Asset Protection Strategies

If you have valuable assets under your name, you must definitely look for asset protection strategies. These strategies protect your assets from major threats. The business world is very strange and some puzzling happenings may result in jeopardizing of all your assets. The actual strategy you have to follow to protect your assets greatly depends on what type of asset you own and what risks are associated with your assets. If your assets are not worth protecting, which sometimes may be the case, don’t evolve any strategy because you need to spend some time and money to bring up a strategy suitable for you. For every person, unique asset protection strategy is important. Also, the time at which the asset protection strategy is deployed is also important as you can't take steps immediately after a lawsuit is filed against you.

Types of strategies

The asset protection strategy can't completely protect your assets. In some cases, the strategy will make the opponent to lose interest in acquiring the asset. The opponent who is trying to take over your asset may find it highly discouraging to deal with acquisition of assets. Other type of strategy prevents your assets to be seized by your opponent after the lawsuit. Not both these strategies are applicable for every asset. Again, the strategy used to either complicate acquirement or protect the asset depends on the actual scenario and risks associated with the asset. The legal procedures to be considered depend on the location of the assets and your mode of operation. In case of local businessmen, your country policies must be followed. In case of offshore businesses, foreign jurisdiction policies must be considered.

Creation of strategy

In any asset protection strategy, privacy is more important. The creditors who sued you must not find legal access to your assets. This can be established using anything ranging from trusts to offshore strategies. You have to find the cost involved in coming up with an asset protection strategy. If the cost of the strategy is much higher than the value of the assets, then you can't eventually use the strategy. Offshore strategy is the single, most effective asset protection strategy that provides maximum privacy. Offshore strategies require setting up of legal entities. Requirements of agents dealing with offshore entities are much less in the case of offshore strategies.

Need for an expert

Asset protection is all about playing with laws of the country. This in any way does not mean abandoning the law. You have to understand what the laws state and find ways that can legally protect your assets. You need the help of an assistant to evaluate an asset protection strategy suitable for you. Without proper guide, you may end up with a strategy that costs you more money without providing proper protection for your assets. When someone says that you can completely cheat the government and reap benefits without paying taxes, then understand that you are in the wrong hands. The strategy that you follow must be such that the creditors who file lawsuits must find very little that can be recovered from your assets legally.

Author's Bio: 

Carlo Scevola, MBA, CTA, is the president of CS&P Fiduciaire SA, a fiduciary company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with branches in six continents, specialized in international planning, strategic consulting and wealth management.