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Strategies for getting back on-shore

It's a decent question. I've thought the same too. Most of us have elderly parents we may want to spend time with and some of our home countries are still good for retirement (government provided healthcare etc). Who knows what 5+ years down the track will hold.

One strategy I heard was to make sure to have a tax residency before going back (inc. tax returns - even if they are 'nil tax payable' returns) and have well documented source of funds.

I have heard (in theory only) some governments won't like the idea of people who have not been paying tax since leaving and may then insist that you were a tax resident the whole time. I'm talking of resident of nowhere nomads, unsure if this would extend to 0% tax countries.

If we are talking serious money, perhaps it's worth moving to a low tax place like Thailand or something for a year, paying *some* tax (only on funds remitted into the country), have a tax return showing that before moving back. It's their feels of butthurt you need to watch out for, so as long as you're paying some, that should reduce your risk. Paying 0% may be too much a slap in the face and cause them to investigate you (a painful experience even if you've done everything legally and correctly).

Do you still have banking in your home country? If so, could you start saving now into those accounts over time so you don't end up having to do a big sum later?

Keen to hear other solutions.
 
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It doesnt have to be too complicated. One solution could be;

Purchase an insurance product that distributes periodically an amount to you.
Register (again) in the country of your choice and pay the owed taxes on the received distributions as they come.

When properly structured (using a lawyer etc) your name then only shows up as beneficiary.

Interesting, I looked into these annuity products. The fees seem significant though. I wonder, could the same be achieved with a regular high interest saver account?

Plus you could just live locally and spend from your international credit/debit card.
 
For sure.

But I think it's a pretty fair question to ask.


Let's say for some reason you have to go back to the "normal" life... And you have to go back to Spain residency, for example.

Let's say you need to buy a house with that money.

How would that work?

i would create a LLC and give money to the company, maybe a loan , and use that money to generate new income for my lifestyle.
 
Hey,

I'm very curious about this topic lately: I have a completely tax-free life right now, but as you guys know this sometimes is not easy when it comes to dealing with banks and stuff because you're perceived like "out of the system".

So I started thinking: what if, let's say in 10 years, I want to go back "on-shore", return with my tax residency in my home country (that is pretty tax-aggressive in Europe) and just buy a house?

Let's say you've been a resident in Paraguay for 10 years, and you have 3 million on a solid off shore personal account like HSBC or stuff like that...

I think that if you go back to the home country, there is a high chance they will ask you where that money is coming from... so how you prove this?
In theory, and according to the rules in EU countries, you shouldn’t have any issues bringing the money in tax-free, provided taxes have already been paid once. I’ve looked into this with an accountant, and they can file a report with the tax authorities on my behalf if I choose to go this route and have the proper documentation in order.

Whether this works in practice and the authorities actually follow through, I can’t say. However, you can request a binding ruling from your tax office before you move, which would prevent them from changing it afterward.
 
However, you can request a binding ruling from your tax office before you move, which would prevent them from changing it afterward.
This would require you to trust the tax officers, tax police, prosecutors and judges. Do you really want to put your life in the hands of a large group of unknown individuals, of which the only thing you know is that they are part of a powerful criminal organization?
 
I don't quite see it that way. I've seen many examples where, as long as you have a binding written agreement with the tax authorities, there are no issues afterward - unless you've changed the circumstances of the case.

So it depends on which country you relay on.
 
I don't quite see it that way. I've seen many examples where, as long as you have a binding written agreement with the tax authorities, there are no issues afterward - unless you've changed the circumstances of the case.

So it depends on which country you relay on.
Good luck with relaying on a paper issued by any country.
 
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I don't quite see it that way. I've seen many examples where, as long as you have a binding written agreement with the tax authorities, there are no issues afterward - unless you've changed the circumstances of the case.

So it depends on which country you relay on.
In my home country, a guy got the answer that he wouldn't be taxed again if he already paid taxes on an effective rate of the same or higher rate than he would in the home country.

Eventually, they took him to court and he lost. The reason: the amount for paid tax is completely matching but the documentation from the foreign tax authority states only 'tax on capital gains' and doesn't specify that it is tax paid on dividends.

The pre rulings are sometimes ambiguous and they find ways to catch you that you couldn't Imagine. In the end, what is that they're gonna conclude? No, sir, we won't ask you for any taxes? C'mon.
 
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They found a registered address of him and his family that he forgot to unregister and used a domestic bank for receiving dividends. No other ties, he even worked in the other country and didn't spend much time in his home country.
well yeah ok in that case gotta give it to them.
some countries count the bank account (e.g. Germany).
And places which have this register/deregister address thing, it counts too and this can royally duck you over.
 
well yeah ok in that case gotta give it to them.
some countries count the bank account (e.g. Germany).
And places which have this register/deregister address thing, it counts too and this can royally duck you over.
Yeah that part is not up for discussion, my main point was that they screwed him over on the documentation. He cannot change the way the tax agency in another country puts the cathegories on the tax return.
 
If you are a tax resident in Paraguay (or any other place), and have certificates of residency, you do not need to justify to Spain (or any other country) how you earned your money in that period. Unless the authorities can contest your residency (which would be hard if you have a certificate, plus can prove you were living 183+ days out of Spain), you do not need to justify your past earnings or what taxes you paid on them. Then you have your past bank statements to show the money you had the tax year prior to your return to Spain.

As others said, have a lawyer verify your situation before you return. LLCs and so on probably have to go before you return.