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Swiss Offshore Banking
Wed, November 04, 2009 - 11:52 am EET
A Swiss bank account is often thought of as the dirtiest of naughtiest offshore bank accounts. People seem to assume that if it’s in Switzerland then it is bound to be wrong and all tied up with illegal transactions, privacy and dodgy dealings.
Now whilst we’re quite happy for people to have this perception if it gives them a little thrill, unfortunately the truth is so far from this myth that we thought we’d better tell the truth about Swiss offshore banking in the name of responsible journalism!
Switzerland is not on any black lists for lack of banking compliance, it does not have any anonymous bank accounts in place, it has double taxation agreements in place, and its Federal Department of Finance even welcomed the decisions of the G20 nations to strengthen the stability of financial markets through the introduction of among other things, measures to tighten banking regulations. So what other myths can we dispel about offshore bank accounts in Switzerland…?
I’m Retiring Abroad Do I Need an Offshore Bank Account?
Tue, October 27, 2009 - 8:42 am EET
Confusion reigns when it comes to getting bank accounts sorted out for a move abroad. People are advised incorrectly, read misleading information and generally are not sure whether any action they take is useful – or even legal. And with the news out today that the police in Britain are chasing targets and seeking to convict more middle-aged people than ever in a bid to “hit their numbers,” soon-to-be retirees certainly don’t want to do anything illegal with their cash!
The facts of the matter are incredibly straightforward when it comes to sorting out banking arrangements if you’re moving abroad, and in this report we’re going to answer the theoretical question ‘I’m retiring abroad, so do I need an offshore bank account’ as well as a number of other pertinent and frequently asked questions about banking for retirees moving overseas.
The report will cover all a would-be retirees options and alternatives, it will make some recommendations and suggestions and help anyone who’s thinking of retiring abroad to get their money matters in order before they go.
Easy Guide to Internationally Transferring Money for Expats and Property Buyers
Wed, October 14, 2009 - 8:25 am EET
With the exchange rate between the British pound and all other major currencies such as the dollar and the euro at an all time weak level, never before have we Britons been so acutely aware of how important it is to get an international money transfer right! More than ever we’re aware of the charges banks make when they move our money about and we’re looking more closely than ever at the rate of exchange we’re being exposed to.
Off the back of this increased consumer awareness, foreign currency exchange brokers are attempting to market their services more aggressively than ever in a bid to win your business – but all most of them are succeeding in doing is confusing everyone with their jargon fuelled marketing and their boastful claims that they cannot back up with FSA regulation!
Therefore in a bid to finally cut through the rubbish and get to the heart of the matter – i.e., in a bid to produce an easy guide to internationally transferring money for expats and property buyers - we have asked the independent money transfer price comparison website SendMoneyHome.org to answer the important questions and provide ‘user friendly’ examples and answers.
Advantages of Prepaid Currency Cards for Expats
Wed, October 07, 2009 - 10:06 am EET
Have you ever heard of the concept of a prepaid currency card? No? Neither had we until very recently! But apparently these nifty cards are not only bang on trend (!) they are an expat’s new best friend.
We thought we’d better look into the hype surrounding these relatively new ‘inventions’ to see if they really are worth getting worked up about, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that yes, prepaid currency cards are actually potentially very useful to expats and those of us who travel internationally.
In this guide to the advantages of prepaid currency cards for expats we’ll cover everything from the basics such as “what is a prepaid currency card anyway,” to how and where you might be able to use and benefit from one.
How Expats Can Protect Against Currency Fluctuations
Mon, October 05, 2009 - 7:51 am EET
Thanks to the poor state of the British economy, the pound has been punished repeatedly for the nation’s mistakes and it finds itself languishing weakly against the likes of the euro and the dollar. For those Britons living abroad, this is very bad news indeed – and for those in the UK who want to perhaps buy a home abroad, it is also frustrating to say the least.
If you’re living overseas in retirement for example, and your pension is paid to you in pounds sterling, the buying power of your pension will suddenly and dramatically have eroded because the value of it has weakened in real terms against the currency in which you’re buying services and goods abroad.
So, in this article we’re going to look at a very important issue, namely how expats can protect against currency fluctuations. We’re well aware that this is an issue on many expats and would-be expats minds at the moment, and as always we want to provide you with the answers to your dilemmas to enable you to move abroad and enjoy the benefits of the expatriate lifestyle.
Why All Expats Should Have An International Bank Account
Wed, September 30, 2009 - 10:56 am EET
We were recently asked to comment on the banking dilemmas faced by a case-study couple who had moved to live abroad in their early retirement. The comment was for an article that will be written about the trials and tribulations the couple have faced in terms of their integration into life in abroad, and it is due to appear in the international version a leading British newspaper some time soon. Now, the interesting thing about the aspects we were asked to comment upon was how poorly advised this couple had been from the outset when it came to their banking needs.
Had they perhaps sought expert advice from a bank that has an international presence, such as HSBC for example which is on high streets around the world in one form or another, they would hopefully have been better advised about the benefits and advantages of possibly maintaining an account back in the UK as well as a new one in France, as well as the very real advantages of having an offshore or international bank account too.
In this report we’re going to explain why all expats should probably have an international bank account – because if you’re moving abroad the last thing you need to be worrying about is getting access to your money or getting your money in the right place at the right time to honour all sorts of commitments from buying a house to paying a builder or solicitor. There’s enough to worry about when you first arrive overseas, so really you want to have your money matters correctly structured before you go. And trust us, it really is not difficult to get your most basic banking requirements in order.
Offshore Bank Accounts for Expatriates
Wed, June 10, 2009 - 1:29 pm EET
If you’re planning on moving abroad or you’ve already expatriated, you may well be wondering about the best way to manage your banking needs and requirements. There are three main ways you can handle your banking when you live abroad, you can keep your old bank account back home, you can open a new account in your new nation of residence, or you can move everything to an offshore bank account.
In this report we’ll discuss why increasing numbers of expatriates are finding that the increasingly flexible, secure and attractive offshore bank accounts being offered by all the leading banking institutions, particularly in Europe, are the best ways to manage all of their international banking transactions.
If you’re wondering about the legalities of banking offshore, you want to know how to open an account or are just curious as to why anyone would want or need such an account, this report into offshore bank accounts for expatriates will contain all the information you need.
