Offshore Banking

November 25, 2015November 25, 2015 pommarketing Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services reviews, itunes, Offshore banking, offshore banking app

We are thrilled to be able to introduce the very first of its kind offshore banking app. This app is now available on iTunes and is free to download.

Here’s a preview of what you will get when you download this gem:

Offshore banking is the ideal way to protect your savings and investments while providing diversification and safety. Learn what offshore bank accounts are all about!

Offshore banking is a subject shrouded in mystery. Offshore bank accounts are present in many popular movies and books and evoke images of vaults filled with gold bars, safety deposit boxes stuffed with multiple passports and accounts only known by a number and not traceable to any person.

But what is the reality? There are many misconceptions about the true nature of offshore banking. This App will set the record straight and answer many of the most common questions about the offshore industry such as: What is offshore banking and how does it actually work? What are the benefits of having an offshore bank account? Do you have to be a multimillionaire to benefit from having offshore bank accounts and investments? What’s the minimum amount needed to open an offshore account? Is it best to open an offshore account in your personal name or to use an offshore company or trust to open an account? Is offshore banking safe and legal? This App will answer these questions and more.

Get ready to pull back the veil on one of the most mysterious and misunderstood industries on the planet! This App will give you an excellent overview of what offshore banking is REALLY all about.

We hope you enjoy our offshore banking App. After you have read through the App, if you want to know more contact us and we will be happy to explain offshore banking in even greater detail.

Harbor Financial Services
Toll-Free: 1-800-589-0947
Phone: 1-972-447-8272
http://www.HFSoffshore.com
Services@HFSoffshore.com

Harbor Financial Services Offshore LLC Web Site Offshore Banking Support

***This app is currently available for both iPad and iPhone

Banking offshore can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 pommarketing Asset-protection harbor financial services offshore, harbor financial services reviews

Recently we came across a few readings that we wanted to share. Many don’t understand the concept of going offshore with your banking or asset-protection plan. Some think there is something mischievous or underhanded about it. But that is not the case at all–or at least it shouldn’t be. There are many reasons to go offshore, and most notable of these is to protect yourself and what you have worked hard to build. Frivolous lawsuits in America can affect you at any time, especially if you are a property owner or business owner of any kind–and especially if you own rental properties. Altogether, according to a report by the Council of Economic Advisors, U.S. liability suits come to more than double the average cost in other industrialized nations (http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/topic/excellence_in_philanthropy/american_justice_partnership).

Bank Vault Door-harbor Financial Services Offshore — Harbor Financial Services Offshore

The point here is not to scare you, but to mention the reality that asset-protection is often needed. In doing this though, review some of the points that we found most poignant in this Forbes article. While the article was written about 5 years ago, the points mentioned here are more relevant today than they were then–particularly regarding taxes and penalties concerning reporting. Often going offshore can add a level of complexity, but with a little planning and organization we assure you that the strategy and management of your wealth can be protected even better, with little to no need for added complexity. Reviews of your asset protection plans on a regular basis are recommended, and proper expertise greatly advised to assist you along the way.

Precious Metals Offshore

February 21, 2015July 29, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore, precious metal investing

Are you interested in buying and storing precious metals securely offshore? Or do you have existing metals that you would like to secure offshore? We have the answer. HFS has partnered with two offshore precious metals companies that make it possible to buy, sell, store and transfer precious metals privately and securely.

See all the details on our website at Gold and Silver Offshore

Move Your IRA or 401K Offshore!

December 5, 2011July 29, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore, Move IRA offshore, Offshore IRA

Did you know that your IRA and 401K account can be moved offshore? Did you know that by moving your IRA offshore you can buy and sell U.S. & international stocks, futures, forex, ETF’s, mutual funds, precious metals and real estate? If you’re like most people you didn’t know this was possible. The good news is, moving your retirement account offshore is not only possible, it’s also easier than you think. And the best part: transferring part or all of a US retirement account offshore does NOT create any tax consequences.

Here’s how it works:

1. A Self Directed IRA account is established.

2. The client (you) directs the IRA to form an offshore company (LLC or corporation).

3. The offshore company opens an offshore brokerage account. The client has sole signatory control over the account.

4. The client moves funds from his/her existing retirement account in the U.S. to the offshore brokerage account.

5 The client may now buy and sell whatever investments that he/she wants to through the offshore brokerage account, with all of the tax benefits of an IRA/401k account.

We can take care of the whole process for you. If you’re interested in moving your retirement account offshore please call us to learn more.

Harbor Financial Services

Toll-Free: 1-800-589-0947

Phone: 972-447-8272

http://hfsoffshore.com/move-your-ira-offshore.aspx

Offshore Banking: For Privacy, Protection from Taxation and Lawsuits

April 13, 2011July 29, 2015 HFS Offshore Asset-protection, Finance: Financial Services Assets Offshore, harbor financial services offshore, Offshore asset protection, offshore bank account, Offshore banking, offshore banks

Offshore banking is generally defined as the bank situated in a diverse jurisdiction or country than the depositor resides in offering services to the depositors globally. Offshore banks are usually located places known as tax havens and especially offer extra confidentiality and security for the depositor.

The term offshore originated from the British Channel Islands that are tax havens located literally offshore from the United Kingdom. These are considered as the original tax havens and the term offshore was coined here indicating the extensive offshore industry. These offshore havens are the significant banking centers because they provide the advantage of tax reduction and regulations. Additionally these tax havens are regarded as the most advantageous locations to hold assets abroad, save a huge amount of money and invest large sums too. One of the causes for selecting offshore banking is that offshore bank accounts are often less regulated than domestic banks because of fewer restrictions from their governments. This allows for a lot more kinds of offshore banking accounts and approaches in which they can be controlled.

Nowadays offshore banking has developed into a key worldwide industry circulating approximately about $2 Trillion every single day. Offshore Banking went through a drastic transition from just a decade back when there were really limited number of offshore banking centers that were by and large delimited by myths of drug funds and illegal movement.

The major services offered by Offshore Banking include all the services that standard domestic banks offer to their customers. These services comprise of personal and corporate checking and savings accounts. Most preferred options by depositors are the internet banking facility offered by these offshore financial centers as they are secure facilities that enable for wire and electronic funds transfers, debit and ATM cards which are accepted worldwide, credit cards, loans and mortgages. Many offshore banking centers provide anonymous numbered accounts to supply for extra confidentiality.

Other services provided by offshore banks are Investment Management and Custody, Corporate Administration services, trustee services, Fund Management and Foreign Exchange. Offshore private banks tend to provide personalized services to their clients.

Most lucrative benefits of offshore banking comprise of privacy to the customers as offshore entities have no obligation to release any of the personal or small business data until evidence is shown proving the clients involvement in criminal activity. They are not liable to give the clients information to any governing body or tax authority. Moreover the offshore banks located in tax havens located provide your assets absolute freedom to grow free from taxation. Hence, tax efficiency is one more crucial benefit of holding assets overseas. Asset Protection is a crucial positive aspect among the benefits of offshore banking services. Thus, holding offshore accounts gives you safety from Invasive bureaucracy, lawsuits, and it also protects your assets from seizures.

Offshore Credit Cards Increase Privacy

February 16, 2011July 30, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore

Offshore credit cards are cards issued by an offshore bank in a jurisdiction that is different from the cardholder’s home institution. “Unsecured’” offshore credit cards with credit lines are very difficult for the average person to obtain because banks refuse to issue them. Most banks require possession of reliable credit histories and clients must demonstrate their ability to repay the loan. In case the customer is offshore the risk of extending credit is high and therefore the banks issue credit cards to those customers who have a long-standing relationship with the offshore bank.

One of a client’s main concerns is having access to funds. The most practical and hassle free approach is through securing credit cards. With an offshore card, we can withdraw cash or pay merchants at numerous locales all over the world. The special feature of an offshore credit card is that an offshore bank in a corporate name issues the card, avoiding any possible link to our onshore financial identity.

Secured Cards

Since most banks will not offer credit lines without some kind of insurance, they offer “secured” offshore credit cards as an alternative. Secured offshore credit cards involve depositing a certain amount (usually 125% to 150% of the credit line) to cover what you borrow. For a credit line of 20,000 U.S. dollars, a deposit of $25,000 to $30,000 U.S. dollars may be required. This aside, the card operates to all intents and purposes like a normal credit card. Most offshore credit cards carry a Visa or MasterCard logo.

Debit Cards

Another type of card often marketed as a credit card is an offshore debit card. Offshore debit cards are linked to an offshore bank account. They are not credit cards. The only money that may be spent is the amount stored in the offshore bank account itself. An offshore Visa debit or MasterCard is accepted worldwide just like a standard credit card.

Offshore Visa or Offshore MasterCard

Most offshore investors will not want to carry suitcases full of cash overseas, so a card that is part of a recognized network like an offshore Visa or offshore MasterCard is often the best option.

Advantages of Offshore Credit Cards:

There are some advantages to having an offshore credit card. They are as follows:

Offshore credit card processing offers a dependable and cost-effective solution for online payments to businesses.

Business owners can accept credit card payments in multiple currencies.

Offshore credit card processing services also enables the merchants to accept various types of credit cards.

The major advantage of securing an offshore credit card is that cardholders get the benefit of zero taxation and protection against currency fluctuations.

Offshore credit card processing has become one of the best practices of online credit card processing services. Through secured servers, customers can easily make purchases online now.

These advantages make securing an offshore credit card a viable option.

Harbor Financial Services (HFS)

Harbor Financial Services is a professional company that provides offshore financial advice and investment services to its clients. HFS recommends offshore products and services to suit any personal and/or business need. The company has helped clients find solutions to meet their long-term financial needs. HFS has the experience and the expertise to create the best offshore package for you. Visit http://www.hfsoffshore.com for more information about the company’s products and services.

Disclaimer: Many countries have laws regarding offshore entities and accounts. For example, citizens that form offshore entities, (for example an offshore corporation, offshore trust, offshore partnership, offshore limited liability company, etc.) own stock in offshore entities or hold positions within offshore entities may need to file a tax return. Citizens that form an offshore trust, move assets into an offshore trust or are the beneficiary of an offshore trust may need to file a tax return. Citizens that sign on offshore bank accounts or offshore investment accounts may need to disclose this fact to their government and pay taxes on any interest or capital gains. We strongly recommend consulting with a local, licensed professional to obtain tax and legal advice in order to understand the law and to fully comply with all applicable laws and reporting requirements regarding offshore companies, offshore trusts, offshore bank accounts and offshore investments.

Offshore Shelf Company

February 16, 2011August 12, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore, harbor financial services reviews

When we decide to form a company offshore we have the following three options from which to choose:

Brand New Offshore Company

This option is preferable when we need a company with a specific name. For example, a brand new company usually takes 2-3 weeks to complete the processing and to start the actual work.

Offshore Shelf Company

A fully-equipped organization is called a shelf company. When meeting deadlines are the most important part of the business, this is the best option.

Old Offshore Company

This type of company may be essential when a business needs to furnish a formal history going back for marketing purposes or due to some legal requirements.

Features

These are some of the features of an offshore shelf company:

An offshore shelf company is an offshore company (IBC) that has already been in existence for weeks, months, or years.

Most shelf companies are literally sitting on a shelf waiting to be purchased. Thus, they are aptly named “Shelf Company.”

A shelf company affords the same privacy and asset protection advantages that a newly formed company provides.

A small percentage of individuals and corporations that go offshore want to demonstrate that their offshore company has been in existence for several months or years. A shelf company is the perfect solution for this situation. After the shelf company is purchased, the bank and brokerage accounts are set up in the name of the shelf company, further allowing the new owner to do banking, investing, and business transacting in the name of the shelf company.

Shelf companies are more expensive than newly formed IBC’s. In some cases, a shelf company’s price may be several times the price of a newly formed IBC. This is due in part to the fact that each year that an IBC is in existence, a corporation must pay an annual or renewal fee.

The price of a shelf company increases each year by at least the price of the renewal fee. For example, if a shelf company is three years old, the purchase price not only includes the price of a newly formed IBC, but also includes three years of annual fees.

These are some of the features of a shelf company.

Harbor Financial Services (HFS)

Why is Offshore Asset Protection Essential?

February 16, 2011August 12, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore

With an increase in litigation in the U.S., most small business owners and professionals are seeking ways to protect their assets. These assets include savings and investment accounts and other wealth protection products.

Offshore asset protection is one of the more complex methods for safeguarding your assets. Asset protection packages exist in many different forms. Each serves a particular purpose for a specific reason. For example, it might be necessary for you to protect your assets from the government in order to prevent excessive taxes. You may also want to protect your assets from potential liability from lawsuits. There are many types of protection options you can use when necessary; each method you find necessary to use depends on why you need it in the first place and how much you need. This helps you to assess your risk level.

Some basic types of asset protection include investing in retirement accounts, family limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. The family limited partnerships and limited liability companies work specifically for setting up your business. They also protect your individual assets from any business problems.

A major goal of asset protection planning is to substantially diminish and reduce your financial profile. If you can restructure your assets in such a way so as to place them beyond the reach of future potential creditors, while at the same time maintain a beneficial interest in those assets, you have succeeded in substantially reducing your financial profile. Asset protection ensures that you are far less an attractive target for litigation.

A trust can be an effective tool for developing an asset protection plan. Customers and professionals have used trusts for centuries as a means of conserving and protecting property for trust beneficiaries. However, most domestic trusts do not provide protection from creditors. For example, the typical revocable living trust makes the trustor a lifetime beneficiary. The trustor retains the power to revoke, amend, and invade the principal of the trust. This type of trust provides no protection against the creditors of the trustors. Thus, the offshore asset protection trust is one of the best asset protection tools to date.

It is not always easy to determine the type and level of asset protection that we need. Consulting a qualified and experienced advisor is most conducive when we are not sure of the type of protection required for our situation.

Harbor Financial Services (HFS)

Offshore Company Incorporation

February 16, 2011August 12, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore

An international business corporation (IBC) is an offshore company formed under the laws of a particular jurisdiction as a tax-free company. The governing laws of a country do no permit an IBC to engage in business transactions within its jurisdiction. There are very few countries that allow formation of an IBC. These countries include Antigua, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Belize, Gibraltar, Nevis, and Seychelles.

Features of an IBC

The following represent some features of an IBC.

A client may initiate an IBC to hold and separate dangerous assets located overseas. These are for clients who do not directly own assets in an APT or offshore trust.

Typically, it is more convenient to open a bank or brokerage account in the name of the corporation than in the name of a trust. Since corporations are recognized and permitted by law in every country, there is a standard set of rules which govern the operation and management of a corporation. All offshore banks implement procedures for setting up an account.

An IBC can be formed with shares issued to or held by the APT. Most of the tax haven jurisdictions have enacted legislation enabling the formation of IBCs.

It is not essential for a customer to conduct banking business in the country where he forms the IBC. Thus, the prime benefit of forming an IBC is its portability. An IBC formed in the Bahamas can open a bank account in Switzerland or any other country to include the United States. The bank will ask to see the articles of incorporation. The bank will also require the company to furnish the corporate resolution drafted by the directors. The corporate resolution must outline and authorize the opening of the account and the appointing of the person to act as a signatory for the corporation on the account. With that information and proper identification, an IBC account can be opened anywhere in the world.

The Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and the British Virgin Islands are not tax jurisdictions which allow complete secrecy of ownership for corporations. To set up a company in these jurisdictions, one of the many local law firms or trust companies are contacted. They file the required corporate registrations to form the company. The local law firm can also serve as the sole member of the board of directors. If anonymity is preferred, the shares can be issued in bearer form. That means that no name is registered on the share certificate. Instead, whoever holds the certificate becomes the owner of the company.

In order to avoid the possible difficulties that typically arise from lost or stolen shares, the certificates are registered in the name of the law firm or trust company. The firm then holds the shares under an agreement to serve as nominee for the true owner. Any necessary corporate documents or even bank accounts are signed by the nominee as instructed by the beneficial owner.

If the APT is to hold the shares, it can maintain the bearer shares or the shares can be registered in the name of the trust.

Thus, for individuals with funds and business interests offshore, the IBC is the most viable option.

Harbor Financial Services (HFS)

Benefits of Offshore Investing

February 16, 2011August 12, 2015 HFS Offshore Finance: Financial Services harbor financial services offshore

Investing offshore can be a very lucrative option for the judicious investor who likes to explore other markets, protect his investments from burdensome capital lawsuits, or grow his assets in a confidential, secure environment. Offshore investment vehicles are usually found in jurisdictions that have refined rules, regulations, and policies that direct how institutions handle and manage deposits and investments within their jurisdictions. Since these offshore jurisdictions often rely on offshore capital for their banking institutions, they try to maintain their reputation as a tax haven by developing statutes that provide clients of offshore banking institutions with personal privacy and low tax incentives. Listed below are some of the benefits of offshore investing:

American investors seek offshore investments for purposes of diversifying their investment portfolios, spreading their risk in a wide spectrum, and protecting assets from lawsuits. The citizens of other countries seek the same advantages as their domestic counterparts.

Investors might deposit funds into an offshore institution to safeguard their assets from political or economic turmoil in their home country. Investing in these same tax haven jurisdictions is the next logical step to maintaining and growing their assets.

Offshore investments can be as sound and secure as any home-based investment, subject to the same inherent risks. They provide added value to any investment strategy or portfolio. Offshore investing provides clients with flexibility in choosing investment vehicles not always available at their home institutions.

One of the biggest advantages that come with offshore investing is tax reduction. The companies that you will be investing with will be located in countries that have much more favorable tax laws than you are used to in the United States.

Another advantage of this type of investing is that you will have access to various investment and financial packages. Offshore investment companies do not have to worry about the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) when choosing their investment strategies. This opens up a world of investment opportunities and many options are available for clients to increase their returns while at the same time protect their assets.

By investing in another country, you will also be able to diversify your assets. If all of your money is tied up in domestic markets, you could be negatively affected if a recession were to take place. By putting a portion of your money in foreign markets, you will be able to safeguard your portfolio against a downturn in the economy.

Another advantage of offshore investments is confidentiality. Many offshore investment firms guarantee their clients complete confidentiality and will not disclose private financial information.

Harbor Financial Services (HFS)

HFS Offshore Banking – International Asset Protection