Are offshore investments right for me?

Offshore investments are suitable for a wide range of investors with different circumstances and priorities. But are they the right choice for you?

They could be if:

  • you have at least £50,000 (EUR75,000 or USD75,000) to invest
  • you're expecting to invest for the medium to long term
  • you want to choose from a range of funds to match your attitude to investment risk
  • you want to make use of the potential tax advantages of offshore investments

The tax situation may change in the future so it's important you obtain personal advice from your Financial Adviser on the taxation implications of owning an offshore investment. The value of your investment can go down as well as up and is not guaranteed.

The table below shows some of the reasons why our customers choose offshore investments:

You might choose offshore investments if you are:
Who Why
A UK resident who plans to retire abroad

 

 Normally you don't need to pay UK income tax until offshore bonds are cashed in, or withdrawals of more than 5% a year are taken. If you are not a UK resident at the time of encashment you will have no UK income tax liability. However, you may have a local tax liability so we recommend you speak to your Financial Adviser
A UK higher rate tax payer who expects to become a basic rate or non tax payer in the future You can choose to defer taking gains on offshore bonds until a time when the tax rate you have to pay is lower.
A foreign national living in the UK Offshore bonds combined with certain types of trusts can help protect your assets from UK Inheritance Tax, if you're a foreign national living in the UK.
A UK resident who wants to effectively plan for their future We offer a range of trusts, designed to suit different needs. If you think that you could benefit from the tax efficiency a trust could offer, we recommend you talk to your financial adviser. They'll look at your circumstances and help you decide on the right type of trust for you

If you think offshore investments may be right for you please ask your Financial Adviser for more information.

WM56004 06/2009