The divorce is getting nasty, you have amassed some wealth and your spouse has sworn to snare every cent of it. Perhaps, you think, I should consider an offshore bank account where my name and the amount of money I am stashing away remains a secret to the world. At least that is the idea. After all, you've read John Grisham's The Firm, so you are confident that offshore banks keep cash under wraps. Not so fast. Is your money really safe and anonymous on that exotic island?
History
Once romantic repositories of cash for tycoons and international playboys, the offshore bank account system has exploded in the past half-century as a result of expansive international banking networks and the growth of convoluted financial legalities and regulations in select countries. These days, the most reputable offshore banks operate legally and within the laws and restrictions of international governing bodies and commissions, but ferreting out which are legit and which are not can be a difficult task.
Function
A bank needn't be located on an island to qualify for this title, but it must be located in a nation with legislative and regulatory parameters that have been put into place to keep taxing authorities of one's homeland at bay while offering limitless, tax-free storage for funds. Not every offshore repository is an offshore bank. To further confuse matters, not all offshore banks deliver tax and foreign exchange protection, so make sure you and your financial wizards do your homework before you open an account.
Benefits
Offshore accounts are ideal repositories for individuals and businesses situated in unstable countries where nationalization could strip people and businesses of all assets on a moment's notice. Expatriates, high net worth individuals and business owners patronize offshore banks to earn higher interest rates than those paid by domestic institutions. Additionally, entrepreneurs say it is easier to obtain development funds to capitalize business projects from offshore banks.
Benefits
While every offshore banking system has individual regulations under which they accept funds, they share these commonalities: no account maintenance fees, protection from foreign exchange regulations and privacy/confidentiality policies are stringent. A reputable offshore bank offers many services to help nonresidents keep their cash safe, including protection mechanisms against money laundering and fraud.
Misconceptions
There is a common misconception that one can put their money into an anonymous offshore bank account and keep the account holder's identity from the public eye, but this is not always true. There are no guarantees that a bank promising to keep an account holder's identity secret is on the up and up. Innumerable bank schemes exist to defraud unsuspecting patrons. Similarly, numbered accounts do not promise anonymity either. Senior bank officials always know the name of an account holder and have access to that person's identification. Therefore, those seeking the most amount of protection from identity disclosure must arrange for layers of conduits to distance the original owner from the account. Given these complexities, never enter into an offshore bank relationship without legal guidance.
Geography
The Caymans are well-known repositories for funds and islands like Dominica and St. Vincent are growing their enterprises. In Europe, Switzerland remains the Cadillac of offshore account destinations, but you will find systems thriving in Austria and Cyprus. Whichever you choose, expect to complete a daunting amount of paper work and understand that you may have travel to your destination to institute the account.
Warning
Offshore banks advertise cost-free account maintenance, but origination fees are steep and transaction-processing costs can add up. Personal accounts may cost as little as 350 USD to well over 1500 USD to establish. Corporate bank account start-ups begin at 500 USD and escalate. Maintenance services fluctuate from bank to bank, so request a fee menu up-front to avoid surprises.
