offshore banking

Banking Terms -> offshore banking

• Offshore banking is a type of banking conducted at an offshore bank, which is a bank located outside the depositor’s own country, usually in an area where the taxes are low, and there are other financial and legal benefits. These benefits include, but are not limited to greater privacy due to bank secrecy, easy access to deposits and protection against local economic, financial, or political risks. The term offshore banking is quite fitting because most offshore banks are located in islands, as was the very first one, from where the term originated. However, the term today has come to include banks in Switzerland, Luxembourg, and other landlocked countries in Europe and other places around the world.
  
  Accounts in offshore banks are subject to personal income tax on interest just like everywhere else. In most countries, the income tax does not differentiate between interest earned in local and offshore banks. For instance, clients subject to US income tax have to declare all offshore bank accounts that they have in other countries. Indeed, offshore banks are not bound by law to report income to tax authorities, but account holders are obligated to declare this income nonetheless.
  
  Offshore banks offer personal and corporate accounts and other financial products. These may include company incorporation, savings accounts, payment cards, and others. Some banks offer term deposits with interest rates that can be as high as 5 percent. Offshore banks also offer relationship management advice and wealth management advice, suitable for high net worth clients. Online banking is another service offered by offshore banks. Their customers can access both corporate and personal accounts and monitor activity, exchange currencies, and make deposits. In addition, clients can transfer funds around the globe and communicate with bank officials online. Benefits featured by offshore banks depend on the institution and its location. They may include zero tax on capital gains and dividend income, as well as no shareholder requirements.
  
  Proponents of offshore banking criticize attempts to control this branch with the argument that the institutions involved only want to access this money. What is more, offshore banks are seen as a threat to “onshore” bank systems, leading people to believe that these countries are trying to get ahead of the competition this way.
  
  One advantage of offshore banking is that it can grant access to financially and economically stable jurisdictions. People living in locations characterized by political turmoil can benefit from offshore banking as well and prevent their assets from being frozen, confiscated or seized. In all honesty, however, the banking systems in developed countries are pretty stable as well.
  
  Sometimes offshore banks offer higher interest compared to onshore ones due to the absence of government intervention. Proponents of offshore banking frequently describe government regulation as a type of tax on domestic banks, lowering interest rates on deposits.
  
  There are few industries that are open to remote nations in terms of being able to compete fairly, with tourism being the only other one. Some offshore banks also offer services and extras that traditional banks do not, such as lower rate loans and anonymous bank accounts.
  
  Offshore banking has some downsides too. These accounts are usually less financially secure and are often associated with the underground economy and organized crime. In addition, due to their location, offshore banks are many times costly to visit, and access to information may be more limited. Global communication technologies have resolved this problem to a great extent, with communication taking place online and by phone. Offshore banks also offer accounts that can be set up by mail, phone, and online.

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