Certain offshore strategies can be effective for high-net-worth individuals. However, the offshore world is complex, confusing, and fraught with difficulties for the uninitiated. The Canadian tax legislation in the international area is extremely complicated. In addition, it can be difficult to find reliable people in foreign jurisdictions to assist with implementing tax-planning structures.

Our extensive experience in implementing international structures, our contacts through the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), http://www.step.org/ International, Tax Specialist Group (ITSG) http://www.itsgnetwork.com/itsg/index.asp and our other connections uniquely qualify us to implement an international tax plan.

The scope for international tax planning very much depends on individual circumstances. In advising high net worth clients and recent immigrants to Canada, we evaluate the possibility of an international tax-planning arrangement that involves either an offshore company or an offshore trust.