This is one of the most common business questions of the modern time. The incorporation of offshore companies has continued to increase in popularity and it has never been as beneficial to incorporate an offshore company as it is in 2010. Thousands of online businesses have discovered the advantages of incorporating companies offshore and they are already experiencing major benefits such as tax exemption, tax reduction, asset protection and complete anonymity.
One of the biggest questions currently being asked, with all of the offshore jurisdictions available, is “which jurisdiction should I register my offshore company in?”
Different jurisdictions offer different benefits and it is important that you choose the jurisdiction that will offer the most benefits for your company. Below we will discuss 4 of the major offshore jurisdictions and the advantages they could offer you and your company.
Before we begin outlining the jurisdictions and their advantages it is important that you understand some of the terminology we will be using:
IBC = International Business Company, a term for offshore companies in almost any offshore and even onshore jurisdiction.
Offshore jurisdiction = Tax Haven / low tax jurisdiction. Mostly offshore jurisdictions are located on islands or in countries that have no corporate tax, or provide a low taxation rate while also offering privacy and anonymity protection.
TIEA = Tax Information Exchange Agreement. Model agreement on exchange of information on tax matters, developed by the OECD Global Forum Working Group on Effective Exchange of Information
The 4 offshore jurisdictions below were chosen, as they are 4 of the most popular jurisdictions for the incorporation of offshore companies and they offer a wide range of benefits to a miriad of different companies.
Belize:
Belize is located on the border of Mexico and can be the perfect place for those registering an offshore company who desire complete anonymity. Belize has a wealth of services that makes creating and managing an offshore company easy.
However, during the last few years Belize has started signing TIEAs with several important countries around the world. These countries include, but are not limited to, Australia, Belgium and the United Kingdom. This makes Belize less attractive for companies operating in any of the countries that have a TIEA with Belize.
The British Virgin Islands:
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has long been one of the most famous offshore jurisdictions and thousands of companies have been incorporated in BVI over the last few centuries. Unfortunately, major changes during the past 2 years have made it unattractive for companies to incorporate in BVI. This is mainly due to the TIEAs they have signed with countries such as the USA, UK, Australia, The Nordic Council (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, The Faroes, Finland, Greenland and Iceland), New Zealand, Netherlands, Aruba, China, Ireland and France. You may notice that the mentioned countries have high tax burdens and it was from these countries that most of the companies came to incorporate in BVI.
In the past BVI was the home for many Financial Companies (for the purpose of managing investments), Forex Trading, Mutual Funds etc. It was quite simple to establish these types of companies in the BVI and avoid paying any taxes. Today this has changed considerably and many companies are choosing to stay away from the BVI.
Cyprus:
For most Europeans Cyprus is the No. 1 place to incorporate as Cyprus has the lowest tax rate in Europe. It does have various TIEAs and Double Tax Agreements in place, but despite this it can offer (with the right tax planning) many small, medium and large corporations huge financial benefits.
Cyprus is so attractive to companies and individuals as it is a part of the European Union, it is possible to use Nominee Shareholders and Directors (for anonymity) and it is also possible to avoid corporate tax (0% corporate tax) if the Cyprus Company is nonresident.
The Seychelles:
The Seychelles are well known in the corporate world, but not quite as famous as the previously mentioned offshore jurisdictions. To incorporate in the Seychelles takes less than 1 hour, and they haven’t signed any TIEAs with other nations at this point in time. They will eventually be forced to sign some TIEAs but it is likely this will only be with small, non-important countries.
The Seychelles have very simple regulations in regards to the operation of Financial Investment Companies like Forex Trading, Banking Services and E-Currencies, as well as Mutual Funds, International Trusts and much more. One of the most attractive features of the Seychelles is the low incorporation fee, which is less than EUR 500 for a fully incorporated Seychelles IBC.
You do not need to visit any of the above jurisdictions to register a company within them. It is also possible to open offshore bank accounts in all of these jurisdictions without visiting the country or the bank. Everything can be handled online so that you never have to leave your country but can still achieve the great benefits of having an offshore company.
We hope that the above has given you some useful information in regards to achieving the incorporation of your Offshore Company in the near future. As every company is different and seeks different benefits we recommend you get in touch with one of our professionals who can find a personalized solution for your company and who can guide you, step by step, through the entire process.