International Asset Governance
Helping You Stay on Top of International Assets
For more than 40 years, we’ve helped Americans invest internationally. That experience has shown us that the real challenge isn’t just about acquiring international assets—it’s keeping everything working together over time.
This dedicated governance service lets you leverage our experienced team to stay on top of all the rules and requirements that come with having foreign investments.
Who This Is For
Designed for Complex International Asset Needs
This is our most comprehensive service designed for clients with complex international holdings, usually involving more than one jurisdiction and multiple asset classes.
This service works best for clients who have USD 10 million or more in assets that need ongoing attention.
- You have investments, bank accounts, real estate, trusts, companies, and/or other assets outside the United States.
- You want someone to coordinate the ongoing tax, legal, and compliance requirements that come with international assets.
- You are tired of keeping track of different advisors, jurisdictions, deadlines, and reporting obligations.
- You want to make sure your international assets continue to fit properly within your overall financial and estate planning, and you find that your existing domestic advisors need some help.
- You want your family to have clear guidance and professional support if you are ever unable to manage your international affairs yourself.
Complex cases involving two or more jurisdictions, and multiple asset classes, often require a dozen (or more) different specialists to keep everything compliant from a tax and regulatory standpoint. Our role is to serve as the “contractor”, keeping all of these “trades” properly organized and on the same page.
The Problem
When Complexity gets in the Way of an International Asset Strategy
Owning international assets is only part of the picture. Keeping everything organized year after year is often the bigger challenge.
No One Looking at the Whole Picture
Most lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors focus on their own area of expertise. Very few take responsibility for coordinating your international affairs as a whole.
Ongoing Compliance
International assets often come with ongoing tax, regulatory, and reporting obligations in more than one country. Keeping track of what needs to be done—and when—can quickly become overwhelming.
Changes Over Time
Your circumstances change. Laws change. Advisors retire. New assets are acquired. Without ongoing oversight, it becomes easy for international structures to become outdated, inefficient, or difficult for your family to understand.
We Help Keep Everything Together
We provide ongoing oversight of your international assets, coordinating the professionals involved and helping ensure your structures, compliance, and long-term planning continue to work together.
What We Do
At the end of the day, our work has one goal: to take off the burden that comes with having a portfolio of international assets. How we deliver that includes the following.
Single Point of Contact
Rather than coordinating multiple professionals across different countries yourself, you have one experienced point of contact who understands your international affairs. We help keep everything organized, ensure the right people are involved, and make it easier to manage your international wealth.
Ongoing Compliance Coordination
Throughout the year, we keep track of the tax, regulatory, and reporting requirements affecting your international assets. We help ensure the right professionals are engaged and that important deadlines and obligations are not overlooked.
Professional Advisor Coordination
Where specialist advice is needed, we work with your existing advisors or introduce trusted professionals from our international network. Our role is to help ensure everyone is working together effectively and in your best interests.
Structure Oversight
As your circumstances change or regulations evolve, we review your international structures and identify opportunities to simplify, strengthen, or improve how your assets are held.
International Asset Review
Each year, you meet with our team to review your international holdings. We cover how your current setup is working, any changes in your personal situation, and identify issues that may need to be addressed.
Estate & Family Updates
Once a year, we update the estate planning documentation related to your foreign assets and structures. This ensures that, if something were to happen, your heirs will know what’s going on and how to deal with it. We also stand ready to assist them as needed.
OUTCOMES
Enjoy the Benefits without the Burden
Following is a list of what our clients come to expect and appreciate about our International Asset Governance service.
Your Time Saved
Less time spent chasing advisors, researching rules, and keeping track of reporting obligations.
Fewer Surprises
Changes in your circumstances or the rules are identified early, giving you time to deal with them before they become problems.
Better Decisions
Whether you're buying another asset, restructuring an existing one, or planning for the next generation, you have someone who already understands your international affairs.
Continuity
Your international affairs don't depend on one accountant, one lawyer, or your own memory. There is an ongoing record of what you own, how it is held, and how it all fits together.
A Long-Term Relationship
Rather than starting from scratch every time something changes, you have a team that already knows your international assets and can help as your needs evolve.
SUPPORTED ASSETS
A Wide Range of International Investment Options
Clients come to us with a wide variety of asset classes that come with different compliance, regulatory, and tax consideration needs. We can support the following ones.
International Equities
Direct ownership of publicly traded companies across global exchanges. We coordinate custody and trading through (mainly) Swiss banking partners, and work with partners to handle the reporting requirements that come with foreign-held stock portfolios.
International Bonds
Government and corporate debt instruments traded on international markets. Depending on the bond type and jurisdiction, withholding tax and reporting obligations vary significantly — we help clients navigate those differences.
International Funds (ETFs, mutual funds, hedge funds)
Pooled investment vehicles domiciled outside the US. The tax treatment of these varies widely depending on fund structure — PFIC rules, in particular, can create significant complications for US persons holding foreign-registered funds.
International Private Equity
Direct investments in privately held companies outside the US. These holdings often involve complex valuation, reporting, and liquidity considerations, especially when held through foreign entities.
International Credit / Private Lending
Loans, notes, and other debt instruments extended through foreign platforms or directly to international borrowers. Income sourcing, withholding taxes, and disclosure requirements all depend on how the lending is structured.
International Precious Metals
Physical gold, silver, and other metals usually held in private vault storage. We help with the logistics and compliance when buying, moving, storing, and selling bullion in coin or bar format.
International Real Estate
Property holdings outside the US, including residential, commercial, and mixed-use assets. Foreign real estate introduces local tax law, ownership structures, and potential treaty considerations that need careful planning.
International Cash / Deposits
Foreign bank accounts and term deposits held in multiple currencies. These holdings trigger FBAR and FATCA reporting, and the choice of banking jurisdiction affects deposit insurance, currency risk, and access — we help clients weigh all of it.
International Digital Assets
Cryptocurrencies and token-based assets, whether held through foreign exchanges, custodians, or in cold storage.
Entities and Structures Supported
Individual Holdings
The simplest ownership arrangement where assets are held directly in your own name.
Joint Ownership (Tenancy in Common)
Assets owned by two or more people together, with each owner holding a defined share. This is commonly used by spouses, but can also be appropriate for other family members, business partners, or friends investing together.
US Trusts
We support a wide range of US trust structures, including living trusts, family trusts, revocable and irrevocable trusts, generation-skipping trusts (GSTs), irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs), charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), charitable lead trusts (CLTs), spendthrift trusts, and domestic asset protection trusts (DAPTs).
US LLCs and Corporations
We also support US entities, including LLCs formed in any of the 50 states and, where appropriate, US corporations (depending on the specific facts and circumstances).
International Asset Protection Trusts (IAPT) / Offshore Asset Protection Trust (OAPT)
We support international asset protection trusts established in leading jurisdictions, including the Cook Islands, Nevis, and Belize.
Foreign Entities
We support a range of foreign entities, including foreign LLCs (and their local legal equivalents) as well as specialized structures such as the Panama Private Interest Foundation.
Multi-Tiered Structures
Including foreign trust and foreign entity combinations, such as a foreign trust owning an underlying operating or holding entity.
Platforms Supported
For US clients investing overseas, attention needs to be given to the “platform” the investment sits in. Sometimes these platforms provide the necessary compliance; other times, they aren’t strictly needed but can make sense in certain circumstances. We support many such platforms as seen below.
Core Infrastructure (Multi-Asset Platforms)
Foreign investment accounts
Used to hold and manage portfolios of foreign stocks, funds, private investments, and cash.
Offshore private placement life insurance (PPLI)
A structure used to hold a wide range of foreign investments in a tax-efficient way.
US IRAs holding foreign assets
Self-directed IRAs structured to invest outside the US, with many asset classes available, including Swiss IRAs.
Asset-Specific Structures
Foreign bank accounts
For holding and managing non-US currencies.
Foreign real estate structures
Set up to acquire and hold property overseas.
Foreign precious metals holdings
For direct ownership of physical metals, with both banking and non-banking options.
Foreign direct investments
Used when investing in foreign private companies or operating businesses.
COMPLIANCE
US Tax and Regulatory Matters
We handle a broad range of compliance and tax filing matters, including…
US Tax Compliance (Income Tax Filings & Entity Elections)
- Form 1040 – US individual income tax return
- Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) and foreign housing exclusion/deduction planning and reporting, including Form 2555
- Form 1041 – US income tax return for estates and trusts
- Form 1065 – US partnership return
- Form 8832 – Entity classification election (check-the-box)
US International Reporting (Foreign Holdings)
- Form 8865 – Foreign partnerships
- Form 8858 – Foreign disregarded entities (FDEs) and foreign branches
- Form 8621 – PFIC reporting (Passive Foreign Investment Companies)
US Foreign Trust Reporting
- Form 3520 – Transactions with foreign trusts / receipt of foreign gifts
- Form 3520-A – Annual information return of foreign trusts with US owners
- Planning and reporting around throwback tax and accumulation distributions for foreign non-grantor trusts
US Regulatory Compliance (Asset & Account Reporting)
- Form 8938 – FATCA reporting (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets)
- FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) – Foreign bank and financial accounts
Other Common Cross-Border Filings
- Form 1116 – Foreign tax credits
- Form 720 / 8849 – Excise tax reporting and planning for offshore private placement life insurance (PPLI) structures
Multi-Jurisdictional Compliance
- Coordinated tax and regulatory compliance across 29 jurisdictions, aligned with US reporting obligations and entity structures
Note: We are not licensed tax advisors. Where tax advice or tax return preparation is required, we work with qualified professionals to ensure they have the information needed to prepare the necessary filings. Our role is to coordinate the process and keep everything running smoothly.
Foreign Jurisdictions Supported
We are able to support assets in any of the following countries:
Europe
Europe is a perennial favorite and one of our most active regions when it comes to coordinating ongoing compliance and tax matters.
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇬🇷 Greece
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein
- 🇲🇪 Montenegro
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇸🇰 Slovakia
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
North & Central America
Mexico and other areas of Latin America attract many Americans to its shores. We support some of the most popular.
- 🇧🇿 Belize
- 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇵🇦 Panama
Caribbean
The Caribbean offers a range of opportunities to American clients, from real estate investment to private vaults, to structures and residency / citizenship options.
- 🇧🇸 Bahamas
- 🇩🇲 Dominica
- 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
- 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis
South America
Certain jurisdictions are well established in the expat community. Others are small but growing.
- 🇵🇾 Paraguay
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
Asia & Pacific
Select areas of Asia are increasingly popular among American expats looking for a place outside the West.
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia (including Bali)
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇸🇬 Singapore
- 🇹🇭 Thailand
Fee Structure
We believe in clear, upfront pricing. Looking after a foreign bank account is a lot simpler than coordinating a foreign trust owning properties in multiple countries.
Initial Review
Before taking on a new client, we may charge a one-time review fee to assess your existing international assets, structures, and reporting obligations. This gives us a clear understanding of what you already have and whether any changes should be made before ongoing governance begins. Most of the time, the review fee is credited towards your first year's governance fee.
Planning & Implementation
If additional planning, restructuring, or implementation work is needed, this is quoted separately. This may include creating or closing new structures, rebuilding your existing plan, or other one-time planning or implementation services that go beyond the definition of governance. For such services, we agree on the fee before work begins so there are no surprises.
Annual Governance Fee
In most cases, our fee is based on the international assets and structures we coordinate, with annual fees generally starting at 0.15% of asset value.
Third-Party Costs
Our fee covers our work. Accountants, lawyers, trustees, government filing fees, and other professional costs are separate and generally are billed by those providers directly. We coordinate the process and help make sure everyone has what they need.
Contact us for a custom quote based on your specific investment goals and location.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Some questions you might have thought to ask… and a few you might not have.
You’re a boutique firm. How can you possibly support so many jurisdictions across so many asset classes?
We don’t pretend to be experts in every country or every area of law.
We know what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and who needs to do it. Where specialist advice or work is required, we work with qualified professionals in the relevant jurisdiction and coordinate everything from there.
I have existing advisors for some of this that I would like to keep. Can you work with them or do I have to work with your advisors?
Yes, we’re happy to work with whoever you would like to keep working with. Or, if you prefer, we coordinate everything with our own advisors.
Why should I bring you on instead of just having my lawyer do it?
Because very few lawyers offer a service like this. Many lawyers focus on their area of expertise. The same is true of most accountants, most financial advisors, most real estate advisors and so on.
What’s missing is someone who understands the larger picture and knows how to make the pieces all fit together and run smoothly for years.
If your lawyer/accountant/other advisor can provide a comprehensive oversight service for all of your international holdings, then you don’t need our service. In our experience, that’s very rare.
I’m concerned about estate planning. Can you continue to help my heirs after I’m gone?
Yes, and when estate planning is involved, it’s a common request.
We stand ready to assist your heirs with either taking control of your foreign assets or liquidating them depending on your preferences.
In the case where we’re coordinating a trust, for select clients, we will consider serving as a successor trustee.
Do you have a minimum asset value to coordinate?
Yes, we can bring the most value to clients with international assets of USD one million or more, or who are actively looking to deploy at least USD one million within the next 12 months.
Don't see your question? Contact us - we're happy to help.
Schedule a Complimentary Introductory Call
The first step is a conversation with one of our associates. This gives us a chance to learn more about you, answer your questions, and determine whether we’re the right fit to help.
During the call, we'll:
Learn about your goals and what you're trying to accomplish
Discuss any international investments or assets you own (or are considering)
Answer questions about our services and how we work
Explain what working with Nestmann Group typically looks like
Determine whether it makes sense to move forward
There’s no obligation. If we believe we can help, we’ll explain the next steps. If not, we’ll tell you that too.
Schedule Your Introductory Call
The easiest way to get started is to schedule a conversation with one of our associates.
Call us directly:
(602) 767-1717
Mon - Fri, 8am - 5pm MT