Welcome to Offshore Trusts Guide

Offshore Trusts Guide publishes news, features and newsletters on the use of offshore trust structures. The full guide analyses key global issues relating to the offshore trust, and examines in detail the trust regimes in key jurisdictions.

Latest Features

Towards Public Registers of Beneficial Owners?

Under updated draft anti-money laundering rules approved by the European Parliament earlier this year, the ultimate owners of companies and trusts would have to be listed in public registers in EU countries. This feature is a summary of these proposals, and other measures being considered around the world to increase the transparency of ownership...Read full report »

New Zealand To Update Trust Law

With the Government of New Zealand having recently announced that it intends to take up the recommendations of a commission set up to review the country’s trusts legislation, this feature takes a look at what this could mean for settlors, beneficiaries and trustees of New Zealand...Read full report »

Jersey Leads Trust World With Innovative Amendment

It may sound obscure, but the Trusts (Amendment No. 6) (Jersey) Law, introduced in October 2013 and the subject of this review, represents a significant change to Jersey's trust legislation that is expected to lead to more business for the jurisdiction's already substantial trust sector... Read full report »

Q3 2013 Feature: Offshore Trusts and the G8 Transparency Agenda

This feature looks at the implications of the G8’s call for more transparency with regard to the beneficial ownership of companies and legal arrangements for offshore trusts.Read full report »

Q2 2013 Feature: Maltese Trust Law Reforms

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has recently proposed a number of significant amendments to the Trusts and Trustees Act as well as changes to the way the trust and fiduciary services sector is regulated, and these possible changes are examined in this feature.Read full report »

Latest Trusts News

Turkey Cuts CIT For Manufacturing Firms, Exporters

Mauritius Announces New Tax Reliefs In 2021-22 Budget

India Announces More COVID-19 Measures

Switzerland Sends 2019 Taxpayer Data Under CRS

IRS To Waive Small Tax Debts For Former Citizens

UK Shelves Plans For Surcharge On Overseas UK Property Buyers

Australia Explains Tax Disclosure Obligation On Largest Firms

South Africa Drops Paper Forms To Encourage E-Filiing

Tax Deadline Approaching For Americans Abroad

Switzerland To Amend Anti-Money Laundering Law

EU Council Adopts Directive To Make Company Ownership Data Public

HMRC To Add To Arsenal Against Diverted Profits

Read more news »

Latest Network News

Guernsey To Delay Tax Reform Debate To Explore Corporate Tax Options

29/4/2022
The Guernsey Government on April 26, 2022, announced that a parliamentary debate on tax reform, scheduled for July, will now be delayed until the end of the year, to allow time for consideration of corporate tax options. Earlier, Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee proposed that the territory could implement a goods and services tax to buoy the territory's finances.
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Bermuda Legislates For Budget 2022's Payroll Tax Changes

21/3/2022
Bermuda has tabled the Payroll Tax Amendment and Validation Bill 2022, to give effect to the payroll tax measures announced in the territory's recent Budget.
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Cambodia Again Delays Capital Gains Tax Plans

21/3/2022
Authorities in Cambodia have announced a further two-year delay to the implementation of a capital gains tax.
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OECD Releases E-Commerce VAT Toolkit For Asia-Pac States

21/3/2022
On March 10, the OECD released a new VAT Digital Toolkit for Asia-Pacific (APAC) nations. The toolkit is intended to support local tax authorities to better collect value-added tax on e-commerce activities.
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Singapore Adds To Guidance On ICAP Participation

21/3/2022
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has issued guidance for taxpayers on accessing the International Compliance Assurance Programme, a voluntary risk assessment and assurance program.
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Singapore Targets A More Progressive Tax Regime In 2022 Budget

21/3/2022
Singapore has announced personal income tax hikes and higher wealth taxes on the territory's wealthiest individuals, as well as plans to ramp up the territory's carbon tax, in its newly released Budget.
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Cyprus Receives EU Approval For Angel Investor Tax Breaks

16/2/2022
The European Commission has approved a Cypriot scheme involving the grant of tax breaks to private investors – both natural persons and corporate investors – who invest into early-stage, innovative SMEs.
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US IRS To Pause Some Tax Enforcement Proceedings

16/2/2022
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has suspended the use of more than a dozen additional letters, including the mailing of automated collection notices, normally issued when a taxpayer owes additional tax and the IRS has no record of a taxpayer filing a tax return.
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Costa Rica Launches New Tax Advice Callback Service

16/2/2022
On February 1, 2022, Costa Rica's federal tax authority launched a new callback service for taxpayers seeking guidance.
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Turkey Cuts CIT For Manufacturing Firms, Exporters

16/2/2022
The Turkish Government has recently enacted Law No. 7,351, which provides corporate tax reliefs for exporters and manufacturing businesses.
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OECD Reports Solid Progress On BEPS Action 5 And 14

16/2/2022
The OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on BEPS has published the outcome of more reviews into territories' preferential tax regimes and on tax dispute resolution through the Mutual Agreement Procedure.
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UK Delays Overhaul To Tax Non-Compliance Penalties

20/1/2022
HM Revenue and Customs is reforming late-filing and payment penalties to make them fairer and more consistent across taxes. The first stage of these reforms was set to come into effect early this year. However, on January 13, 2022, HMRC postponed the effective dates by nine months to one year.
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Switzerland Publishes Review Of 2021 Tax Progress

20/1/2022
As part of its commitment to fighting cross-border tax evasion and profit shifting, Switzerland sent information on over 3m financial accounts in 2021, according to a new review of the Swiss financial center by the State Secretariat for International Financial Matters.
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Singapore Expected To Hike Carbon Tax In 2022 Budget

20/1/2022
Singapore's Minister of Finance has said Singapore will set out plans to hike its carbon tax in the 2022 Budget.
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Hong Kong Reviewing Tax-Privileged Retirement Products

5/1/2022
Authorities in Hong Kong have launched a review into two tax-deductible retirement savings products: Qualifying Deferred Annuity Policies (QDAP) and Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Tax-Deductible Voluntary Contributions (TVC).
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