This web site is dedicated to informing expatriate individuals of the offshore investing opportunities available to them in offshore funds, offshore hedge funds and expatriate insurance products. It started in 1997 as a way for me to introduce my services to expat investors who did not already know me through personal contact as an independent offshore investment advisor who had been living in Asia since 1994.
Over the years I have built up a predominately expatriate client base of individuals currently residing mainly in Asia Pacific but many others who have moved on to various other parts of the world, some home.
Financial services in general and offshore investment in particular are 'high involvement products'. Determining the differences between alternatives makes high-involvement purchases difficult, especially if the buyer is not an expert. Mistakes made in the selection process are either impossible or expensive to correct. Therefore, the choice of a competent, knowledgeable advisor is of paramount importance.
Why is it then that so many otherwise intelligent people buy offshore investing products in the same casual manner in which they pick up a bar of chocolate? More often than not, they buy these products from people they have just met as a result of a sales pitch over the telephone.
I prefer to work from personal referral and actively encourage my clients to introduce my services to people they know. The result is that I have more time to spend on adding value to my clients and keeping them up to date and informed. This strategy also enables me to continue to develop my knowledge of an ever evolving offshore funds market place.
Your friends, relatives and acquaintances will get advice from someone, better to have the satisfaction of putting them in touch with a professional who will look after their interests in an industry dominated by unscrupulous operators whose only concern is the size of their commission cheque.
In this site, I provide advice and comment on the following topics;
Offshore investing, or keeping your assets offshore is not essential if you are an expatriate, but it is likely to be the most tax efficient way of managing your money. This is my guide to taking full advantage of offshore investment opportunities for the expatriate.
I can provide advice for expatriate clients interested in offshore investing and expatriate insurance and offshore funds.
If you are interested in offshore investment or require help finding an expat pension, offshore asset protection trust or just plain old offshore funds; if you are looking for offshore banking for an expatriate or require help finding expatriate insurance, expatriate life insurance, expat medical insurance or expat health insurance, I can help you find it.
Offshore funds and expatriate insurance and expat pension products work on the same principle as onshore investment funds or mutual funds, pooling investors' money to provide the benefits of a well diversified and professionally managed portfolio of investments.
A fund qualifies as an offshore investment if it is incorporated in an offshore centre and intended for use by non-residents of that jurisdiction. Such funds generally pay little or nothing in the way of local taxes, although they may receive dividends or interest net of withholding tax depending on where and in which assets they invest. The same is true of offshore banking since the offshore banking institutions do not automatically deduct tax from the interest as their UK counterparts would have to do.
If tax is not the deciding factor in using offshore funds or an offshore trust, the scales may be tipped in their favour by other considerations. The type of investment may simply not be on offer onshore, due to regulatory prohibition or a lack of demand. Hedge funds are an example of the former and currency funds the latter.
Please be aware that some jurisdictions especially the US, UK and Hong Kong place restrictions on their residents when offshore investing in this type of product and so you must satisfy yourself that these rules do not apply to you before you enter the site. In any event, we will advise you if any of these rules apply to you.