costs.
Why he engaged our services:
- Wants to internationalize his retirement savings.
- Wants to look into the possibility of living outside the US.
- Concerned about “bail ins” in the US banking system (Basically, the government, IMF, etc., forcing depositors to give some or all of their savings to pay for the irresponsibility of bank managers).
Recommendations:
- Move IRA offshore and use American-favored liability protection structure to lock down the assets inside.
- Open accounts with at least 2 international asset managers within a certain out-of-favor jurisdiction that still offers some of the best banking services (and low risk of bail-ins) for clients like Norman.
- Work with our trusted partners to maintain everything, including all US reporting requirements.
Benefits:
- Protection from potential collapse of US dollar.
- Sense of safety knowing his money isn’t likely to be taken away because of some incompetent (or maybe just greedy) banker.
Brian Sasso*, 78
Married to wife of 54 years. 4 adult children. Retired. Sold his share in a successful manufacturing business 13 years ago. Husband and wife have estate totalling $5.7 million. Social Security and income from savings meet all ordinary living costs.
Why he engaged our services:
- Wants to avoid estate taxes.
- Wants savings placed in a structure that gives him strong wealth protection and maximum flexibility.
- Wants to invest 25% of his net worth in precious metals as an inflation hedge and for protection in a global financial meltdown.
Recommendations:
- Create an international estate planning structure using limited liability companies and trusts.
- Work within chosen structures to purchase precious metals and set up precious metals storage relationships in ultra-safe depositories.
- Use chosen structures to open an account with a very special private bank; one of the safest in the world, because the owners are personally on the hook if the bank ever goes bust (I rarely recommend them as minimums are high).
Benefits:
- A setup that avoids ALL estate taxes but is still flexible enough to deal with any future family-related changes.
- State-of-the-art wealth protection in a relatively low-cost structure.
- A virtual “bomb shelter” solution that can withstand nearly any sort of global financial meltdown without capital loss.
- True peace of mind.
Ross Anderson*, 20
Why he engaged our services:
Desire for a Digital Nomad Lifestyle: Ross wanted to travel the world on his ocean-going yacht while managing his investments remotely.
Avoidance of US Taxation System: He saw his US citizenship and the IRS’s worldwide taxation as obstacles to his lifestyle and financial planning. He knew he would have to give up his citizenship to free himself from that system.
Interest in the Five-Flag Strategy: Ross was intrigued by the concept of diversifying his residency and citizenship to optimize freedom and taxation.
Recommendations:
Acquire a Second Citizenship: We helped Ross get citizenship and a passport from the Commonwealth of Dominica through an investment program.
Apply for Residence in Panama and Build Strong Local Connections: Using his new Dominica passport, Ross began the process of establishing residency in Panama. This would make it easier for him to be able to visit America after giving up his US Citizenship.
Set Panama as his tax residency: As a resident of Panama, he was able to make a credible case to be tax resident in Panama, which taxes only on locally generated income.
Benefits:
Successful Expatriation: Through our service, Ross was able to successfully (and smoothly) renounce his US citizenship.
Able to visit his family and friends in the US: Following our plan, he was able to demonstrate ties to Panama, enabling him to get a visitor’s visa in the US.
Significant Tax Savings: As a resident of Panama and by spending limited time in any one country, Ross pays virtually no income tax anywhere.
Freedom as a Digital Nomad: Ross purchased a yacht and has been living his dream of traveling the world while managing his investments remotely.
*Note: Name changed to preserve privacy.
What Will Your Private Plan Look Like?
Every plan is different and made to fit with your needs. But broadly speaking, many have similar themes:
Wealth Protection Strategies
The Best Ways to Reduce US-Based Risk
How to Safeguard Your Investments
Where to Look for Better Opportunities
How to Legally Reduce Your Tax Burden
How to Protect Yourself from the Dollar Collapse
How to Legally Hide Your Money from Lawsuits
How to Safely Go Offshore (for any budget)
International Real Estate
Global Stock Markets
Precious Metals & Commodities
Emerging Market Investments
Second
Citizenship
What does our work look like in practice?
Sometimes people have a hard time understanding exactly what we do. After all, “international wealth protection planning” can mean different things to different people. So here’s a sample of actual work we’re doing for clients right now.
Why build your Plan B with us?
Quite simply, because we have the most experience of any active globally-focused wealth protection firm serving US clients.
Since 1984, we’ve helped more than 15,000 customers and clients diversify their assets, protect their wealth, and invest internationally. In the process, they’ve been able to lower their tax burden, gain more freedom, and have a better life.
More than that, we walk the talk. We live the lifestyle. Our partners have lived, worked, and invested internationally.
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Frequently Asked Questions
At this point, you probably have plenty of questions. Here’s a list of the most common ones we get. If you’re ready to get started, book an introductory consultation with a Nestmann Associate to get your questions answered and see how we can help you reach your goals.
General Questions about Our Service
Are there minimum qualifications for your services?
For a complete solution like Private Wealth Elite, we usually won’t take on an engagement unless you have at least USD $2,500,000 to plan around and/or a pre-tax annual income of $400,000.
For amounts smaller than this, a local domestic-focused lawyer is probably your best bet, and will be more cost effective.
We have no minimum for Private Wealth Focus, where you engage us to help you address a specific international issue or concern.
How do you customize your planning for high-net-worth individuals?
The vast majority of our planning is for high-net-worth individuals where a bespoke approach is almost always needed. By taking stock of your financial situation, goals and risk profile, we’re able to deliver a plan that best fits your needs.
What specific experience do you have with high-net-worth individuals like me?
Almost all of our planning work has been with high-net-worth clients — highly paid executives, business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors. If you have a specific situation and would like to know whether we’ve had similar clients to you in the past, please ask your Nestmann Associate.
What is the most interesting client you've had recently?
We work with clients in all sorts of interesting situations. One of our personal favorites recently was a US couple who had real estate and business interests in 10 countries. They wanted help building an estate plan to avoid probate when it came time for their heirs to inherit.
The general rule is that you need to build a local estate plan for every jurisdiction in which you have assets. So in this case, there was A LOT to plan.
But in general, most clients are more straightforward. They usually have a lot of assets still in the US. They want to protect what they have and move some out of harm’s way. They will usually want to legally reduce their tax burden if they can.
And they usually want to do all of this as privately as possible, and in full compliance with the law.
What if some of my planning involves moving assets internationally, and then I want to move them back at some point?
Sometimes clients move some of their assets overseas and want to bring them back to the US. In such cases, we will outline exactly what’s needed to make this happen, as well as any additional fees to assist in the process.
In general, our planning is designed to be quite flexible so you don’t get your nest-egg stuck outside the country.
How complicated is the process to retrieve my money if I need quick access due to an emergency?
We build your planning in a way that balances protection with liquidity. Unless you request otherwise, our SEC-registered investment advisor partners are required to keep any foreign held investments in assets with high liquidity. That can include publicly traded stocks, bonds, precious metals, and cash and cash-equivalents.
Can you implement your planning for me?
Our services are offered in three stages. You’re welcome to work with us as little or as much as you want to.
The first step is Private Wealth planning. In this service, we build a bespoke plan tailored to your needs and goals.
Within the planning, we will outline exactly what is needed to put your plan into action within the budget we agree on. Putting it all together is the second step.
The third step is ongoing maintenance and compliance. You can choose to bring this all to your own accountant. However, many clients simply prefer to work with us for the sake of ease.
Fee Related Questions
How much is this service?
It depends on whether we are building a complete wealth protection plan (Private Wealth Elite) or a more focused engagement around a specific need (Private Wealth Focus).
During your first consultation, your Nestmann Associate will take stock of your financial situation, your needs and your goals. From there, you’ll be given a clear idea of what it will take to build your wealth protection plan.
He will then make a recommendation as to what’s right for you, and give you a quoted fee.
Broadly speaking though, a Private Wealth Elite engagement looks like this:
- If you’re looking for a purely domestic solution without any international planning, you’re looking at an investment of between $18,000 and $24,000.
- If you’re looking for a “hybrid” plan that includes a mix of domestic and international planning, our typical plan in this category will range from $24,000 to $30,000.
- If you want to leave the country entirely and need a complete international solution that includes residency, citizenship, offshore corporate services, financial services, and potentially even expatriation, that plan is going to cost somewhere between $30,000-$36,000.
If you have an existing plan and need help with a specific international issue, Private Wealth Focus will be a better fit.
Depending on complexity, these sorts of engagements bill out at anywhere from $9,000 to $13,000.
Are there implementation and ongoing fees?
Most plans will require further fees to implement. And while we can’t tell you exactly what that would look like without a clear idea of your needs and goals (that’s the point of planning in the first place), your Nestmann Associate can give you a ball park figure once he has a rough sense of what you’re looking for.
Book an introductory consultation to get your questions answered.
How transparent are the fees associated with planning? Are there hidden costs I should be aware of?
You will have a very clear idea of the fees involved before we ever implement your plan. If we ever do run into a situation where the cost of the implementation is higher than what is outlined in your plan, we will generally pay for that out of our pocket.
We understand the importance of getting our numbers right. This “guarantee” of sorts ensures we do that.
International Planning and Jurisdiction Questions
What type of offshore planning do you recommend and why?
It really depends on who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish. Some clients don’t actually need any international planning. Others will want to exclusively have an overseas plan. Most of our clients want a “best of both worlds” mix of the two.
How do you ensure liquidity in any planning you do?
We are not registered investment advisors and so cannot make personalized investment recommendations. However, we work closely with a number of international asset managers registered to provide such services.
When we work with them, we make it very clear that, unless the client says otherwise, any international investments must be liquid.
If you bring a foreign investment opportunity to us, we can conduct due diligence for you, including liquidity concerns.
How do you assess political risk in the countries where you recommend investing or banking?
When it comes to investing, we leave that to our (SEC registered) advisors. When it comes to banking, we prefer highly-regulated jurisdictions with a long history of service US clients.
If a client is interested in moving to and/or investing in a country with higher political risk, we will make them fully aware of our perspective and, should they still wish to proceed, plan around that risk as best as possible.
Do your services help me hide my assets?
Yes and no.
When it comes to international planning, you should generally assume that your efforts must be reported to the US government. (There are some exceptions, which are best discussed with a Nestmann Associate.)
We are able to assist with all reporting requirements, in concert with our own specialized accountants or with yours.
But other than that, there is no need for transparency in anything you do with your hard-earned money. It’s nobody’s business but yours.
Compliance Questions
How do you stay updated with relevant tax laws and reporting requirements?
Beyond regular conferences and industry information subscriptions, our team maintains a network of global legal experts. This helps us stay informed about significant changes in tax laws across multiple jurisdictions and implement these insights into our client strategies.
How do you handle changes in international law that might affect my offshore planning?
When changes in international law are announced, we conduct a thorough review of how these changes might impact your planning.
How do you ensure that your planning does not inadvertently trigger IRS red flags?
We take a very conservative approach that focuses on well-established (but often not well-known) planning and tax strategies. For that reason, we’ve earned a reputation within this industry as being “boring.”
But the upside is that, in 40 years of practice, we are not aware of a single case where our planning has triggered an IRS red flag.
Is your planning going to mean a lot more accounting and compliance?
If your plan includes an international piece, then it’s likely you will need to start filing various reporting requirements with the IRS and Treasury Department. So the answer is yes.
But if you do, we’re here to help you manage that process.
Client Relationships and Service Quality
How do you ensure the security of client data and communications?
We use state-of-the-art security technologies, including encrypted communications and secure data storage solutions in Switzerland, to protect all client information.
Who will handle my account on a day-to-day basis?
We currently have two dedicated concierges that support our clients and handle all the logistics on behalf of our Senior Associates and Partners. Andrea joined the firm in 2013 and Gabi in 2014 and together, they have assisted many clients through the Private Wealth process.
What sort of service standard can I expect?
In general, you can expect regular communications with your concierge to be answered within a few hours during business hours.
What if I have a problem with my concierge or your service in general?
If you have a real issue, one of our partners will be able to address your concerns.
How do you handle conflicts of interest, especially when recommending specific offshore jurisdictions or investments?
We follow a strict code of ethics that requires full disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.
In some situations, it is customary for us to receive commissions from a service provider related to your account. In such cases, you will always be notified first and have the right to request we not receive a fee.
At the end of the day, our recommendations are made in the best interest of our clients.
Risk and Crisis Management
How can you guarantee that my assets will be safe from legal challenges or claims in foreign jurisdictions?
The United States is one of the most litigious (if not the most litigious) places in the world. Legal challenges and claims are much harder (and more expensive) to bring in other countries than in America.
Still, depending on your risk exposure, our planning tools are designed to create strong asset protection no matter where the claim comes from.
How flexible is your service in adapting to sudden changes in political or economic conditions?
40+ years has shown us that political and economic conditions can change quickly. For that reason, we keep a close eye on anything that might affect our clients’ planning.
As soon as something comes up that might be a concern, we let you know and then we work together to address it.
What backup plans do you have in place if a chosen offshore strategy stops working?
It’s a fact of life that planning options come and go. But, for the most part, programs that do drop off will usually grandfather clients in.
So our best advice in this case is to act quickly on planning we put together for you. (Our implementation services are designed to do just that.)
Beyond that, we keep a close ear to the ground. If there’s something that might affect your planning, we’ll let you know.
What happens if the tax laws in my home country change after we've implemented these strategies?
Our strategies are designed with flexibility to adapt to changes in tax laws. We stay updated on legislative developments and will adapt your planning to ensure the best possible outcome for your situation.