Switzerland has long been synonymous with financial stability, privacy, and exclusivity. Swiss bank accounts have captured the imagination of many, offering a safe haven for funds and a reputation for confidentiality. For Americans seeking to explore the world of Swiss banking, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of the process, advantages, requirements, and considerations.
Maintaining generational wealth is a tricky thing to accomplish, and setting your children up for a strong financial future is a process that can begin at an early age, but it is better to start late than never start at all. This blog will discuss tips to help you start educating your children about how to make smart money decisions and allow you to begin the conversation with your children about building generational wealth, no matter their age.
Systemic risk can affect all investors, but understanding systemic risk can help investors learn how to better evaluate what environments are suitable to hold investments in and how to reduce it from affecting their portfolios as much as possible. In this blog, we will discuss what systemic risk is and what it looks like when it happens. We will also talk about what investors can do to reduce the systemic risk of the U.S. economy to their portfolios.
The due diligence required to find the right registered investment advisor (RIA) to partner with can be daunting. People often think seeking the best possible return is the only thing they must consider. While understanding how an RIA handles its investments is important, it is only a piece of what needs to be researched on a company. You must understand and know the RIA fully and that a relationship of mutual trust can be built over time. For this reason, we have put together this guide for investors to use in vetting potential RIAs as their partners for the future of their wealth.
Since tax season is now upon us, it is important for Americans working with or looking to work with Swiss-registered investment advisors to know the tax considerations for their offshore accounts. A Swiss investment account is a popular choice for individuals looking to diversify their portfolios and protect their assets. Still, American citizens need to be aware of the U.S. tax implications. Swiss banks are required to report certain information about American citizens holding accounts in Switzerland to the IRS annually. Additionally, American citizens must report the existence of their Swiss bank accounts on their U.S. tax returns to avoid significant penalties and fines. This blog will help educate you on what you need to know.
In this blog post, we'll explore the earliest offshore banking regulations from the 1930s to recent developments like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and new rules for anti-money laundering and sanctions against certain countries. Join us on a journey through history and discover the changing landscape of offshore banking regulations for Americans.
Understanding the legal and regulatory environment surrounding offshore investing, including the reporting requirements and potential benefits, is essential. This week's blog is a summary guide to help Americans understand the legal framework and reporting requirements of offshore investment accounts. It will also discuss the main reasons to invest offshore as an American. Investing offshore can be a valuable part of a diversified investment strategy when building a portfolio fit for the global economic environment. It is our goal to inform you of all the considerations you need to consider when moving outside your domestic markets when establishing an offshore investment account.
Thinking about moving investments offshore is a big decision. It takes time and effort to conduct the due diligence needed to find the right partner and set up an offshore investment account. However, the strategic move can offer many positive qualities to an investment portfolio. So, is it worth making a move for the opportunities, risk mitigation, time, and effort to gain the benefits of capital preservation, risk mitigation, asset protection, and true diversification?
For international day of banks, we wanted to talk about what Swiss private banks offer Americans in terms of safety and privacy for their personal wealth information. The reality is that Swiss bank accounts are 100% legal for Americans to hold financial assets in, and there are some incredible perks that come with having a Swiss investment account as an American. The two benefits we will be focusing on today are safety and privacy.
It is crucial for our clients to understand U.S. reporting and tax requirements in regard to an offshore bank account. While having a bank account overseas is absolutely legal, it is important to set the structure up in a compliant way and to report it properly. Our blog will cover the reporting requirements that apply to Americans with investment accounts held in offshore accounts.
One of the questions we get asked by prospective clients seeking offshore investment diversification through us as an independent asset management firm is: "How do you determine which custodian banks to work with?" The answer to this question is quite complex, so we will use this blog to give insight into how we determine where to begin our search for top-level private banks. We will briefly cover why we find Switzerland and Liechtenstein to be premiere economic environments for finding the right custodian bank for our clients.
By the end of this blog, you will know in greater detail the challenges and benefits of establishing a Swiss bank account with an asset manager. Transparency is key when establishing a business relationship, because of this, it is our intention to paint a realistic picture for North Americans of the setup, process, and present and future benefits there are of having an offshore bank account with a Swiss asset manager.
For the June issue of the Simon Letter, our Managing Partner Jamie Vrijhof-Droese wrote a piece on how to choose an external asset manager. The piece covers what to consider when choosing a financial partner as well as specific questions to ask in the due diligence process.
When selecting a financial advisor there are many options an individual can choose from, whether they be an asset management branch of a bank, a private investor, a family office, or an independent investment advisor both domestic or offshore. Since we are based offshore we have already written extensively on why one might choose an offshore jurisdiction for financial services (Switzerland: Safe Haven during Crisis) and also how to choose a financial advisor (How to choose an External Asset Manager for U.S. Citizens). Both of those topics are important and worth spending some time thinking about. However, today we want to delve into what the benefits are of working with an independent registered investment advisor versus being served by the asset management branch of a larger bank.
You may be tempted to panic or sell when the stock market is down. However, with a wise strategy you may want to reconsider saying the course. Here's why. Billionaire and real estate magnate Warren Buffet told CNBC in 2016 that buying or selling in a rush may not be the best strategy. “If [worried investors are] trying to buy and sell stocks, and worry when they go down a little bit … and think they should maybe sell them when they go up, they're not going to have very good results." Such a panic move could unbalance your portfolio where you are either taking on more or less risk than you should.
Are you frustrated with the level of growth you experience when you attempt to invest on your own? Do you feel left out when your friends or coworkers talk about how much money they are making in the market while the value of your portfolio barely budges? If the answer is yes, it is probably a good time for you to take the next step in your investing journey and ditch DIY investing by finally hiring a professional. A good financial advisor can bring your portfolio to a higher level.
Recently inherited an IRA? The wrong move could cost a boat load in taxes and penalties, but you have options. Governing bodies like the IRS and legislation such as the SECURE Act have outlined important rules regarding an inherited IRA, such as how much you may owe in taxes as well as whether you will need to begin taking required minimum distributions. These can depend on several factors, such as your relationship to the deceased, whether the IRA inherited is Roth or traditional and more.
While an investment advisor can be helpful in any situation, hiring one is typically more important when you are nearing retirement or have complex issues and questions to sort out. From your needs and objectives to your risk tolerance and timeframe, there are a variety of factors your investment advisor will consider when designing your customized investment strategy. However, before you hire an investment advisor to help you grow your assets, it’s important to ask yourself these four key questions first.
Capital gains taxes apply to more than stocks. Capital gains taxes can apply to any other property that acquires value over time. These taxes are calculated by subtracting the cost of the investment from the final selling price of said investment. And the amount you pay will depend on a variety of factors. Here's how capital gains taxes work and a few methods you can use for reducing them.
Learning about a company should be part of doing your due diligence prior to earning. Here’s how to read a company’s quarterly earnings report. Learning how to read companies’ reports comes in handy when assessing the overall position of a company, especially their financial well-being.