Investing Offshore

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

The authors of this examination of the complex topic of offshore
investments all have considerable experience in the field. Their book is
aimed at those with the wherewithal to make a minimum investment. (You
must invest at least $100,000 to break even, while an investment of
$250,000 will provide a considerable advantage.)

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 provides a detailed
description of the kinds of investment structures and advantages
available. Topics include offshore bank accounts, trusts and
foundations, business structures, forming an offshore bank, the benefits
of offshore investments with respect to lawful tax avoidance, estate
planning, and protection of privacy. There is information on costs, a
useful frequently-asked-questions (FAQs) list, and a rating of offshore
banks in different jurisdictions. The rating is based on an assessment
of both the bank and the jurisdiction; Royal Bank of Canada, for
example, receives a four-star rating in such places as Jersey and
Barbados, but only a three-star rating in St. Kitts.

Part 2 is a geography of offshore investment locations. Each location
is presented with a map, a one- to five-star rating, and information on
such things as the language of business, the banking structure, the
political system, and the available tax advantages. In this section,
Bahamas is the only location to receive a five-star rating.

Prospective investors would benefit from reading this book before
consulting an investment counselor. As a stand-alone guide, the book is
too sketchy; for example, the authors devote only a single paragraph to
explaining how writers and entertainers can profit from offshore
structures. That said, Investing Offshore would be a worthwhile addition
to public libraries.