Thursday, 12 December 2013

Offshore Company Formations – Learn the Various Types

An offshore company can be of different types. However, some of the well-known and widely practiced offshore company formations include Internal Business Company (IBC), Limited Liability Company (LLC) or any other type that closely matches one of these two structures.


International Business Company (IBC)


IBC offshore incorporation is prevalent in several jurisdictions like Seychelles, the British Virgin Islands and Belize. It can be distinguished by features such as utmost confidentiality, easy and fast company setup, no taxes on overseas income, freedom from local taxes and stamp duty, limited liability of its members, no capability to trade inside the country where it is domiciled and limited or lack of continuing filing requirements.


Seychelles Special License Company (CSL)


CSL is a mix of offshore/onshore company that can conduct business from Seychelles at a lowered tax rate of 1.5 percent on its gross taxable earnings worldwide. This kind of offshore company formations is eligible to become a tax resident of the country, so it is capable of accessing the mounting list of double taxation treaties between Seychelles and other nations such as South Africa, China and Indonesia. As an investment medium into markets, the CSL can draw advantages from the reduced withholding rates on the return of interest, royalties, dividends, etc., as agreed upon in the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. 




Limited Liability Company (LLC)


The LLC offshore incorporation greatly resembles the IBC because both the forms provide limited liability. It has found overwhelming favor in Nevis and the United States where LLCs in states like Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming and Florida are very popular. Although a Limited Liability Company has quite a few similarities with an IBC, it is a mix of a limited company and a partnership from the structural point of view. 

Offshore Company Setup – Why Is It Worth Considering?

Establishing a company in another country that is far away from one’s home country has actually many advantages. There are a number of nations, known as tax havens, where an offshore company setup is trouble-free and highly beneficial. Although the names are quite debatable, some of the popular ones include Seychelles, Bahamas, Cyprus, Netherlands, Switzerland, Panama and several states of the United States. We’ll look at some of the favorable aspects of incorporating a business in these regions underneath.


Best Asset Protection: Because of the presence of confidentiality provisions in the law and agreements that prohibit the sharing of any kind of information, offshore company incorporation ensures the best asset protection for businesses.



No or Minimum Taxation: Business owners will have to pay no taxes or a minimum amount of taxes on their capital gains and profits. For example, a Seychelles International Business Company (IBC) is not liable to any taxation on income.


Flexibility in Setup: An offshore company setup is very flexible in nature. There are several advantages like no need of paid-up capital, no need to pronounce operational assets, minimum requisites on directors and shareholders, fast incorporation, and so on.


Ease of Management: Running an offshore company is smooth and devoid of bottlenecks. You can call the shareholders’ meetings at any location you want. It is also possible to conduct a meeting on the Internet. All the corporate decisions can also be made in a flexible manner. Minimum reporting is another benefit to enjoy. There is no requirement for auditing, reporting taxes, or furnishing financial details on public files.


Sterling Offshore Limited is the most trusted service provider when it comes to forming a Seychelles IBC, Seychelles Special License Company (CSL), offshore trust or private foundation. Have the best asset protection services from this company in a transparent way!