The Six Principles Video Suite – The 6 principles of the United Nations Global Compact

The Six Principles Video Suite

At EWP Financial we use our own unique brand of asset structuring that incorporates the six principles of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP). Wikipedia features the six principles of EWP in its article on International Tax Planning. There is also a section on Expanded Worldwide Planning in Wikipedia’s article on Private Placement Life Insurance.

The six principles are privacy, asset protection, tax shield, succession planning, compliance simplifier, and trust substitute. Each of these six principles provide essential benefits to wealthy families throughout the world. The relevance of each of these principles varies according to where in the world the family holds their assets and does business, so it is essential to work with someone that has a global worldwide grasp of this complex situation, as we do at EPW Financial.

We have created six videos, each less than one minute in length, to provide you with the essential elements of these six principles. The six principles form the building blocks of our unique asset structures. A wide variety of asset classes can be maximized for tax efficiency, asset protection, and privacy by employing these six principles.

You can view these six short videos by going to our YouTube channel, EWP Financial, and clicking on Videos, then The Six Principles Video Suite.

This week we continue our series on the United Nations Global Compact with a short video on the importance of Purpose for an EWP asset structure.

 

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

~ Your best source for PPLI and EWP

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax Shield 3 – Episode 3 – Part 3 – The EWP Stories Video Series

Tax Shield Video 3

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series

International Tax Planning

Introduction

Welcome. For real estate investors, there are very substantial benefits to using an asset structure that embodies the principles of Expanded Worldwide Planning, or EWP for short. This is true for U.S. persons and non-U.S. persons alike. A properly designed EWP structure both eliminates tax on rental income and tax on the sale of real estate. This is a very powerful result.

Our video details the disreputable methods used by Conservation for Nature’s appraiser, Jay Edwards. Jay’s inflated appraisals give investors unwarranted tax deductions, while the pressure to achieve these inflated appraisals exact an unhealthy influence on Jay’s life in the form of his increased consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. Jay also finds himself in trouble with the Department of Justice and the Tennessee state real estate appraiser board.

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Part 3

When Jay Edwards began a land appraisal project, he had a single goal—to produce the highest valuation possible. He had had 30 years to hone his skill of inflating appraisals. When he had done retail appraisals at the height of the refinancing boom in the early part of this century, his services were in high demand.

The promoters at Conservation for Nature, want a high valuation, because that in turn produces a large tax deduction for its investors. On one deal in South Carolina, they had acquired a property of 28 acres for $1M, then raised about $9M from investors who bought the property.

The investors made an easement donation based on a claimed value for what the land would be worth if developed as a multifamily resort. Jay’s appraised projection produced a tax deduction of about $39M. The tax write off for investors: $4.00 for every $1 invested.

Of late, the promoters at Conservation for Nature, were pressing Jay for higher and higher numbers. His increased consumption of cigarettes and alcohol was keeping pace with these higher numbers. A number that was going in the opposite direction were his hours of sound sleep. He could not remember when he had last had a restful night’s sleep.

Jay had become a character in an old joke; the one the Mafia hired. It went like this.

The Mafia needed a new accountant, so they interviewed three people. They asked the first interviewee, “How much is 2 + 2?”

“Four,” he answered.

“Sorry, that’s not right,” said the Mafia boss.

They asked the next candidate, “How much is 2 + 2?”

“Four, of course,” he said.”

“That’s not right,” said the Mafia boss.

They asked the third accountant the same question.

He responded, “What number do you want it to be?”

The Mafia boss said, “You’re hired.”

The joke was now becoming stale. Conservation for Nature was being investigated by the Department of Justice. The Tennessee state real estate appraiser board brought a formal complaint against Jay, after a detailed review of one of his easement appraisals found an inflated valuation riddled with errors and omissions.

Threatened with the loss of his Tennessee license, Jay voluntarily surrendered it instead. However, he continued to work for Conservation for Nature in states where the appraiser for a conservation easement was not required to be licensed by the state, and so continued to ply his disreputable trade.

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Conclusion

In our next video, we find George Allbright at crossroads on whether to do business with Conservation for Nature. George is able to firmly decide against doing business with Conservation for Nature after the appraiser, Jay Edwards, telephones George in a very drunk condition. George knew Jay from college days, and describes him as a guy who would sleep with his best friend’s wife.

If you found this video useful, please give us a Like, and click on the subscribe button below. We look forward to connecting with you in part four of our Tax Shield story. Thank you for watching.

To learn how the wealthiest families in the world conduct their financial affairs, please call +1 530 692 1007, or email us at info@expandedworldwideplanning.com.

At your convenience, we can arrange a call to discuss how our unique blueprint can vastly enhance your asset structure.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this video are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual on any financial structure, investment, or insurance product.

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The EWP Stories Video Series – Part 2 – Episode 3 – Asset Protection 3

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 2 Episode 3 – Asset Protection 3

Asset Protection Planning

International Tax Planning

INTRO

Our asset protection model is called The EWP Da Vinci CodeWe call it The EWP Da Vinci Code for two reasons: the first is because Leonardo Da Vinci said, “Simplicity is ultimate sophistication, and second, our asset protection model is the opposite of the convoluted plot of the popular film, The Da Vinci Code. Our model is a simple, straightforward, and highly effective technique.

In today’s world of financial transparency, there is no hiding of financial assets. The EWP Da Vinci Code brings you peace of mind through a long-established and secure financial structure—life insurance, in the form of Private Placement Life Insurance, or PPLI for short. Our model is highly effective, yet conservative, and offers more asset protection than the recently invented options available to wealthy families.

In this video, we follow the plight of Janice Johanson, who through poor asset protection planning must forfeit a substantial part of $100M that she received from the sale of her business. We encourage you to learn from Janice’s mistake, and protect your own businesses and assets with an EWP asset structure.

Watch more Asset Protection Videos

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 2 – Episode 1 – ASSET PROTECTION 1

International Tax Planning

Asset protection planning

Introduction to #Asset #Protection

Welcome. In this video the topic of our story is one of the cornerstones of any asset structure–asset protection planning. Expanded Worldwide Planning, or EWP for short, gives a wealthy family asset protection by its very nature, it is not something that must be added.

Why is this so? Because life insurance is one of the rare items that is favored for asset planning under the tax code. This is especially true for the advanced structures that our firm constructs for wealthy families worldwide. Remember, most families place the majority of their assets into an EWP structure, so they achieve superior asset protection for all these assets worldwide.

Our story involves Janet Johanson, an exceptionally talented entrepreneur, who seemingly did all the right things to protect herself against an untimely loss of her assets. How did the devastating loss of $100M wipe out her early retirement? One of her advisors made a critical mistake. We hope you will learn from this video, and not travel down the same path.

Learn more about Asset Protection and Cryptocurrency

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 1 – Episode 4

International Tax Planning

#EWP : Insures: PRIVACY –  Video 4

Intro
In this video we conclude our story on Privacy. Carlos Gutierrez attempts to heal the emotional devastation brought about by the kidnapping of his daughter and a falsified lawsuit, both engineered by a ruthless, Mexican drug cartel.

Carlos is brought to the realization that he needs an asset structure that will shield his business and family from these catastrophic events. That asset structure is easily obtained by employing the six principles of Expanded Worldwide Planning, or EWP for short. This is what our firm, EWP Financial, provides to all families who use our services.

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 1 – Episode 3

International Tax Planning

#EWP : Insures: PRIVACY –  Part 3

Introduction

Welcome. Privacy is a key element. Wealthy families are looking for ways to keep their affairs private, and still be compliant with tax authorities worldwide.

Today what was once private and personal becomes public and accessible to all. Computers and other electronic devices are part of our lives, whatever our opinion of them. These devices can add convenience and efficiency to our lives, but at a cost.

At EWP Financial we embrace the Privacy Principle. The Privacy Principle is unique as it legally shields wealthy families from unwanted intrusions into their financial affairs. At the same time, the Privacy Principle is fully transparent and gives wealthy families a bespoke, compliant asset structure for all their holdings, wherever they might be throughout the world.

We continue our story on the plight of Carlos Gutierrez. The scene is Mexico City where we discover how the same drug cartel that kidnapped Carlos’s daughter, Lucinda, is planning to publicly destroy Carlos by using bribery to bring a falsified lawsuit against Carlos.

 

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.
CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

EWP Stories-3

Expanded Worldwide Planning
International Tax Planning

Stories
Part 3: Tax Shield

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EWP adds tax deferral, income, estate tax benefits and dynasty tax planning opportunities. Assets held in a life insurance contract are considered tax-deferred in most jurisdictions throughout the world. Likewise, PPLI policies that are properly constructed shield the assets from all taxes. In most cases, upon the death of the insured, benefits are paid as a tax free death benefit.

The best comment made about the tax benefits of PPLI is from the October 1994 article in Offshore Investment by Professor Craig Hampton:

“I was visiting a gentleman at his home in the Piccadilly district of London. It was explained to me that his net worth exceeded $100 millionU.S. by a substantial margin. I noticed the presence of a computer terminal on a large desk in his den. It was surrounded by reams of paper dealing with offshore investing.

It soon became apparent that his affluence was due to his own efforts when he said to me:

“You’re a bright young man who obviously knows his craft. But what can you tell me that I don’t already know about finances?”

I leaned forward and made this simple statement:

“Through the creative use of international life insurance, your financial affairs can be arranged so that you will never have to pay income taxes for the rest of your life!” The gentleman took serious notice, and thus was born the Hampton Freeze.”

The Hampton Freeze is the name coined for the various PPLI designs developed by Professor Craig Hampton in the early 1990s. These designs were utilized in cases where the premium was over $100M, but can also be employed for PPLI policies with lesser amounts of premium.

Oddly enough many of the tax benefits used for the sophisticated designs like the Hampton Freeze utilize the same tax benefits common to all life insurance policies:

  • tax-deferred growth of internal cash value;
  • no capital gains tax;
  • no income tax;
  • ability to access cash value through tax-free loans;
  • tax-free death benefit, if structured properly.

This is why savvy, wealthy families today are employing PPLI in greater and greater numbers. A hallmark of the popularity of this asset structure is its conservative and straightforward nature. This ironically allows it to achieve spectacular tax savings.

Why strain to invent a structure that will very likely draw the attention of tax authorities, because of its convoluted and aggressive design? We counsel you to stop trying to be overly clever in the design of your asset structures. Why not use a financial tool that has been in use since Ancient Rome—life insurance? This will give you the best tax shield available today bar none.

Part 1

George Allbright was skimming over the arid, parched landscape of New Mexico in his Eurocopter Mercedes-Benz EC-145. This stylishly, well-appointed helicopter, costing $7 million dollars, could maneuver effortlessly between the narrow red-rock canyons near his home. But minutes from his home were some of the poorest tribal communities of the Navajo Nation.

Some of these communities have been compared to Third World countries because of their economic struggles and their lack of basic modern water and energy systems. Most of the state’s Pueblo villages, Navajo chapter houses and Apache communities are isolated and have little or no access to the already poor infrastructure in New Mexico.

George’s source of great wealth was also a product of sharp contrasts. He was a non-smoker who founded a chain of stores that sold cheap cigarettes. He was raised in a large city, Detroit, yet now was one of the largest landowners in the U.S. He had used his prodigious capital from the sale of his cheap cigarette stores to purchase ranches across the United States.

George skillfully landed his helicopter on the helipad a short distance from his split-level modern home that was cut out of a cliff overlooking acres of pristine desert landscape. He had no neighbors in sight, and he liked it that way.

After his flight, he sat on his veranda overlooking the silent and serene desert, dotted with creosote and mesquite. He savored his favorite single malt scotch, Laphroaig, with its strong peaty taste.

His cell phone vibrated loudly on the glass table. It was a number he did not recognize.

“Hello,” said George.

“Good afternoon,” said a well educated voice. “Let me get straight to the point. We have not met, but my company, Conservation for Nature, would be interested in working with you. You have plenty of land, and we have the expertise to give you excellent tax breaks.” He went on to detail the large tax deductions they were offering.

“Your timing could not have been better. My accountant has just told me that I need to consider ways to reduce my taxes. I have looked into conservation easements before, but the tax deductions that you propose are much better than I have heard of before. Yes, I would be interested, very interested. Please call me back tomorrow.”

George had had a simple plan in amassing millions of acres of ranch land. He wished to keep it away from developers. This is just what conservation easements accomplished.

He also was feeling guilty about not properly figuring out how he was going to pass on his wealth to his family. If he could pay less in tax, he would have more to pass on to his wife and children. This thought gave him pleasure.

George marveled at his good fortune to receive such an opportune call. Was it too good to be true?

A Brief History of Taxation

We will be concentrating on the ‘shield’ aspect of the tax shield, but before we go into more detail, let us speak briefly about the ‘tax’ aspect of our subject. What is the history of this thing we wish to shield?

In the ancient world there is recorded a system of taxation in Egypt around 3000-2800 BC. Documents show that the Pharaoh would tour his kingdom twice a year to collect taxes. In the Bible, we find this quote,

“But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children,” Genesis (chapter 47, verse 24, the New International Version.)

America was tax-free for much of its early history. This changed at the time of the Civil War, when large debts were incurred to fund the war against the South. In order to help pay for the war, the Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1861. The tax was levied on incomes exceeding $800 and was not rescinded until 1872.

In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced to pave the way to an income tax by removing the proportional to population clause. It was quickly followed by an income tax on people with an annual income of over $3,000. This tax touched less than 1% of Americans.

World War I led to three Revenue Acts that cranked up tax rates and lowered the exemption levels. The number of people paying taxes in the U.S. increased to 5%, and separate taxes were introduced for estates and business profits.

By 1940, the need for the U.S. to prepare for war and support its allies led to even more aggressive taxation. People with incomes of $500 faced a 23% tax and the rates climbed up to 94%. The average annual income at this time was $1,000. By 1945 $43 million Americans paid tax and the yearly receipts were in excess of $45 billion, up from $9 billion in 1941.

Who Pays the Most Tax Today?
The most recent IRS data, from 2016, shows that the top 10 percent of income earners pay almost 70 percent of federal income taxes.

Looking at all federal taxes, the Congressional Budget Office shows that the top 1 percent pay an average federal tax rate of 33.3 percent. The data show tax rates decline with income, and the poorest 20 percent of the population pays an average tax rate of just 1.7 percent.

Part 2

Jack Newcastle pursued his position as a lawyer at the IRS’s Global High Wealth Group with zeal. Many of his colleagues would call Jack a zealot. He was an unabashed crusader against abusive tax schemes.

What was not so common knowledge was that his grandfather’s law firm was destroyed for backing one of these abusive tax schemes. Because of this, the life of a rich, successful partner at a major law firm was denied to Jack. Jack sought revenge on those who had robbed him of his prestigious partner position.

Jack was walking down H Street, heading towards the Treasury Building. His mind felt dull, far from the clear, scientific thinking required to succeed on his current audit case. The Baroque grandeur of the city plan of Washington D.C. was lost to him.

Jack was lost in thought about the latest developments at the office. He was part of the Global High Wealth Group audit team that was undertaking an audit of Conservation for Nature, the company that had contacted George about the purchase of his land.

Things were not going well on this audit. The promoters of this syndicated conservation easement scheme were successfully bending the law to their advantage at every turn.

A conservation easement, in its original, legitimate form, is granted when a landowner permanently protects pristine land from development. In that scenario, the public enjoys the benefit of undeveloped land and the taxpayer gets a charitable deduction.

By contrast, these promoters were finding appraisers willing to declare that land parcels purchased by the promoters have huge development value, and thus were worth many times the purchase price. They then were selling stakes in the deal to wealthy investors who extract tax deductions that are often five or more times what they put in.

The Global High Wealth Group was introduced with the aim of stopping just this type of unscrupulous promoters. Unfortunately for the IRS, the Global High Wealth Group was not working as expected: with bureaucratic end-fighting and being woefully underfunded, the initial euphoria at its launching was short lived. They also had experienced no steady leadership with three directors in the past five years.

At the beginning of the audit, the promoters seemed easy targets. But as they progressed with the audit, they realized that they were dealing with more savvy characters.

All this brought Jack to his office in a sour mood.

Jack’s cell phone rang. He did not recognize the number, but answered anyway, “Hello.”

“Jack is that you,” said a strangely familiar voice.
“Yes.”
“This is George.”
“Man, it’s been a while.”

George telephoned Jack because he remembered that he had taken a position at the IRS, and he might know something about Conservation for Nature. After a few minutes of catching up, George asked him about Conservation for Nature, and was told about Jack’s ongoing audit.

They agreed to speak the following day, as Jack had reached the Treasury Building, and needed to go into his office.

George felt the pleasure of connecting with an old friend, but he knew the story of Jack’s grandfather, and how bitter Jack was at having to accept a position at the IRS. Jack gave only negative comments about Conservation for Nature. Could Jack be trusted? Would his advice be tainted by his personal history?

PPLI Benefits U.S. Persons with Real Estate

The benefits of using PPLI for U.S. persons investing in real estate in the U.S. are substantial. Why don’t more U.S. persons take advantage of these benefits? We maintain that it is because of profound misunderstandings about the Investor Control Doctrine and the diversification requirements of variable contracts under IRS code section 817(h).

Ironically, these misunderstandings have been clarified by the Webber decision, Webber v. Commissioner, 144 T.C. No. 17 (June 30, 2015). In the popular press, and in many tax journals, this same Webber decision was interpreted as the ‘nail in the coffin’ for PPLI.

Let us explore how the Webber decision makes it clear that in a properly structured PPLI policy, U.S. real estate can be held and still be fully compliant with the IRS. We will do this through the lens of what the Webber decision tells us about the Investor Control Doctrine and the diversification requirements of variable contracts under 817(h).

These are the key points of the Webber decision that support the inclusion of U.S. real estate in a properly designed PPLI policy:

The egregious flaunting of what is known as the Investor Control Doctrine by Jeffrey T. Webber, William Lipkind, his attorney, and the manager of his Insurance Dedicated Fund (IDF) (Butterfield Bank) has blinded advisors and their clients to an essential point in the tax court’s decision. Judge Lauber, the presiding judge, found no objection to the private companies and other investments that were placed as in-kind premium in the two PPLI policies that were in question. There is nothing in the rules regarding PPLI either before or after Webber which would prohibit the use of private company securities, actively operated and closely business interests, and real estate enterprises within a policy IDF or Separately Managed Account (SMA).

The Tax Court’s key issue was the fact that Mr. Webber was on the board of every company in which the policy invested, invested his own funds from his personal wealth and his IRAs, and that he negotiated the terms of every loan on behalf of the company and then gave the instruction to Mr. Lipkind and Butterfield Bank. The court states, “The record includes more than 70,000 emails to or from Mr. Lipkind, Ms. Chang (Webber’s accountant), the IDF Investment Manager, and/or Lighthouse (the insurance company) concerning petitioner’s “recommendations” for investments by the separate accounts. Mr. Lipkind also appears to have given instructions regularly by telephone.”

IRC Sec 817(h) provides a detailed overview of the investment diversification requirements of variable insurance products. The regulations address a wide range of investment alternatives that are not found in retail variable life and annuity products such as direct investment in real estate, and commodities.

Treasury regulations 1.817.5 provide very detailed guidance on the investment diversification rules. The regulations interpret these rules for investment asset classes such as real estate, and allow for a period of time to meet the diversification requirements of IRC Sec 817(h). For non-real estate accounts, the regulations provide for a one-year period to meet the diversification requirements. Real estate accounts provide for a five-year start up period and a two-year liquidation period.

The court states: “The “investor control” doctrine posits that, if the policyholder’s incidents of ownership over those assets become sufficiently capacious and comprehensive, he rather than the insurance company will be deemed to be the true “owner” of those assets for Federal income tax purposes. In that event, a major benefit of the insurance/annuity structure–the deferral or elimination of tax on the “inside buildup”–will be lost, and the investor will be taxed currently on investment income as it is realized.”

It is clear from reading the Webber decision that, if Mr. Webber had followed the very language stated in his policy, his PPLI structure would have worked, and complied with the Investor Control Doctrine and the diversification requirements of 817(h). The court record reads: “As drafted, the Policies state that no one but the Investment Manager may direct investments and deny the policyholder any “right to require Lighthouse to acquire a particular investment” for a separate account. Under the Policies, the policyholder was allowed to transmit “general investment objectives and guidelines” to the Investment Manager, who was supposed to build a portfolio within those parameters.”

Part 3

When Jay Edwards began a land appraisal project, he had a single goal—to produce the highest valuation possible. He had had 30 years to hone his skill of inflating appraisals. When he had done retail appraisals at the height of the refinancing boom in the early part of this century, his services were in high demand.

The promoters at Conservation for Nature, want a high valuation, because that in turn produces a large tax deduction for its investors. On one deal in South Carolina, they had acquired a property of 28 acres for $1M, then raised about $9M from investors who bought the property.

The investors made an easement donation based on a claimed value for what the land would be worth if developed as a multifamily resort. Jay’s appraised projection produced a tax deduction of about $39M. The tax write off for investors: $4.00 for every $1 invested.

Of late, the promoters at Conservation for Nature, were pressing Jay for higher and higher numbers. His increased consumption of cigarettes and alcohol was keeping pace with these higher numbers. A number that was going in the opposite direction were his hours of sound sleep. He could not remember when he had last had a restful night’s sleep.

Jay had become a character in an old joke; the one the Mafia hired. It went like this.

The Mafia needed a new accountant, so they interviewed three people. They asked the first interviewee, “How much is 2 + 2?”

“Four,” he answered.

“Sorry, that’s not right,” said the Mafia boss.

They asked the next candidate, “How much is 2 + 2?”

“Four, of course,” he said.”

“That’s not right,” said the Mafia boss.

They asked the third accountant the same question.

He responded, “What number do you want it to be?”

The Mafia boss said, “You’re hired.”

The joke was now becoming stale. Conservation for Nature was being investigated by the Department of Justice. The Tennessee state real estate appraiser board brought a formal complaint against Jay, after a detailed review of one of his easement appraisals found an inflated valuation riddled with errors and omissions.

Threatened with loss of his Tennessee license, Jay voluntarily surrendered it instead. However, he continued to work for Conservation for Nature in states where the appraiser for a conservation easement was not required to be licensed by the state, and continued to ply his disreputable trade.

PFIC + Subpart F + GILTI = All Redefined with PPLI

Distributions from a properly structured PPLI policy are distributions from a life insurance policy. Like all policies, both U.S. and issued in other jurisdictions around the world, the distributions are subject to the tax code sections that apply to life insurance.

In a properly structured policy, one can withdraw all basis in the policy, which are the premiums paid, tax free, and take very low cost loans to withdraw the remaining funds. The costs of these loans is equivalent to an administrative charge, and is usually in the range of 25 bps. When the policy is held until the death of the insured life, the amount of the loan is merely subtracted from the death benefit, therefore, the loan need not be repaid.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), has brought an increase in taxation for those who have subpart F income. Just like Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) income, subpart F income can be structured inside a PPLI policy, and, therefore, shielded from tax. PPLI has been used for many years to shield PFIC income.

TCJA gave us a new section of the tax code, Section 951A. For those who have an interest in a controlled foreign (CFC), particularly if they are not C corporation shareholders, there is a new opportunity to use a PPLI structure to shield this income from tax. Section 951A gives us Global Intangible Low-taxed Income (GILTI), which if held in other than a C corporation, has very unfavorable tax consequences that can be greatly mitigated by using PPLI.

Hedge Fund Life Insurance
One distinct benefit of a PPLI policy is the ability to place tax inefficient investments like hedge funds into a tax-friendly environment. Some advisors have even coined the term, Hedge Fund Life Insurance, to highlight the advantages of combining hedge fund investments and life insurance into one tax-advantaged asset structure.

The numbers tell an excellent story in the chart below.

PPLI TAX BENEFITS VS. FEES AND EXPENSES
View PDF Image

The chart compares a taxable investment to one held in a PPLI account over the long-term. The very clear winner is the PPLI account. Even over a ten year period there is more than $3M more in the PPLI account. The chart does not even show the death benefit which is always more than the cash value account. In a properly structured policy, the death benefit is also tax-free, making a PPLI asset structure the undeniable victory in the quest for tax efficiency.

Part 4

George had spent the last evening researching conservation easements, and concluded that they were a good thing. He had also reviewed his tax situation, and realized that the tax deductions that they offered would reduce his tax bill significantly. Perhaps he should work with Conservation for Nature. He had plenty of land, and they had the years of experience. A good combination, he thought.

Later in the morning, Jack telephoned. He spent nearly an hour telling George that the promoters at Conservation for Nature were crooks, and that George should definitely stay clear of them.

Now George was perplexed. He trusted Jack; they had been good friends ever since their time in Detroit. Jack was giving him very concrete reasons why he should not do business with this company. He decided to reevaluate.

A few minutes after his call with Jack, his cell phone buzzed noisily on the glass table in front of him. He jumped up suddenly. He had survived serving in Afghanistan, that is where he learned to fly a helicopter, but loud, sudden noises were still a problem for him.

“Hello, George,”
“Yes?” George said in a wary tone.
“I am calling you back from Conservation for Nature.”

The voice was no longer polished and sophisticated. The caller was drunk, and he knew who it was. An old college friend of his, they used to go out drinking together. Jay could barely articulate his words. Odd that he could now recognize the voice.

He knew Jay well. Jay still owed him money. Jay was the kind of guy who would sleep with his best friend’s wife.

Jay was desperately trying to launch into his well rehearsed sales pitch about the company he was working for—Conservation for Nature, but was hardly intelligible. That was enough for George.

“Good bye, Jay. Please don’t ever call me again.”

The Tax Savings Are Very Significant

Let us summarize the tax advantages of holding investments in a PPLI asset structure:

Tax-deferred “inside build-up” of policy cash values. The industry has preserved the tax preferred treatment of life insurance for decades.

Non-recognition of capital gains. The policyholder has the ability to switch investment options within the product without triggering taxation. Life insurance separate accounts are legally the owners of the investments within variable insurance products. The life insurer receives a reserve deduction equal to its investment income.

The policy’s basis is its cumulative premiums. Once the policyholder has recovered his basis in the contract, the policyholder has a contractual right to a policy loan which allows the policyholder to borrow up to ninety percent of the policy cash value. Policy loans with a net cost of approximately 25 basis points per annum also receive income tax-free treatment. The policy loan is subtracted from the policy’s death benefit, so it never has to be paid back.

Income tax-free death benefit. The policy cash value grows on a tax-free basis. The policyholder can access investment gains within the policy on a tax-free basis during lifetime, and beneficiaries receive the death benefit income-tax free.

Estate tax-free death benefits through the use of third party ownership of the policy, such as an irrevocable life insurance trust (“ILIT”). IRC Sec 2042 provides that as long as the insured does not retain any incidents of ownership within the policy, the death proceeds will not be included in the taxable estate of the decedent.

PPLI Benefits Non-U.S. Persons with Real Estate

There are many obstacles that non-U.S. persons face in investing in U.S. real estate. The primary tax impediments to foreign investment in U.S. real estate in general and in real estate funds specifically are U.S. income, capital gains and withholding taxes. Adding PPLI in combination with trusts and LLC elements eliminates or mitigates these taxes.

Here is a list of the obstacles faced by non-U.S. persons investing in U.S. real estate:

Effectively Connected Income (ECI): Although non-U.S. investors’ gains from U.S. stock are generally not taxable, income and gain from their real estate investments are generally taxable under the ECI rules. Specifically, rental income and/or gains from the sale of U.S. real estate are both generally treated as ECI. U.S. source rental income allocable to a foreign investor is typically not entitled to any treaty preferences. ECI is generally taxed to such foreign investors under the same tax rates that apply to U.S. taxpayers, and foreign investors that receive ECI are required to file U.S. federal and state income tax returns. Finally, the the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) rules described below can also transform sales of stock (or other equity interests), and/or capital gain dividends from REITs into ECI.

FIRPTA: Enacted in 1980 to combat perceived unfair advantages for foreign investors in U.S. real estate, FIRPTA imposes significant taxes on dispositions of U.S. real property interests. Specifically, Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, essentially treats such gain as ECI. In addition, complicated withholding tax rules apply with regard to U.S. counterparties in such transactions.

Non-US Regulatory Concerns: In addition to U.S. tax issues, non-U.S. investors can have non-U.S. tax and regulatory concerns. For example, non-U.S. investors may need to comply with certain informational reporting requirements in their home jurisdictions.

Significant investment capital for U.S. real estate transactions and funds has been and will continue to be raised from non-U.S. investors. In light of this fact, it is important that real estate advisors, investors, and owners understand the tax challenges, as well as the potential solutions, involved when non-U.S. investors invest in U.S. real estate. PPLI is an integral element in these solutions.

Part 5

George sought the solace of flight. He needed to sort things out.

Lifting off his helicopter into the desert at sunrise in the relatively cool of the morning, he knew answers would come to him. Not through pressing, but by letting go of the questions, so the answers would appear without effort. This was his time-honored method of solving problems.

His own desert property was about 5,000 acres, adjacent to the Navajo Nation that was 17.5 million acres. He only wished that geographic size mattered for the Navajos. That they had been given what they deserved for their land.

A certainty gripped him as he sped low atop a treeless mesa where the bottom would unexpectedly drop out from under him to reveal a spectacular panorama below. He enjoyed this jolt, like what you feel on a roller coaster ride when you descend without warning from a long slow ascent.

A few minutes on the phone with Jay did what all Jack’s well reasoned arguments could not do. If Jay worked for Conservation for Nature, it was not a company he would do business with.

Yes, he could use a tax deduction, but not one that would land him in trouble with the government. George wished a structure that was simple and straightforward like himself. Where would find such a structure? He did not know, but the search would now begin.

He was satisfied. George had learned to live with contradictions and not let them bring him down. These internal struggles could produce something higher, if you handled them properly. His life was a testament to this proper handling. “Keep your eye on the answer, not the problem,” he told himself with a smile.

Outstanding Results Realized

We will compare the various structures generally used by non-U.S. persons for investing in U.S. real estate with the addition of PPLI. Adding the PPLI advantage is a cost-effective way to give clients additional return on their investments and legitimate, enhanced privacy in their structures.

An insurance solution using PPLI or a Private Placement Variable Annuity (PPVA) contract can greatly simplify or eliminate many of these issues and make long term investing even more appealing.

All foreign Investors are exposed to a myriad of US tax consequences, including withholding taxes (30%), capital gains, and even U.S. Estate Taxes. Life insurance, and specifically PPLI, is a well-established tax and estate planning tool that many qualified investors utilize to mitigate and manage these exposures.

Most structures can remain intact with the simple addition of a compliant life or annuity policy. PPLI can accommodate most custodians, managers or funds, making the transaction as simple to set up as a trust.

PPLI also provides simplified reporting and confidentiality. The policy is reported once, and not the assets held or underlying investments. The owner reports a life policy, and not that they are investors or hold assets in the U.S.

The Summary Chart below compares using PPLI with other commonly used structures. The small additional expense of adding PPLI to a structure gives the non-U.S. person many additional benefits that cannot be achieved otherwise.

PPLI with IDF vs. Other Real Estate Structures
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If an EWP Structure had been used….

If an EWP Structure had been used, these salient features would have been of great benefit to George.

  • An EWP Structure is a holistic tax shield. Once assets are placed in an EWP Structure, they are exempt from income tax and capital gains tax. No need to seek out patently fallacious tax deductions like those offered by Conservation for Nature.
  • If George had had his chain of cigarette stores in an EWP Structure, he would have paid no capital gains tax when he sold it. As it were, he paid tens of millions in tax.
  • When George began purchasing ranches, these purchases could have been made inside his EWP Structure with the funds he received from his cigarette stores. Each of these ranches would become a separate investment inside his Structure. He could buy and sell ranches inside the Structure with no tax consequences.
  • Upon George’s death, all the ranches would pass tax-free to his heirs in a properly designed Structure. All appreciation in the ranches would pass tax-free to his heirs. There is currently a provision for a step-up in basis at the death of the owner of real estate in the tax code, but this can be easily taken away with a change of administration in Washington D.C. At this present time, it is rumored to be under consideration for removal from the tax code.

Please Contact Us for any questions you may have.

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.

CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EWP Stories-1

Expanded Worldwide Planning
International Tax Planning

UPDATED

EWP Stories
Part 1: Privacy

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Privacy is a key element. Wealthy families are looking for ways to keep their affairs private, and still be compliant with tax authorities worldwide.

What was once private and personal becomes public and accessible to all. Computers and other electronic devices are part of our lives, whatever our opinion of them. These devices can add convenience and efficiency to our lives, but at a cost.

At EWP Financial we embrace the Privacy Principle. The Privacy Principle is unique as it simply and legally shields wealthy families from unwished intrusions into their financial affairs. At the same time, the Privacy Principle is fully transparent and gives wealthy families a bespoke, compliant asset structure for all their holdings, wherever they might be throughout the world.

Watch our #Privacy videos


Electronic Privacy?

Andrew Grove, co-founder and former CEO of Intel Corporation, expressed the following thought:

“Privacy is one of the biggest problems in this new electronic age. At the heart of the Internet culture is a force that wants to find out everything about you. And once it has found out everything about you and two hundred million others, that’s a very valuable asset, and people will be tempted to trade and do commerce with that asset. This wasn’t the information that people were thinking of when they called this the information age.”

The ancient Greeks called man, “a political animal.” In today’s world almost all so-called facts are politicized. It is no different with privacy. Certain groups consider the journalistic authors of the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers heros of a free press. Others say that these same journalists were thieves, who unlawfully stole private financial data. Whatever your opinion, these events did happen, and the targets were most decidedly wealthy families throughout the world.

How does the privacy afforded by a properly structured Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) policy protect the families whose financial information was published for the entire world to see?

The Privacy Principle of EWP accomplishes its objective in several key ways:

  • Upon transfer into the PPLI policy, the insurance company becomes the beneficial owner of all the assets in the policy;
  • If there is reporting to a tax authority for the asset structure, only one number is reported. This is the total cash value of all the assets in the PPLI policy. The individual assets are not reported;
  • The bank account that is usually opened in connection with a PPLI policy is opened in the name of the insurance company, not the policyowner. The policyowner has full access to the funds in the bank account in accordance with the assets inside the policy.
Part 1

The hot, dry night air seemed to smother the sleek, six passenger Cessna Citation XLS jet. The plane had just touched down on the tarmac of this isolated runway. Next to the gleaming white jet was a gigantic windowless warehouse. The eerie, yellow lights that protruded from the warehouse turned the body of the private jet the color of an overripe mango fruit.

As he emerged from the plane, Carlos Gutierrez felt the skin on his face tighten from the baking heat of the desert. He walked briskly to the newly completed warehouse and his cell phone rang.

He usually did not answer calls from unrecognized numbers, but he was expecting a call from his daughter, Lucinda.

“Hello,” he said. The voice on the other end was strangely familiar.

“Juan, is that you?”

“Yes.” said the now unmistakable voice of his best university friend. The voice was indeed Juan’s, but it had none of the joy and conviviality that he associated with it from university days.

“Carlos, we have your daughter, Lucinda.”

“What? I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“Carlos, I now do the finances for one of the cartels that Lucinda wrote about in her article. We want ten million dollars for her release. We will not compromise. We want the money now. We will give you 48 hours to deliver it, and, if we don’t receive it, we will be forced to do other things to your beautiful daughter. I will call you in three hours.”

The line went dead.

The Privacy Paradox

In connection to privacy, there is a concept called the privacy paradox that was first discussed by Bedrick, Lerner, and Whitehead, The privacy paradox: Introduction, News Media and the Law:

“The privacy paradox is a phenomenon in which online users state that they are concerned about their privacy but behave as if they were not. While this term was coined as early as 1998, it wasn’t used in its current popular sense until the year 2000.”

The authors go onto to explain this in more detail:

“Some researchers believe that decision making takes place on an irrational level, especially when it comes to mobile computing. Mobile applications are built up in a way that decision making is fast. Restricting one’s profile on social networks is the easiest way to protect against privacy threats and security intrusions. However, such protection measures are not easily accessible while downloading and installing apps.”

Louis Menand excellently expresses the same thought in his New Yorker article, “Nowhere To Hide,” of June 18, 2018:

“How many of us are going to take the time to scroll through the new policies and change our data settings, though? We sign up to get the service, but we don’t give much thought to who might be storing our clicks or what they’re doing with our personal information. It is weird, at first, when our devices seem to “know” where we live or how old we are or what books we like or which brand of toothpaste we use. Then we grow to expect this familiarity, and even to like it. It makes the online world seem customized for us, and it cuts down on the time we need to map the route home or order something new to read. The machine anticipates what we want.”

Legal Challenges

There is also another type of privacy paradox pertinent to EWP in the reporting of data breaches and news reporting on wealthy families. This is aptly put by Filippo Noseda, partner at the Mischon de Reya law firm in London:

“It is somewhat curious that serious newspapers who have been covering both the private banking scandals and the erosion of privacy seem unable to make the connection between data protection on the one hand, and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and beneficial ownership registers on the other.”

CRS was initiated in 2014 by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with the goal of creating financial transparency between countries that have agreed to implement its directives. Beneficial ownership registers collate information about the beneficial owner of a financial entity in a registry for storage and use by enforcement agencies.

Mr. Noseda also draws our attention to published material by The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) where he questions the OECD’s goal of total financial transparency.

Mr. Noseda writes: “As if they were living on planet Europa rather than in Europe, the European Parliament, the OECD, and politicians show complete disregard for the warnings raised by their own data protection bodies and instead appear hell-bent on introducing a system of total transparency.”

In October 2020, a client of the law firm Mishcon de Reya filed a claim with the district court in Luxembourg challenging beneficial ownership registers, and alleges that the ‘indiscriminate and generalized’ publication of personal details of individuals connected to family enterprises breaches their fundamental rights to data protection and privacy, and exposes them to ‘unnecessary and disproportionate’ risks.

We have grown accustomed to the idea that transparency is a good thing, something that supports the common good. Like many concepts, if taken to an extreme, it becomes its opposite—a weapon in the hands of governments hungry for wealthy citizens’ tax dollars. As proponents of EWP, we must question this overzealous approach to tax collection.

Part 2

Carlos weaved to the door of the warehouse, followed closely by his pilot and co-pilot. Carlos fumbled with the key and finally opened the door to the office warehouse. His long-time pilot and co-pilot functioned also has confidants and body guards, so he told them in Spanish what just occurred.

Carlos was educated mostly in the United States, having received a masters degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University in New York, but English was his second language. Like all of us in times of emotional turmoil, he sought some comfort. Presently the only solace available was to speak his native language.

The plight of his daughter was beyond devastating, but the next step he knew was only a phone call away. He would call his insurance broker. Carlos had purchased Kidnap and Ransom insurance for his family, since the Mexican drug cartels had recently moved into his native Michoacan state, seeking to legitimize their sources of income by terrorizing the local avocado growers. By means of intimidation and violence, they sought access to this lucrative agricultural industry. His family were third generation avocado growers.

What put Carlos into emotional delirium was hearing the voice of Juan, his best friend at Columbia University. Juan had been a model student, an honor student like Carlos, and a kind and generous person. His involvement in his daughter’s kidnapping seemed preposterous. He would not have believed it, if it weren’t for hearing his voice.

Carlos was meticulous in his financial affairs. His company had the ability to assemble the most advanced and sophisticated electronic components. He had become a billionaire in his early 40s through his design of innovative electronics for medical devices. He abided by the law, both in Mexico and the U.S. Carlos was proud to be a citizen of both the U.S. and Mexico, even though it cost financially to do so.

The last time he had spent time with Juan was after college at the family farm outside the city of Uruapan. They had climbed onto one of the old avocado trees, and to drink beer together and eat avocados. They were looking forward to launching their careers after college. He remembered the solid branches supporting them, the ripe avocados at their fingertips, with the dappled sunlight making the tree a private world of their own. He remembered the light being soft and multicolored like the light coming through stained glass in a church. They exuberantly discussed their prospects. Joining a drug cartel was definitely not on their list of future possibilities.

The Past Lacks Privacy

EWP and PPLI can further the aims of wealthy families seeking increased privacy, asset protection, and tax efficiency, but privacy, as we know it today, is a relatively recent phenomena.

We quote two eye-opening passages by Greg Ferenstein’s “The Birth and Death of Privacy: 3,000 Years of History…,” courtesy of Medium:

“Privacy, as it is conventionally understood, is only 150 years old. Most humans living throughout history had little concept of privacy in their tiny communities. Sex, breastfeeding, and bathings were shamelessly performed in front of friends and families.”

“Privacy-conscious citizens did find more traction with what would become perhaps America’s first privacy law, the 1710 Post Office Act, which banned sorting through the mail by postal employees.”

This last quote seems quaint in light of the large-scale, present-day concerns of unauthorized data sharing by social media sites. The Privacy Principle was created to give wealthy families enhanced privacy. Our firm can be confident of our success, because EWP asset structuring greatly simplifies the process, and in addition, gives you the privacy that you seek.

The Dangerous Mouse Click

An adroit insider in the world of data breaches gives us frightening insights into how easily our personal data can be exposed and made public.

Lucia Vazquez,’s “A Millionaire Hacker’s Lessons for Corporate America,” for the Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2020 tells us:

“Santiago Lopez started invading corporate computer systems at age 16, after he learned to hack from YouTube videos and like-minded friends.

Now 21, he says he never wanted to commit crimes. Rather, he is a bounty hunter, invited by companies to find holes in their business networks and burrow into their vulnerable data. The idea is that a company will then fix what’s wrong to harden itself against bad actors—“black-hat” hackers—looking to steal data, conduct espionage and disrupt business operations. Like others in a stable of “white-hat” attack experts associated with bug-bounty firm HackerOne, Mr. Lopez gets paid commensurate with the severity of the weaknesses he identifies. He and other members swarm applications and websites to look for security holes missed by customers that contract with the San Francisco-based firm. Big problems pay big money.”

In the same article, Ms. Vasquez asked these two important questions to Mr. Lopez:

You’re really effective at what you do. What does this say about corporate cybersecurity?

They’re not investing money or time or work in trying to grow their cybersecurity team. A lot of companies, if you report bugs to them, they don’t have the expertise to fix them. Software that they build themselves has more bugs but software generally is vulnerable, always. If software has access to important data, then encrypt it.

What kinds of technology changes are coming that will create cybersecurity problems?

Artificial intelligence has helped us a lot to optimize tasks, process data and make decisions much faster than a human being could. However, new technologies, including artificial intelligence, create big cybersecurity risks, as potential vulnerabilities are not fully understood when they are found. This means that with more organizations relying on machine learning to perform business-critical actions, AI systems are sure to become a major target for hackers.”

Part 3

Diego wondered how he was to receive his bribe. He was told by his contact to buy a burner phone on Wednesday, and throw it away that evening after he received a text. His contact had booked him a table for 7pm at the Bellini Restaurant, atop the World Trade Center on the 45th floor in Mexico City.

“Good evening, sir,” said the handsome young man in his well-tailored valet parking uniform.

His car door was politely closed, and Diego pulled away, feeling somewhat sheepish and out of place with his old Prius at this expensive restaurant in Mexico City. The Bellini was an uncomfortable experience for Diego. This showed in the perspiration draining down his shirt from below his armpits. In his highly excited state, he had forgotten to put on deodorant this morning.

He had barely noticed the dazzling lights that lay below him, as he ate but did not taste the exquisite meal that was paid for by his contact. The restaurant magically revolved, but he might as well have been facing a blank wall. Diego only thought of one thing, and one thing only: “Will I get paid, or will they kill me instead.”

As he was traveling toward his small apartment, he received a text, Look in the glove box, then destroy your phone. I mean destroy it completely.

Diego opened the glove box to find a plain manilla envelope, which he tore open to find cash. Plenty of cash. 400,000 pesos, about $20,000U.S. The equivalent of his annual salary.

Why were 400,000 pesos put in his glove box? The reason was simple. Diego worked at the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT). The SAT is the revenue service of the Mexican federal government. Diego had access to information that the cartel wanted to destroy Carlos Guittierez.

A new law had come into effect January 1, 2020, and stipulates that tax evasion will turn into a charge of organized crime if three or more people are aware of a scheme, which could result in companies being held criminally liable. Diego had access to salient information in Mexico’s Register of Beneficial Ownership. The cartel was going to use this information to charge Carlos under this new law.

How ironic that a successful businessman like Carlos could be discredited by an organized crime cartel when he went to great lengths to comply with all of Mexico’s laws. In a sinister way, the designs of Carlos’s intricate electronic components mirrored the devious, deceptive, and criminal practices of the cartel. One was used for good, and the other to destroy an innocent man.

Corporate Cybersecurity Amis

Large corporate data breaches have become almost commonplace in recent years. Here are a few courtesy of Dan Swinhoe from CSO, April 17, 2020:

Yahoo

Date: 2013-14

Impact: 3 billion user accounts

Details: Yahoo announced in September 2016 that in 2014 it had been the victim of what would be the biggest data breach in history. The attackers, which the company believed were “state-sponsored actors,” compromised the real names, email addresses, dates of birth and telephone numbers of 500 million users. Yahoo claimed that most of the compromised passwords were hashed.

LinkedIn

Date: 2012 (and 2016)

Impact: 165 million user accounts

Details: As the major social network for business professionals, LinkedIn has become an attractive proposition for attackers looking to conduct social engineering attacks. However, it has also fallen victim to leaking user data in the past.

Equifax

Date: July 29, 2017

Impact: 147.9 million consumers

Details: Equifax, one of the largest credit bureaus in the US, said on Sept. 7, 2017 that an application vulnerability in one of their websites led to a data breach that exposed about 147.9 million consumers. The breach was discovered on July 29, but the company says that it likely started in mid-May. The breach compromised the personal information (including Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in some cases drivers’ license numbers) of 143 million consumers; 209,000 consumers also had their credit card data exposed. That number was raised to 147.9 million in October 2017.”

These large corporate data breaches might seem impersonal and far off, unless you were one of the victims. We finish this section with a more sinister example, that highlights the vulnerable interfaces of our technologically dependent world. This example is again from Mr. Menand’s thoughtful New Yorker article quoted from earlier:

“An Oregon couple’s domestic conversation (about hardwood floors, they said) was recorded by Echo, Amazon’s “smart speaker” for the home, which sent it as an audio file to one of the husband’s employees. Amazon called the event “an extremely rare occurrence”—that is, not a systemic security issue.”

Part 4

One week later Carlos Gutierrez found it difficult to pursue life in his usual diligent and focused manner. His daughter Lucinda had been returned by the cartel, unharmed physically, but shaken to the core psychologically. Carlos was now flying back from San Jose to one of his homes near La Jolla in southern California.

He requested that they take a route directly south from Santa Barbara, over the Channel Islands, only veering west after San Clemente Island. It was the most common route when he flew commercially before he could afford to keep two jets. Carlos was attempting to re-establish some order in his life.

Before the kidnapping and the lawsuit, he and his family inhabited a sane and orderly world, cut off from the concerns of those outside this thin bubble. When it burst more illusions escaped than he had ever thought possible. He could repair things with money, but money alone could not repair his family’s current emotional devastation.

One of his business strengths was the ability to inspire those who could put his creative electrical engineering concepts into integrated circuits and the other components of his medical devices. In San Jose he had visited a shop owned by Koreans, who were excellent to work with, and could manage his sometimes maddening deadlines.

Carlos was spared the emotional distress of having to speak with Juan again. The insurance company that wrote his Kidnap and Ransom insurance took over the successful negotiations with the cartel so that his daughter could be freed. He still could not fathom how his best friend of twenty years ago could now be working for one of the most vicious and notorious drug cartels in Mexico.

Although not currently a churchgoer, he was raised a Roman Catholic. He reflected on the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Just one week ago, they had lived in a similar paradise. But like Adam and Eve, they could now not return to this peaceful and predictable world.

The moist, soft, delicious avocado fruit was his last link to Juan. After all, the fruit that Eve ate was called the fruit of good and evil. How strange it turned out to be good for Carlos and evil for Juan.

His jet gently sloped down to the runway. He promised himself to protect the privacy of his affairs ever more vigilantly. Yes, the former bubble had burst, but he could construct a more solid one going forward. All he could be sure of was that Juan had taken his path in life, and he had taken another. Carlos’s new path would have to include a new, creative design, presently unknown, but one he vowed to find. After all, that is how he had amassed his billions.

Conclusion

As we are learning, the danger of data collection by online companies is not that they will use it to try to sell you stuff. The danger is that that information can so easily fall into the hands of parties whose motives are much less benign. A government, for example.

EWP and PPLI are employed by our firm to not only give you enhanced privacy, we also keep you compliant with tax authorities worldwide. This is something that other asset structures can’t accomplish. The Privacy Principle is integral to our successful asset structures.

EWP has the six principles that matter most to wealthy families throughout the world today—no matter where they are located. They are the building blocks of any successful asset structure.

If an EWP Structure Had Been Used….

Can an EWP Structure prevent kidnapping and extortion? While an EWP Structure can’t prevent the nefarious deeds of organized crime, it can go a long way in securing the privacy that can prevent these acts of physical and emotional violence. Had Carlos Gutierrez had a properly executed EWP Structure, it is doubtful that his story would have unfolded in such a painful way. Since an insurance company becomes the beneficial owner of the assets in an EWP Structure, the reporting requirements to government agencies are very limited.

If the drug cartel wished to secure details about the private financial matters of the Gutierrez family, they would be hard pressed to find them. As it was, the details that they needed to kidnap Lucinda and begin their frivolous lawsuit were readily available to them using the Gutierrez’s present asset structure. The precise, pin-point accuracy of the planning that led to the kidnapping of Lucinda would not have been possible with an EWP Structure in place. The information that the cartel used would simply have not been available to them.

Please Contact Us for any questions you may have.

 

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.

CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Tax Planning and Financial Architecture

Financial Architecture
The Comprehensive Blueprint

 

Would you build a custom home without an architect?

Have you constructed your financial affairs without one?

How would you know?

You have constructed your financial home over time, using the best options available when opportunities presented themselves. This may inadvertently have created a house constructed by multiple architects, many different styles that may or may not fit together.

Why not take the designs that we have used with great success for the world’s wealthiest families to remodel your own house?

As financial architects, we can offer you an overreaching, comprehensive, and cohesive design optimized for privacy, tax efficiency, and asset protection.

We are not here to replace your trusted business or investment advisors. Our role is to take what you have already accomplished and place it into a structure that will create a unified design for all your interests, a method we have used for the world’s wealthiest families, families with a wide variety of assets and financial arrangements.

Read Full Article in our partner site

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by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC.

CEO, Founder @EWP Financial

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

International Tax Planning At Its Best-1

Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) At Its Best

White Paper-Part 1

The authority of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) has been firmly established. Wikipedia has recognized our knowledge-based solutions for wealthy families by including the concept of EWP in their article on International Tax Planning. On this Wikipedia page, the six principles of EWP are explained.

EWP is defined as:

“An element of international taxation created to implement directives from several tax authorities following the 2008 worldwide recession.”

The six principles of EWP are: privacy, asset protection, tax shield, succession planning, compliance simplifier, and trust substitute.

The Wikipedia article goes on to say,

“EWP allows a tax paying entity to simplify its existing structures and minimize reporting obligations under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). These international assets can also comply with tax authorities worldwide.”

We are taking a cue from Wikipedia. Our white paper features the six principles of EWP. EWP has the six principles that matter most to wealthy families throughout the world today—no matter where they are located. They are the building blocks of any successful asset structure.

Read full article in our partner site.

 

by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC, @ Advanced Financial Solutions, Inc

Michael Malloy-CLU-TEP