Law Office of Thomas J. Swenson

Integrated International Asset Protection, Wealth Building and Estate Planning Intellectual Property

Integrated Asset Protection – Wealth Building – Tax Saving – Estate Planning

In designing integrated asset-protection and wealth-building structures, many variables must be considered. No single plan is applicable to all situations.

Knowledge of domestic and offshore legal entities, U.S. tax laws, creditor and debtor laws and offshore financial products is required to analyze a particular set of circumstances and to design appropriate strategies and plans.  This office utilizes the services of experts and service providers around the world to implement optimal plans and structures for its clients.  The office includes your current financial advisors, attorneys and accountants in its consultations with you if you become a client.

Business and personal assets are threatened by the risk of frivolous law suits.  Income, capital gain, gift and estate taxes hinder the accumulation of wealth and then erode what has been achieved.   But, advanced planning is able to provide some protections of assets against appropriation by civil courts and tax authorities.  For example, selective use of business entities can insulate high-value assets from high-risk activities.  State and federal exemptions to court judgments and bankruptcy exist for certain property.  Life insurance and annuity products provide tax-saving investment opportunities in addition to financial security. Selective transfer of business and personal assets into appropriate offshore and domestic entities can effectively combine asset protection with wealth building and estate planning.

Utilization of available asset protection strategies, however, requires transfer of property into suitable structures before unforeseen legal or financial problems arise.  If asset protection measures are not implemented long (e.g., a year or more) before an actual crisis occurs, fraudulent transfer laws could be used by a court to subvert an asset protection plan.

 

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Short List of Tools and Techniques

Captive insurance companies — offshore and domestic

International and domestic asset protection trusts

International private-placement life insurance (PPLI) — min. $1 million premium commitment

International deferred variable annuity (DVA) policies — min. $250,000

U.S. tax law compliance

Limited liability companies (LLCs)

Family limited partnerships (FLPs)

Offshore private foundations

Tax-free offshore jurisdictions

Bilateral tax treaties

U.S. gift and estate tax planning

Value-discounted transfers

Value “freezing”

Currency diversification

Liability insurance (professional and personal)

Limited liability partnerships (LLPs)

U.S. bankruptcy planning

Charging order protection

Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs)

Dynasty trusts — legacy trusts

Spendthrift trusts

Privacy

Expatriation