BY JOSH BHAGEERUTTY
Southpac has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary as an offshore trust and corporate services provider, and is proud to occupy a place within the top tier of providers of these services. Southpac’s methodology and standards have become the benchmarks in leading international financial centres. We work with the best asset protection specialists in the most well-regulated markets across the world to offer top class services to our clients.
With decades of experience within a trusted network of global professionals, we are well-equipped to meet the needs of sophisticated investors. Since 1982, Southpac has offered pioneering global wealth planning solutions, connecting high-net-worth individuals and their families with global products, services, and opportunities to help preserve their legacies and protect their assets. As we have continued to grow, a constant thread has propelled us forward: putting our clients at the heart of everything we do
Undeniably, Covid-19 has been full of challenges and during such trying circumstances, our greatest asset has been our dedicated teams in New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Nevis. As a team of dynamic professionals, Southpac has demonstrated resilience and sheer proactivity in continuing the delivery of quality services whilst safeguarding the best interests of our clients. Our people are dedicated and highly motivated to implement and deliver specialized services at all times; always recognizing a familiar client, welcoming a new one, and treating all our prospective clients with the same golden rule at heart:
“Treat our clients the way we would want to be treated ourselves”.
Whether you are already with us, recently joined us, or about to discover us, we believe our purpose is to provide innovative asset protection and reliable trustee and fiduciary services to preserve the lifestyle you have worked so hard to build for yourself and those you care for, and we endeavour to best serve your financial needs and objectives. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.
Do you wish to fully safeguard the assets you have earned or inherited? Do you want to protect and guarantee your family from attacks such as frivolous lawsuits in your home country? Do you fear a future creditor may put your assets and wealth into jeopardy? Southpac specializes in the following professional services in order to provide gold standard asset protection and in order to preserve your lifetime wealth:
1. Asset Protection – as part of an estate planning program, Southpac can assist you in settling your assets into a foreign asset protection structure based in the Cook Islands or Nevis, two of the world’s most protective and highly acclaimed asset protection jurisdictions, by establishing an offshore trust or foundation and investment plan using trusted advisors and custodians. You benefit from ‘day 1 protection’ for any assets settled into a trust or foundation prior to any creditor’s cause of action accruing and a two-year statute of limitations applies to any other assets. Neither foreign judgments nor forced heirship claims are recognised in the Cook Islands or Nevis, making them jurisdictions of choice for anyone wishing to protect their assets from any potential creditor claims and enjoy the testamentary freedom which is prohibited in many countries. The Cook Islands and Nevis also have stringent privacy laws and do not maintain centralised registers of beneficial ownership, let alone the publicly accessible register which are now commonplace in many jurisdictions.
In addition, Southpac offers New Zealand foreign trusts which are well-suited to clients in jurisdictions which impose punitive levels of tax on nationals who operate structures in the Cook Islands or Nevis.
2. Corporate Registration and Management Services – Southpac also acts as a registered agent, can provide registered trust office services and can assist you with the registration of Limited Liability Companies (‘LLCs’) and International Business Companies in the Cook Islands and Nevis. These can be operated on a standalone basis, as part of a wider trust structure, or as private trustee companies. In certain circumstances, we can also offer corporate management and nominee services. Nevis is a world-leading jurisdiction for LLCs due to legislation which offers robust protection from creditors with maximum operational flexibility, and the Cook Islands has adopted very similar LLC legislation. Do you wish to protect your assets offshore and still maintain some level of control and management of the trust fund? Do you intend to enjoy jurisdiction diversity by placing your assets offshore combined in the Cook Islands and Nevis? Then a trust/LLC structure might be a preferred solution for you.
3. Investment and Banking Services – Southpac can set up investment portfolios in offshore jurisdictions with leading boutique investment advisors and private banks who can provide tailored investment solutions to our clients. For clients in many jurisdictions, including the US, the use of an offshore structure can open the door to foreign investments which would otherwise be unavailable. Southpac has an in-house Investment Specialist who manages relationships with investment advisors and custodians and monitors their performance to ensure they are providing the best possible services to our clients.
4. Trustee and Fiduciary Services – since 1982, Southpac’s core business has been providing professional trustee services to the beneficiaries of thousands of offshore trusts. As a trusted wealth planning partner, Southpac knows the importance to clients of having a professional, suitably qualified, trustworthy and easily contactable trustee looking after their assets. Southpac has a team of qualified professionals advising its trustee offices, ensuring that a Southpac trustee is a proactive trustee which fully understands how to fulfil its fiduciary responsibilities and manage your trust in the most effective and protective way.
For more information and guidance, please get in touch with us today.
Why Southpac?
Southpac was the first trustee company to be registered in the Cook Islands and has also maintained a trustee office in Nevis for over 20 years. We have a unique foundation and competitive wealth of knowledge in providing professional trustee services, asset protection and investment related services to clients throughout the world.
By joining us or if you are already a part of Southpac’s client base, you will benefit from an array of services from our trusted professional people.
‘Unity in Diversity’
Our staff are internationally qualified professionals who hail from all over the world and count English, Spanish, Portuguese and French speakers among them. This helps to ensure effective communication and in-depth understanding of our clients. You are assured that your assets are in safe hands with Southpac and can benefit from our extensive international connections and world class professional services. This is one of the fundamental reasons as to why we have received so many professional client referrals across the world, as we continuously help our clients in achieving their financial goals. Our dedicated staff bring a personalised relationship experience, good listening and transparency, and help you materialise your goals into actions.
Southpac clients are allocated a tailored team of personnel consisting of a Trust Manager and a Trust Administrator (both qualified professionals) to ensure a pro-active and efficient management of your structure and its assets to the best of our abilities. Should you have any queries or needs, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
“Southpac has your best interests at heart!”