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Disclosure of assets

George Osborne said the transparency rules on beneficial ownership showed that Britain and other governments were working to shine a spotlight on “those hiding spaces, those dark corners of the global financial system”. Osborne said he hoped that the regulations, which will come into effect in January 2017, would be followed up by other countries.

It has also been reported that finance ministers from other European countries had pushed Britain to extend the new rules to all trusts, rather than just those that “generate tax consequences “and will continue to do so.

It is clear from the above that avenues that allow non-disclosure of assets to a tax authority – whether it be for the super-rich, corporations or individuals – are slowly being closed or their existence and beneficial owners are being disclosed to tax authorities.

If you haven’t done so already now is the time to get your financial affairs in order, you may no longer be able to evade or avoid tax but you can ensure your investments are in tax-efficient products, approved by the tax authorities with full transparency. There are many legitimate ways you can mitigate your tax liabilities, if you want to know what your options are, I am here to help you find the right solution to make your money work for you, in the most tax efficient way possible.

You can find out more about our wealth management services here and contact me directly.

This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice, investment recommendations or investment research. You should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in this communication is correct, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Other News

Canary Islands Villa, Yours for 525 Bitcoins

BitcoinA luxury property in the Canary Islands is up for sale. No, this doesn’t sound like news, but there’s an important and unusual detail: the five-bedroom villa in the lofty hills of La Caleta, Tenerife, is being sold for 525 Bitcoins (approximately €3.2 million).

But why would someone exchange a near 2,700 square metre plot, comprised of house, swimming pool, gardens, Atlantic views and palm-lined outdoor eating area, for a “virtual currency”?

We have long been told that Bitcoin is a bubble that’s going to burst, so surely exchanging such a valuable asset for an unstable and unregulated “pseudo currency” is financial madness of the most extreme kind. There are certainly detractors of the currency, such as Warren Buffet, who would argue this point. Perhaps the vendor’s expat financial advisers in the Canary Islands should reach straight for the phone to dissuade him from such a move?

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Defined benefit schemes – a ‘ticking time bomb’?

Following the news that no new buyer was interested in BHS and its £571 million pension deficit, a number of our clients with a working history in BHS got in touch with us to find out their position and options with regards to their future pensions. Unfortunately, it was too late as the window had closed. The BHS scheme got into the Pension Protection Fund, a statutory fund in the U.K., intended to protect pensioners if their pension fund becomes insolvent. What this means is that they are now locked in without any possibility of looking at alternatives and transferring out. For deferred members, this means a potential reduction in pension income as the PPF only compensates 90% of the income up to a certain cap.

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