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Monday 22/3/2010
IO News: Non-Cash Assets To Plug FTSE Pensions
Significant numbers of the UK's 100 largest listed companies are looking to directly or indirectly fund their pension scheme deficits with non-cash assets, such as real estate, intellectual property or copyright.

Friday 19/3/2010
IO News: Dubai World To Repay Debt Investor confidence in debt-ridden Dubai will be bolstered by an announcement from Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Fiscal Committee, Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum that Dubai World will offer a ‘fair and acceptable plan’ to its creditors; likely to be full repayment, as part of the restructuring of its USD26bn debt.

Thursday 18/3/2010
IO News: EU Urged To Fine Tune Fund Risk Ratings Moves by European regulators to provide a standard risk rating for investment funds needs further refining to make them truly effective for consumers, according to representatives of the UK insurance and investment fund industry.

IO Daily News Page | RSS | IO By Email


Personal Equity Investment In 2010: Not Just For Expats... March 2010
Under this particular heading of equity investment we will deal with direct, personal investment into publicly-quoted equities, other than through conventional stock exchanges, whether from an onshore or offshore base, and whether by an individual, or through a corporate vehicle or a trust. We will cover direct equity purchase through a dealer, spread betting, contracts for differences, and hedge funds insofar as they specialize in very directed equity investment...
Read: Personal Equity Investment In 2010: Not Just For Expats...


Dubai - A Stately Business Dome Decreed February 2010
For decades to come, people will point to Dubai's 200-storey, 828-metre Burj Khalifa tower, the tallest in the world, as representing both the peak and the nadir of the city-state's adventurous grasp for regional leadership in a startling range of sectors: real estate, shipping, commodities trading, equities, Islamic finance, e-commerce, air transport and banking...
Read: Dubai - A Stately Business Dome Decreed


Hedge Funds Resurgent February 2010
Hedge funds often boast that their investment strategies flatten out the more extreme gyrations of the markets; but they weren't proof to the financial tempests of 2008 and 2009, although recent figures for 2009 show that the industry as a whole has largely recovered its poise...
Read: Hedge Funds Resurgent




Being An Expat In 2010 - A Financial Primer January 2010
As you'll see from our guide, the offshore options for you as an expatriate are many and varied, and there is something for any situation and pocket...
Read: Being An Expat In 2010 - A Financial Primer




Jurisdiction Special Focus: Cyprus January 2010
In this feature we take a fresh look at Cyprus and whether it is a good destination for your assets, career expats and Retirees...
Read: Jurisdiction Special Focus: Cyprus




Health & Life... Worldwide - Global Insurance For Expats January 2010
Insurance is one of those things that everyone hopes they'll never need, and as a result, a frightening number choose to bury their heads in the sand, hoping that their luck will hold. However, by far the most sensible solution for those not willing to trust to fate, is to take out some form of insurance, to protect themselves and their dependants should the worst happen...
Read: Health & Life... Worldwide - Global Insurance For Expats




Choosing Your Jurisdiction January 2010
So you have decided that offshore is the way forward. The three most pressing concerns, then, are what type of investment you feel is right for you, where you choose to invest or bank, and how involved you are prepared to be in offshore life...
Read: Part One - Types Of Offshore Investment Vehicle And The Main Jurisdictions
Read: Part Two - Getting It And Keeping It. The How, Why, When And Where Of Offshore Investing.




The EU Savings Tax Directive: Cometh The Hour, Cometh The Man? December 2009
We take a look at the current state of the EU's Savings Tax Directive, examining how it will affect investors both now and in the future.
Read: The EU Savings Tax Directive: Cometh The Hour, Cometh The Man?


Jurisdiction Special Focus: Gibraltar November 2009
In the final analysis, is Gibraltar a good location for your assets, yourself, your family, your boat, or (e) all of the above? Our guide reveals that it could be just what you're looking for.
Read: Gibraltar, The Rock, 2009



Jurisdiction Special Focus: Hong Kong March 2010
In geographical terms, the peninsula and collection of islands in south eastern China which make up the territory of Hong Kong are a little over 400 square miles in size, but in economic terms, the former British colony, which in 1997 was handed back to greater China, packs a serious punch on the world stage and can claim to be the globe’s third largest financial centre after New York and London, and the ninth largest economy in the world...
Read: Jurisdiction Special Focus: Hong Kong


Network News


19/3 Nigerian Bond Tax Waivers Extended In order to assist the efforts being made by the Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission to develop a securities market with a broader range of issuers, the federal government has extended the existing tax exemptions for bonds issued on the Nigerian market.

22/3 UK Investors Fear CGT Increase Many investors have taken action to sell their assets amid fears that the Chancellor will raise capital gains tax rates in next week’s Budget. The rumours have prompted investors to sell shares and property in anticipation that the current CGT rate of 18% will be increased by Alistair Darling.

19/3 Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility Failing Six months since its launch, the UK's Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility can only have had limited success, as findings from international audit, accounting and business services firm BDO show limited participation.

18/3 Panama Cuts Corporate Tax Panama’s President, Ricardo Martinelli signed on March 15 a bill to reform Panama's Tax Code, adopting several tax measures to lower the company tax burden, ensure fiscal sustainability, and simplify the tax system.

18/3 Caymans Welcome Miller Recommendations The Cayman Islands government has welcomed the general thrust of the conclusions of the Miller Report, particularly its main recommendation that the introduction of direct taxation in the jurisdiction should be avoided.

18/3 Ireland 'Safe' From US Tax Plans Irish Prime Minister, Brian Cowen has said that companies based in Ireland can expect to face no sanctions from the United States, despite the Obama administration's plans to tighten the tax treatment of multinationals with operations in lower tax jurisdictions such as Ireland.

17/3 UBS Confirms Non-US Tax Information Requests Within its annual report for 2009, the Swiss bank, UBS, has disclosed that, following its settlement agreement with the United States Internal Revenue Service, it has received requests for information from a number of other jurisdictions relating to its provision of cross-border wealth management services.

16/3 Tax Regularisation Explained For Italian Expatriates In a recently-issued circular, the Italian Revenue Agency has given instructions for Italians working outside of Italy, whether for state institutions or private companies, who wish to regularize the non-declaration of any funds they hold abroad.

16/3 Mexican Film Tax Breaks Announced Mexican President Felipe Calderón has launched an initiative, called the 'High Impact Support For Film and Audiovisual Industry Program' to make Mexico the 'capital of Latin American cinema', during a visit to the Baja Studios in the state of Baja California.

16/3 FASB Issues Standards Update In an attempt to address queries about the intended breadth of the embedded credit derivative scope exception, the US Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued an Accounting Standards Update on Derivatives and Hedging.

15/3 VCT Benefits Highlighted New research published by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has highlighted the role played by venture capital investment in the development of many of the UK's small businesses, and has called on the government to maintain its support for the sector.

16/3 Hong Kong Property Taxes Reviewed Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, John C Tsang, made the traditional post-budget speech at the Joint Business Community Luncheon on March 12 and, in particular, reviewed the tax measures taken to increase the transaction cost of property speculation so as to reduce the risk of a property bubble being created.

15/3 Innovation Ireland Report Released The Innovation Taskforce report launched on March 11 by Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, has recommended a range of measures designed to help ensure that the Ireland of the future will be an innovative, high-value and export led economy.

12/3 Orascom Loses Algerian Tax Appeal Egyptian telecom company, Orascom Telecom, has announced that its Algerian subsidiary, Orascom Telecom Algérie, has received a rejection to its appeal, made in December last year, against the notice for taxes and penalties it had received from the Algerian tax authorities the month previously.

15/3 Jersey Riding Out Onshore Storm Jersey will overcome the evolving challenges being faced by offshore international financial centres, Geoff Cook, Chief Executive of Jersey Finance, told participants at a Breakfast Briefing in London.

15/3 Germany Approves Liechtenstein TIEA Germany’s Cabinet has recently approved a bill pertaining to the bilateral tax information exchange agreement with Liechtenstein.

15/3 Baucus Seeks Trade Preference Reform Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus is leading efforts for reform of US trade preference programs accorded to developing countries.

15/3 BVI To Review Taxes And Fees British Virgin Islands Prime Minister, Ralph O’Neal has said that the territory will run a budget surplus during 2010, although the government still intends to review indirect taxes and fees on financial services.

12/3 Swiss-German Tax Talks Resume During a recent visit to Berlin, Switzerland’s State Secretary Michael Ambühl, Head of the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters in the Federal Department of Finance, met with representatives of Germany's Federal Ministry of Finance and Federal Chancellery to exchange ideas on current financial and tax policy issues.

12/3 MEPs Push EU Tobin Tax In a recently adopted resolution, the European Parliament has emphasized the need to develop plans for a global tax to discourage excessive risk-taking by financial institutions and to ensure that the financial industry pays for damage caused by the financial crisis.

 
Your Views

Best offshore banking country?
Hi,

I live and pay tax in the UK. I have non-salary remuneration coming to me from freelance work from other countries. Can anyone recomend a good international bank account that offers visa or mastercard debit, in a jurisdiction that is safe from the savings tax directive or other reporting duty involving the UK? Ideally the account would offer decent interest too, and no tax on this interest! It would also be good if it could be managed online.

Just to be clear, I fully intend to fulfil my duty to the UK tax authorities, and declare this income. I simply have no faith in the UK banking system and its relationship with the UK government, or their Indian call centres. I also intend to travel and emigrate once I have a decent purse.

Thanks for any help or suggestions. Simon
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Health care package
I've been offered a position at my current UK employer's associate company in Dubai for 2 years. The package looks quite good but as this is my first overseas/expat experience I'm not sure if the healthcare portion is okay. My wife and our two young kids will be with me and the package only appears to include 75% basic cover with me having to top it up. Is this a standard sort of deal?angus
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US resident seeking...not to be!
I'm a US resident seeking to terminate my residence in the next coupe of years - thinking of moving to sunnier shores. Anyone got any recommendations (young, free and single and moderately independently wealthy, if it helps!)

Also, how long will my association (for tax purposes) with the US last? Please tell me not forever...!Rick
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Importing car into Greece
I want to import my UK registered car to my new home in Greece. Does anyone know if this is easy to do? All help appreciated.Bob Henderson
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Lowtax Network

New On The Lowtax Network Today

This feed is published daily with selected new or updated content from across the Lowtax Network. For a list of Lowtax Network sites, many of which feature daily news, see below.

 
TODAY 19/03: Lowtax Austria, major content expansion
18/03 New Lowtax Editor Column, by Kitty Miv
17/03 IO Focus: Hong Kong, Investors Offshore special feature
17/03 New PBTG Editor Column, Caroline, PBTG editor
16/03 Hungary Summary PBTG Guide, added to Personal Business Tax Guide
15/03 Lowtax South Africa, major content expansion
12/03 Lowtax Costa Rica, annual update
11/03 Estonia Summary PBTG Guide, added to Personal Business Tax Guide
10/03 Lowtax Labuan, annual update
05/03 Belgium Summary PBTG Guide, added to Personal Business Tax Guide
03/03 Personal Business Tax Guide, PBTG, has launched!
Providing essential tax news and information for globally mobile artists, contractors, entrepreneurs, professionals, small businesses, sportspersons and entertainers.
02/03 Personal Equity Investment In 2010: Not Just For Expats…, Investors Offshore special feature
24/02 Lowtax Cyprus, annual update
22/02 Lowtax Brunei, annual update
15/02 Lowtax Australia, major content expansion
 

 
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