Tax Shield 4 – Episode 4 – Part 3 – The EWP Stories Video Series

Tax Shield Video 4 – The Expanded Worldwide Planning Video Series

 International Tax Planning

Introduction

Welcome. As advisors, we concentrate on the ‘shield’ aspect of the term Tax Shield. A Tax Shield is a main principle of Expanded Worldwide Planning, or EWP for short. We will now speak about the ‘tax’ aspect of our subject. What is the history of this thing we wish to shield? Here is a very brief history of taxation, mostly in the U.S. context.

We begin in the ancient world. There is recorded a system of taxation in Egypt around 3000 BC. Oddly enough, the United States 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 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced to pave the way to an income tax.

World War I led to three Revenue Acts that raised tax rates and lowered the exemption levels. The number of people paying taxes in the U.S. increased to 5%.

By 1940, the need for the U.S. to prepare for war and support its allies led to 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 taxes and the yearly receipts were in excess of $45 billion. Today annual tax revenue in the U.S. is approximately $3.7 trillion dollars

In this video we find George Allbirght debating with himself on whether he should proceed with the conservation easement offered by the company, Conservation for Nature. A telephone call from his old college acquaintance Jay Edwards forces a definite decision from George.

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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. 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. I heard in the office that you were interested….”

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

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 doing appraisals—Conservation for Nature, but was hardly intelligible. That was enough for George.

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

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Conclusion

In our next video, George is again aboard his state-of-the-art helicopter cruising over his 5,000 acre property. George was safe in the knowledge that he must find a simple and straightforward solution to his tax problem.

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 five 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax Shield 2 – Episode 2 – Part 3 – The EWP Stories Video Series

The Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 3 – Episode 2 – Tax Shield 2

Watch Tax Shield Episode 1

Introduction

Welcome. Oddly enough many of the tax benefits used in the sophisticated designs of Expanded Worldwide Planning, or EWP for short, are common to most life insurance policies. These tax benefits are:

  • Tax-deferred growth of the cash value
  • No capital gains tax
  • No income tax
  • The ability to access the cash value through tax-free loans, and
  • A tax-free death benefit

In this video we meet Jack Newcastle, an attorney at the IRS. Jack is in the midst of auditing the very company that George Allbright is considering for his conservation easement. Jack’s nickname is ‘Jack the Shark.’ We learn how he earned this nickname, and why he has his current position at the IRS.

—————————————————————————————————-

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. His nickname was ‘Jack the shark.’

 

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 Allbright 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 tax deduction.

By contrast, these promoters were finding appraisers willing to declare that land parcels purchased by the promoters have extraordinary development value, and thus were worth many times the purchase price. They then were selling stakes in the deal to wealthy investors who receive 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 promotors. 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 different 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. It was not a number he knew, 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?

—————————————————————————————————-

Conclusion

Our next video, reveals how Conservation for Nature achieves their inflated tax deductions. You will find out the very person who is most responsible for these inflated deductions, Jay Edwards. Jay is being pushed for larger and larger tax deductions at the cost of both his career and his health.

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 Three of our Tax Shield story.

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 Expanded Worldwide Planning Stories Video Series – Part 3 – Episode 1 – Tax Shield 1

Tax Shield 1 – Episode 1 – Part 3 – The EWP Stories Video Series

Tax Shield-Video 1

Introduction
Welcome. Why strain to invent an asset structure that will very likely draw the attention of tax authorities, because of its convoluted and aggressive design? 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.
Our story involves the failed attempt of George Allbright to use a conservation easement that produces an inflated tax deduction. George discovers when it’s almost too late why it’s important to use a firmly established asset structure rather than one that will just get you in trouble with the IRS.


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. It 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 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 didn’t recognize.

“Hello,” said George.

“Good afternoon,” said a well educated voice. “Let me get straight to the point. We haven’t 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 couldn’t have been better,” said George. “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. 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?


Conclusion
In our next video, we meet Jack Newcastle, an attorney for the IRS. Jack is currently conducting an audit of the very company that George Allbirght is considering using. Will George become just another victim of an IRS tax audit?

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 Two of our Tax Shield story.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EWP Stories-3

Expanded Worldwide Planning
International Tax Planning

Stories
Part 3: Tax Shield

Download PDF

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
View PDF Image

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

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International Tax Planning & Tax Shield-2

PPLI with IDF vs. Other Real Estate Structures

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International Tax Planning, (EWP), and Tax Shield-2

Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) in Action

The Hampton Freeze & Beyond–Part 2

The universality of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) is not to be denied. This is objectified by Wikipedia. In the first sentence of their page on International Tax Planning, Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) is featured.

We are taking a cue from Wikipedia. Over the next few weeks, we will feature one of the six principles of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP). The six principles are: privacy, asset protection, tax shield, succession planning, compliance simplifier, and trust substitute. Today we feature the tax shield.

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 Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) in combination with trusts and LLC elements eliminates or mitigates U.S., withholding taxes, U.S. income and capital gains taxes, and estate taxes.

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

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Q & A – Fence = Privacy…Well Sort of

Questions and Answers  from the book “The Wit and Wisdom of Professor PPLI: How to Achieve Exceptional Asset Structuring with Private Placement Life Insurance”

~ by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC

 

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Fence = Privacy…Well Sort of

Let PPLI Be Your First Defense

Section 2, Part 1

When it comes to the six principles of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP), few asset structuring tools work as well as PPLI for wealthy families throughout the world. Professor PPLI, how did this come to be?

You might describe this occurrence as a happy accident. The six principles of EWP came into their own after FATCA and CRS. With these two important changes in the planning landscape, wealthy families wished a more conservative and stable method in which to organize their financial holdings. Why not use a financial tool that has been around in different forms since 100 B.C.? This is, of course, life insurance.

PPLI delivers to  wealthy families all six principles of EWP: privacy, asset protection, tax shield, succession planning, compliance simplifier, and trust substitute. All these outstanding benefits in one low-cost and simple structure.

Professor PPLI, please tell us how the U.S. tax system can benefit wealthy clients throughout the world?

The tax system in the U.S. gives the individual states much independence in structuring their tax laws. In some ways, it can be compared to the cantons in Switzerland that were able to structure their laws to attract corporations from around the world to locate headquarters there. In the U.S. several states compete by designing favorable trust and tax laws that encourage wealthy families from around the world to move their financial assets to these states.

These states are most notable: South Dakota, Nevada, Delaware, Wyoming, and recently New Hampshire. In general the U.S. gives families stability with a strong rule of law that protects personal property. Also, since the U.S. is not a party to CRS there is limited reporting. With the favorable laws in these states coupled with a PPLI policy, the family has an excellent home for its worldwide holdings.

At Advanced Financial Solutions almost all our PPLI policies involve some sort of cross border situation. Professor PPLI, please tell us how these cross border planning situations are best approached.

Throughout the world governments pass new tax laws daily and its citizens and those who come under its jurisdiction must comply with these laws, or face certain penalties. Also, tax laws change frequently and how you must comply does not always translate into a simple answer or number on your tax return.

This is why at Advanced Financial Solutions Inc., we thoroughly research our PPLI structures, and make sure they comply with all the tax authorities involved in the locations of a client’s assets. Because a properly structured PPLI policy can hold almost any asset, this thorough research must be specific to the laws pertaining to this asset class.

For instance, some clients might wish to invest in an Australian security, or others have a private jet registered in a specific jurisdiction. We undertake this research at the beginning of the policy design to insure that it is fully compliant. Even operating businesses can be placed inside a PPLI policy with the proper structuring. This is all part of our unique method of asset structuring for wealthy families throughout the world.

 

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

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Q & A – Inside and Outside PPLI

Questions and Answers  from the book “The Wit and Wisdom of Professor PPLI: How to Achieve Exceptional Asset Structuring with Private Placement Life Insurance”

~ by Michael Malloy, CLU TEP RFC

Inside and Outside PPLI

Academics Teach Us a Lesson

Section 1, Part 4

 

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Professor PPLI, a key element in this discussion is magic. Give us more insight into how PPLI makes some things disappear and others appear.

This is a good way to view the topic. When we consider the six elements of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP), they can be grouped into these two categories. Elements that disappear and those that make things appear.

These categories are somewhat arbitrary, but allow you to collect certain thoughts around these six elements of EWP. We can place privacy, asset protection, and tax shield in the Disappearing Category.

Legitimate privacy allows wealthy families to conduct their affairs outside the prying eyes of those who do not have a rightful interest in their financial affairs. The tax shield in a properly structured policy eliminates taxes in most jurisdictions throughout the world. Asset protection keeps assets outside the reach of ex-spouses, and those seeking easy access to wealth without proper legal authority. This is accomplished using the correct asset protection trust in tandem with the PPLI policy, which adds another layer of protection to the trust.

In the Appear Category, we place trust substitute, compliance simplifier, and succession planning. In some civil law jurisdictions, trusts are not recognized or do not function as well as they do in common law jurisdictions. Using a PPLI policy in the structure can, in some cases, simplify and enhance the planning. PPLI is definitely a compliance simplifier. Since the insurance company becomes the beneficial owner of the assets inside the policy, reporting obligations are greatly simplified and in some cases eliminated. Since the life insurance death benefit passes directly to the designated beneficiaries, it can deliver the death benefit outside the forced heirship laws that exist in some jurisdictions.

One magical aspect of PPLI is that although it is classified as a life insurance product, it functions more like a trust. Since most policies are owned by trusts, you might say that PPLI and trusts join together and become a successful and secure asset structuring marriage. Professor PPLI, please tell us how this is possible. 

The PPLI policy provides elements which are not possible with a trust alone. A trust can accomplish many useful things such as putting into legal language the aims and goals of the wealth owners. A trust also creates an entity that can live beyond the lives of the wealth owners. The following comparison tells the story.

Trust and Insurance Comparison 

Insurance

  • Contractually based and used by millions
  • Tax deferral
  • Insurance company is beneficial owner
  • Simplified or limited reporting
  • Potentially tax free
  • No capital gains taxes
  • No trustee
  • Asset protection

Trust

  • Provides some asset protection
  • Sometimes seen as a tool for the rich
  • Requires “trustee” with full control
  • More stringent reporting requirements
  • Tax filings for trust and possibly beneficiaries required by some jurisdictions

Professor PPLI, you use two very different academic articles in this Section to illustrate a point. Please explain more fully how these two articles relate to PPLI.

Wealthy families are looking for simple and straightforward methods to structure their assets. In part, these two articles illustrate that the financial, political, and governmental aspects of our lives are in constant change. Laws are enacted which sometimes have the opposite effect than was intended by their creators, as one article proves.

Governments are seeking more ways to tax wealthy families, and this is seen by some as a societal good, and by others as governmental overreach. Once assets are properly structured inside a PPLI policy, they are somewhat isolated from these forces, and can pass to future generations according to the wishes of the wealth owners.

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

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Fence = Privacy–Well Sort of

Let PPLI Be Your First Defense

Part 1

Our next five articles will comprise an in-depth look at the five main components of our PPLI Concept Map: Professor PPLI meets Leonardo da Vinci.

These two neighbors are discussing a new tax law in their fenced backyard. Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) is a well-established, yet conservation ring fence for your assets. Once assets are structured properly in a PPLI policy, the insurance company becomes the beneficial owner of the assets.

According to Investopedia, “a ring fence is a protection-based transfer of assets from one destination to another, usually through the use of offshore accounting. A ring fence is meant to protect the assets from inclusion in an investor’s calculable net worth or to lower tax consequences.”

This definition reveals the etymology of the word fence. The Online Etymology Dictionary tells us that in the 14th century the word fence was used as an “action of defending, resistance; means of protection, fortification.”

The advantage of an insurance ring fence is that life insurance is a common structuring tool and is used by millions around the world to provide financial security.

Now back to our two neighbors. In our scene the barbecue is pouring out smoke, and smoke can mean trouble. Indeed, it is black smoke which reminds us of a passage at the beginning of Charles Dickens’s Bleak House. We will visit Charles Dickens’s London later on, where Dickens uses fog as a metaphor for the decrepitude of polluted London in the mid-19th century. Indeed, Dickens’s London was a mixture of both fog and smoke during much of the year.

In the context of our story, smoke, whether foul or benign, can easily escape a fenced backyard. Smoke is subject to wind currents, and other atmospheric elements. PPLI structures use a “smoke free” strategy. One that is not subject to the vagaries of the weather.

A properly structured PPLI policy is a ring fence that gives wealthy clients’ assets an airtight chamber. Inside this chamber the six principles Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP) breathe clean air with no pollutants. The six principles of EWP are: Privacy, Asset Protection, Succession Planning, Tax Shield, Compliance Simplifier, Trust Substitute.

Imagine the scene in our panel taking place anywhere in the world. A government passes a new tax law and its citizens must compile with it, or face certain penalties. Tax laws change frequently and how you must compile–how much tax you must pay under the new law–does not always translate into a simple answer or number on your tax return. This is why we thoroughly research our PPLI structures, and make sure they compile with all the tax authorities involved in the locations of a client’s assets.

Let us back up briefly and visit an excellent basic description of PPLI.

Al W. King III, left, and Pierce McDowell III, are co-founders of the South Dakota Trust Company, LLC in Sioux Falls, S.D. We give you the opening paragraphs from their Trusts & Estates article, “Powerful Private Placement Life Insurance Strategies With Trusts.”

“What is PPLI?

PPLI is essentially a flexible premium variable universal life (VUL) insurance transaction that occurs within a private placement offering. The private placement component adds extensive flexibility to the VUL product pricing and asset management offerings. Because PPLI is sold through a private placement memorandum, every situation can be individually negotiated and custom designed for the client. PPLI can be for single life or survivorship and is offered only to an accredited investor.

PPLI has both a death benefit and a cash value (that is, investment account) and is generally designed to maximize cash value and minimize death benefits. Consequently, PPLI is usually designed as a non-modified endowment contract (non-MEC) policy, with four to five premiums versus a single premium policy (that is, a MEC). In this way, cash values can be accessed tax-free during an insured’s lifetime.

The PPLI cash value is generally invested among a variety of available registered and non-registered fund options (that is, hedge funds, private equity (PE) and other alternative investments).”

From Cole Porter we give you a different aspect of a fence: one that constricts and prevents the innovative structuring techniques that are possible with PPLI. The mystique of the American cowboy roaming the vast open spaces of the western U.S. comes alive in this popular song from the 1930s, Don’t Fence Me In,” courtesy of Warner/Chappell Music, Inc..

“Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above

Don’t fence me in

Let me ride through the wide open country that I love

Don’t fence me in

Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze

And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees

Send me off forever but I ask you please

Don’t fence me in

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle

Underneath the western skies

On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder

Till I see the mountains rise

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences

And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses

And I can’t look at hovels and I can’t stand fences

Don’t fence me in

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies

Don’t fence me in

Let me ride through the wide open country that I love

Don’t fence me in

Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze

And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees

Send me off forever but I ask you please

Don’t fence me in

Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle

Underneath the western skies

On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder

Till I see the mountains rise

Ba boo ba ba boo

I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences

And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses

And I can’t look at hobbles and I can’t stand fences

Don’t fence me in

No

Poppa, don’t you fence me in”

We now travel back to London for a discussion of privacy and data protection. This subject is key to the debate about tax that is taking place on the world’s stage. What our two neighbors are discussing in their backyard is an important topic for governments and those that advise wealthy clients. Caroline Garnham is a London attorney, who heads the firm of Garnham Family Office Services, and is one of our favorite writers on this subject.

First, we give you Dickens’s memorable depiction of foggy London.

“Fog everywhere. Fog up the river, where it flows among green aits and meadows; fog down the river, where it rolls defiled among the tiers of shipping and the waterside pollutions of a great (and dirty) city. Fog in the eyes and throats of ancient Greenwich pensioners, wheezing by the firesides of their skipper, down in his close cabin, fog cruelly pinching the toes and fingers of his shivering little ‘prentice boy on deck. Chance people on the bridges peeping over the parapets into a nether sky of fog, with fog all round them, as if they were up in a balloon and hanging in the misty clouds.”

Was Tony Blair right second time?

Is privacy and data protection a good thing or not?

Should there be a public register of what you own? Would you like your neighbours, friends, children and employees knowing precisely what you own; properties, businesses, pensions and bank accounts? Why not – if you have nothing to hide?

Tony Blair, is on record as saying that one of his greatest regrets had been his own Freedom of Information Act. Why because in his view ‘information is neither sought because the journalist is curious to know, nor given to bestow knowledge on ’the people’. ‘It is used as a weapon’.

To protect his privacy once he left office and started to make money, he erected barriers to prevent an accurate assessment of his wealth His income was channelled through a complicated legal structure. At the top was BDBCO No.819 Limited a company called either Windrush or Firerush. Windrush Ventures No.3 LP was part owned by Windrush Ventures No.2 LP which in turn controlled Windrush Ventures Ltd. The scheme’s advantage was that the LPs, or limited partnerships, were not obliged to publish accounts. Even without public registers and the protection of limited partnerships, Tom Bower, author of ‘Broken Vows’ managed to track down these details – so why do we need a public register?

Furthermore, the drive for a public register is for ownership of companies and properties, but  not of the beneficiaries of a trust – so for anyone wishing to disguise their ownerships they simply need to set up a trust – or take their assets outside the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies – in which case Britain plc is shooting itself in the foot. We will get nothing and business will flee from the territories we should be protecting.

This week a Government Bill designed to protect the City in the event of a no-deal Brexit was pulled in the face of almost certain defeat after MPs added an amendment that would have forced greater transparency on the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey – the Crown Dependencies.

The idea of public registers of companies, was originally proposed by David Cameron and George Osborne in 2013 in the fight against the use of offshore financial centres to launder money using a myriad of offshore companies. It was dropped when May became Prime Minister, but resurrected by a bank benchers Hodge and Mitchell.

It is generally accepted that the UK cannot interfere in the affairs of another country even an ‘Overseas Territory’ such as the BVI or Cayman, or a ‘Crown Dependency’ such as Guernsey except in extreme circumstances.”

The UK has however intervened in the affairs of the Overseas Territories, such as in the repeal of the Death Penalty in 1991 and decriminalising homosexuality in 2,000, but has made no such intervention in the Crown Dependencies, which is why the bill had to be pulled to give time for a more detailed debate.

Hodge takes the view that a public register of ownership to stamp out the ‘traffic of corrupt money and illicit finance’ across the world’ justified such intervention! The Paradise Papers according to the campaign group Global Witness estimates that £68bn flowed out of Russia via the British-overseas territories between 2007 and 2016, – but what of other countries? To date only three prosecutions have been made. Is this a good enough justification for undermining the privacy of many others?

Andrew Mitchell takes it one stage further, ‘It is only by openness and scrutiny, by allowing charities, NGOs and the media to join up the dots, that we can expose this dirty money and those people standing behind it. Closed registers do not begin to allow us to do it’

That did not prevent Tom Bower finding out all he needed to know about Tony Blair!

The real debate needs to be on how far can we undermine the human right to privacy enshrined in many countries so that rich countries can pick out a few bad apples in a barrel of good ones?”

Find out today how an asset structuring technique–PPLI–can be both conservative and sophisticated. PPLI can give you both privacy and full compliance with the world’s tax authorities. We welcome your call or email. Contact Us right now!

 

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

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Positive and Beneficial Influence

PPLI Achieves Both

A Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) structure exerts a positive and beneficial interest on the assets which it holds. Let us examine how this is accomplished, and also what it means to exert influence. Babies and small children learn very soon how to exert influence on their parents.

I was having dinner with a five year old and his parents recently, and when the five year old ceased to be the center of the conversation, he would emphatically say, “I have something very important to tell you.” Of course, our conversation would cease and the five year old was very pleased!

PPLI achieves this benign influence over assets by employing the six key elements of Expanded Worldwide Planning (EWP). I would say that this influence is much greater than benign–it is transformative. Let us briefly state the importance of these six elements in creating a transformative PPLI policy structure.

Privacy  This is a key element. With FATCA, CRS, and Registers of Beneficial Ownership our clients are looking for ways to keep their affairs private, and still be compliant with tax authorities worldwide. But as you know, it takes study and constant attention to detail to create a proper structure.

Tax Shield  In high tax jurisdictions, a tax shield is important. Why pay more tax than is necessary? If there is a PPLI structure than can give you a tax-free environment wouldn’t it be desired by our clients?

Asset Protection  Asset protection is an element that almost all clients seek. Making their assets inaccessible to former spouses, creditors, and those seeking to claim them without legal authority. An excellently crafted PPLI structure can also accomplish this for them.

Succession Planning  Especially in jurisdictions that have forced heirship rules, succession planning is vital to clients. Most clients wish to distribute their assets according to their wishes and not according to a plan that they don’t agree with.

Compliance Simplifier  In today’s world attempting to hide assets only draws more attention to them. Most clients wish to be compliant with the world’s tax authorities, and at the same time keep as much privacy as possible. Finding our way in this maze of regulations is an important element.

Trust Substitute  In some jurisdictions, in particular, those that use civil law as opposed to common law, a trust substitute would be useful. Why create an entity that in the end will just be ignored by tax and legal authorities? Why not have a PPLI structure that works both in civil and common law jurisdictions?

In the realm of politics, lobbying government officials is a method of attempting to exert influence. There is an outcry of concern when this influence is considered undue influence, and this is defined differently throughout the world. What is lobbying in one country might be considered bribery in another country.

This article by Julie Bykowicz caught our eye this week in one of our favorite publications, The Wall Street Journal,

“The New Lobbying: Qatar Targeted 250 Trump ‘Influencers’ to Change U.S. Policy. Blockaded by Mideast neighbors, the emirate employed an unconventional lobbying campaign to win over an unconventional U.S. president.”

 

“Longtime New York restaurateur Joey Allaham visited Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue late last year with an offer for lawyer Alan Dershowitz. Come visit Doha, the capital of Qatar, by invitation of the emir.

Mr. Dershowitz says he hadn’t met Mr. Allaham before and initially demurred before agreeing to go. The professor also didn’t know he was on a list of 250 people Mr. Allaham says he and his lobbying-business partner, Nick Muzin, identified as influential in President Trump’s orbit.

The list was part of a new type of lobbying campaign Qatar adopted after Mr. Trump sided with its Persian Gulf neighbors who had imposed a blockade on the tiny nation. Qatar wanted to restore good relations with the U.S., Mr. Allaham says. Win over Mr. Trump’s influencers, the thinking went, and the president would follow.”

We look forward to lobbying on your behalf to create a PPLI structure that employs all six of the key elements of EWP.

Please let us know how we can serve you to this end. Place your comments at the end of this post and sign up to get updates.

 

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

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