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posttexasstressdisorder · 3 months ago

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How Trump's billionaires are hijacking affordable housing

Thom Hartmann

October 24, 2024 8:52AM ET

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the 79th annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York City, U.S., October 17, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

America’s morbidly rich billionaires are at it again, this time screwing the average family’s ability to have decent, affordable housing in their never-ending quest for more, more, more. Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and Denmark have had enough and done something about it: we should, too.

There are a few things that are essential to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” that should never be purely left to the marketplace; these are the most important sectors where government intervention, regulation, and even subsidy are not just appropriate but essential. Housing is at the top of that list.

A few days ago I noted how, since the Reagan Revolution, the cost of housing has exploded in America, relative to working class income.

When my dad bought his home in the 1950s, for example, the median price of a single-family house was around 2.2 times the median American family income. Today the St. Louis Fed says the median house sells for $417,700 while the median American income is $40,480—a ratio of more than 10 to 1 between housing costs and annual income.

ALSO READ: He’s mentally ill:' NY laughs ahead of Trump's Madison Square Garden rally

In other words, housing is about five times more expensive (relative to income) than it was in the 1950s.

And now we’ve surged past a new tipping point, causing the homelessness that’s plagued America’s cities since George W. Bush’s deregulation-driven housing- and stock-market crash in 2008, exacerbated by Trump’s bungling America’s pandemic response.

And the principal cause of both that crash and today’s crisis of homelessness and housing affordability has one, single, primary cause: billionaires treating housing as an investment commodity.

A new report from Popular Democracy and the Institute for Policy Studies reveals how billionaire investors have become a major driver of the nationwide housing crisis. They summarize in their own words:

— Billionaire-backed private equity firms worm their way into different segments of the housing market to extract ever-increasing rents and value from multi-family rental, single-family homes, and mobile home park communities. — Global billionaires purchase billions in U.S. real estate to diversify their asset holdings, driving the creation of luxury housing that functions as “safety deposit boxes in the sky.” Estimates of hidden wealth are as high as $36 trillion globally, with billions parked in U.S. land and housing markets. — Wealthy investors are acquiring property and holding units vacant, so that in many communities the number of vacant units greatly exceeds the number of unhoused people. Nationwide there are 16 million vacant homes: that is, 28 vacant homes for every unhoused person. — Billionaire investors are buying up a large segment of the short-term rental market, preventing local residents from living in these homes, in order to cash in on tourism. These are not small owners with one unit, but corporate owners with multiple properties. — Billionaire investors and corporate landlords are targeting communities of color and low-income residents, in particular, with rent increases, high rates of eviction, and unhealthy living conditions. What’s more, billionaire-owned private equity firms are investing in subsidized housing, enjoying tax breaks and public benefits, while raising rents and evicting low-income tenants from housing they are only required to keep affordable, temporarily. (Emphasis theirs.)

It seems that everywhere you look in America you see the tragedy of the homelessness these billionaires are causing. Rarely, though, do you hear about the role of Wall Street and its billionaires in causing it.

The math, however, is irrefutable.

Thirty-two percent is the magic threshold, according to research funded by the real estate listing company Zillow. When neighborhoods hit rent rates in excess of 32 percent of neighborhood income, homelessness explodes. And we’re seeing it play out right in front of us in cities across America because a handful of Wall Street billionaires are making a killing.

As the Zillow study notes:

“Across the country, the rent burden already exceeds the 32 percent [of median income] threshold in 100 of the 386 markets included in this analysis….”

And wherever housing prices become more than three times annual income, homelessness stalks like the grim reaper. That Zillow-funded study laid it out:

“This research demonstrates that the homeless population climbs faster when rent affordability — the share of income people spend on rent — crosses certain thresholds. In many areas beyond those thresholds, even modest rent increases can push thousands more Americans into homelessness.”

This trend is massive.

As noted in a Wall Street Journal article titled “Meet Your New Landlord: Wall Street,” in just one suburb (Spring Hill) of Nashville:

“In all of Spring Hill, four firms … own nearly 700 houses … [which] amounts to about 5% of all the houses in town.”

This is the tiniest tip of the iceberg.

“On the first Tuesday of each month,” notes the Journal article about a similar phenomenon in Atlanta, investors “toted duffels stuffed with millions of dollars in cashier’s checks made out in various denominations so they wouldn’t have to interrupt their buying spree with trips to the bank…”

The same thing is happening in cities and suburbs all across America; agents for the billionaire investor goliaths use fine-tuned computer algorithms to sniff out houses they can turn into rental properties, making over-market and unbeatable cash bids often within minutes of a house hitting the market.

After stripping neighborhoods of homes young families can afford to buy, billionaires then begin raising rents to extract as much cash as they can from local working class communities.

In the Nashville suburb of Spring Hill, the vice-mayor, Bruce Hull, told the Journal you used to be able to rent “a three bedroom, two bath house for $1,000 a month.” Today, the Journal notes:

“The average rent for 148 single-family homes in Spring Hill owned by the big four [Wall Street billionaire investor] landlords was about $1,773 a month…”

As the Bank of International Settlements summarized in a 2014 retrospective study of the years since the Reagan/Gingrich changes in banking and finance:

“We describe a Pareto frontier along which different levels of risk-taking map into different levels of welfare for the two parties, pitting Main Street against Wall Street. … We also show that financial innovation, asymmetric compensation schemes, concentration in the banking system, and bailout expectations enable or encourage greater risk-taking and allocate greater surplus to Wall Street at the expense of Main Street.”

It’s a fancy way of saying that billionaire-owned big banks and hedge funds have made trillions on housing while you and your community are becoming destitute.

Ryan Dezember, in his book Underwater: How Our American Dream of Homeownership Became a Nightmare, describes the story of a family trying to buy a home in Phoenix. Every time they entered a bid, they were outbid instantly, the price rising over and over, until finally the family’s father threw in the towel.

“Jacobs was bewildered,” writes Dezember. “Who was this aggressive bidder?”

Turns out it was Blackstone Group, now the world’s largest real estate investor run by a major Trump supporter. At the time they were buying $150 million worth of American houses every week, trying to spend over $10 billion. And that’s just a drop in the overall bucket.

As that new study from Popular Democracy and the Institute for Policy Studies found:

“[Billionaire Stephen Schwarzman’s] Blackstone is the largest corporate landlord in the world, with a vast and diversified real estate portfolio. It owns more than 300,000 residential units across the U.S., has $1 trillion in global assets, and nearly doubled its profits in 2021. “Blackstone owns 149,000 multi-family apartment units; 63,000 single-family homes; 70 mobile home parks with 13,000 lots through their subsidiary Treehouse Communities; and student housing, through American Campus Communities (144,300 beds in 205 properties as of 2022). Blackstone recently acquired 95,000 units of subsidized housing.”

In 2018, corporations and the billionaires that own or run them bought 1 out of every 10 homes sold in America, according to Dezember, noting that:

“Between 2006 and 2016, when the homeownership rate fell to its lowest level in fifty years, the number of renters grew by about a quarter.”

And it’s gotten worse every year since then.

This all really took off around a decade ago following the Bush Crash, when Morgan Stanley published a 2011 report titled “The Rentership Society,” arguing that snapping up houses and renting them back to people who otherwise would have wanted to buy them could be the newest and hottest investment opportunity for Wall Street’s billionaires and their funds.

Turns out, Morgan Stanley was right. Warren Buffett, KKR, and The Carlyle Group have all jumped into residential real estate, along with hundreds of smaller investment groups, and the National Home Rental Council has emerged as the industry’s premiere lobbying group, working to block rent control legislation and other efforts to control the industry.

As John Husing, the owner of Economics and Politics Inc., told The Tennessean newspaper:

“What you have are neighborhoods that are essentially unregulated apartment houses. It could be disastrous for the city.”

As Zillow found:

“The areas that are most vulnerable to rising rents, unaffordability, and poverty hold 15 percent of the U.S. population — and 47 percent of people experiencing homelessness.”

The loss of affordable homes also locks otherwise middle class families out of the traditional way wealth is accumulated — through home ownership: over 61% of all American middle-income family wealth is their home’s equity.

And as families are priced out of ownership and forced to rent, they become more vulnerable to homelessness.

Housing is one of the primary essentials of life. Nobody in America should be without it, and for society to work, housing costs must track incomes in a way that makes housing both available and affordable.

Singapore, Denmark, New Zealand, and parts of Canada have all put limits on billionaire, corporate, and foreign investment in housing, recognizing families’ residences as essential to life rather than purely a commodity. Multiple other countries are having that debate or moving to take similar actions as you read these words.

America should, too.

ALSO READ: Not even ‘Fox and Friends’ can hide Trump’s dementia

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citiesandtowns · 2 years ago

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Last year, troubled by the seeming intractability of these problems, I began looking for solutions outside the United States. Could the answer be rent control, as in Berlin? It might have seemed that way a decade or so ago, before investors and new residents began pouring into the city, causing land values to quintuple; now, despite rent-stabilization laws, even the apartments that no one else wanted to buy 15 years ago are huge moneymakers. Many residents with affordable rental contracts are locked into them because it would be too expensive or competitive to move. Frustrated by the housing squeeze, tenant organizers recently put forth an “expropriation” measure, which called for landlords with more than 3,000 units to sell their holdings back to the government at below-market prices. In a 2021 referendum, 59 percent of Berliners voted in favor of it, but it’s not clear whether it will ever be implemented.

Could the answer be loosening zoning restrictions, as Tokyo did in 2002? That has certainly helped. In 2014, there was more home construction in the city than in all of England. Since then, home prices have stabilized. Tokyo is largely celebrated as a model by YIMBYs (members of the “yes, in my backyard” movement) because they like its market-driven approach to housing abundance. They often point out that the city builds five times as much housing per capita as California. But Japan is a very different market because of its earthquake risk: Because regulatory codes and mitigation technologies are ever improving, structures often fully depreciate within 35 years. Older homes are often undermaintained because there’s little expectation that any investment might be recaptured upon resale; they’re thought of like used clothing or cars — you resell at a loss.

Auckland, New Zealand, might seem like a more applicable example. In 2016, the city, which has one of the most expensive housing markets in the world, “upzoned” 75 percent of its residential land, increasing its legal capacity for housing by about 300 percent in an effort to encourage multifamily-housing construction and tamp down prices. In areas that were upzoned, the total number of building permits granted (a way of estimating new construction) more than quadrupled from 2016 to 2021. As intended, the relative value of underdeveloped land increased, because it could suddenly host more housing, and the relative value of units in densely developed areas decreased, tempering sky-high prices. But there are limits to what upzoning can do. Often the benefits of allowing greater density are captured by developers, who price the new units far above cost. It doesn’t offer renters security or directly create the type of housing most needed: affordable housing.

That’s what differentiates Vienna. Perhaps no other developed city has done more to protect residents from the commodification of housing. In Vienna, 43 percent of all housing is insulated from the market, meaning the rental prices reflect costs or rates set by law — not “what the market will bear” or what a person with no other options will pay. The government subsidizes affordable units for a wide range of incomes. The mean gross household income in Vienna is 57,700 euros a year, but any person who makes under 70,000 euros qualifies for a Gemeindebau unit. Once in, you never have to leave. It doesn’t matter if you start earning more. The government never checks your salary again. Two-thirds of the city’s rental housing is covered by rent control, and all tenants have just-cause eviction protections. Such regulations, when coupled with adequate supply, give renters a level of stability comparable to American owners with fixed mortgages. As a result, 80 percent of all households in Vienna choose to rent.

The key difference is that Vienna prioritizes subsidizing construction, while the United States prioritizes subsidizing people, with things like housing vouchers. One model focuses on supply, the other on demand. Vienna’s choice illustrates a fundamental economic reality, which is that a large-enough supply of social housing offers a market alternative that improves housing for all.

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bisluthq · 2 months ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/bisluthq/768944837460377600/httpswwwtumblrcombisluthq768929573796790272

Resident music history nerd again.

So yeah, those contracts usually suck and it goes back to what I said earlier with using the artist as a cash cow and then once they earn their spots, they can negotiate a better second deal. A lot of the tv talent show contracts suck, the very first winner of project runway, Jay Mccaroll caused quite a stir because he turned down the grand prize of a $100,000 mentorship program & spot at NYFW, because the show (or whatever entity was behind the prize) would be granted 10% of all future earnings as a designer.

Idol and those other shows are a bit of a blessing and a curse. Idol was an absolute sensation though, so they had a huge audience when they launched (at least in the countries’ versions I’m familiar with) and many had a good career, some have truly lasted like Kelly Clarkson. I believe it varied country to country, the winner in New Zealand wasn’t being signed to the big American team even if it was the same label, but contracts for the first few seasons were treated like other game show prizes - have it be a prize, but the budget is based on the predicted profits for the advertising the show would make. It was great for the record labels because they didn’t need to invest in developing the artists, and it was a popularity contest so there was significant less risk signing then over a new artist no one has heard of and wondering if they’ll have fans. They also had the next season of the show to promote the last winner/s. Kelly Clarkson notoriously had to fight the label though to get songs she wanted (she was getting the Disney star treatment of them saying what to record and she pushed back because it wasn’t her style) she also had to fight to be able to cowrite her songs and shape her message, both with the label and then dr Luke later on when she rewrote lyrics to one of his songs to make it fit her.

Anyway, idol was new and exciting and because it was a family show, the contestants often launched with a diverse audience and then shaped their audience later which for some was a blessing, others a curse - Adam lambert for example toned himself down and presented more as an emo adjacent glam rocker, which was a smart move to get a foot in the door. But the audience of dads who liked this guy who was meant to be the modern day answer to classic Bon jovi, kiss and poison, etc, were not all on board when he wanted to make dance pop with rock elements, and I can’t think of a sensitive way to say it but when he was more outwardly expressive of his sexuality, a lot of people turned on him. At the same time though, there was an audience who saw him on tv and knew and were waiting and so ready for him to do his thing. And now he’s the lead singer for Queen, so he has the audience of dads again going to see him live but not touching his new music - he’s a fascinating case study on society more than the music industry though.

Social media and streaming killed the talent show phenomenon though. It likely would’ve become boring on its own, but Sandi Thom was launched via MySpace - Taylor got a lot out of MySpace but it wasn’t her discovery method, Justin was found on YouTube all within 6 years of idol launching. This became direct competition for the talent shows, but wasn’t a huge issue until around 2013 when quite a few artists were discovered on YouTube. Now it’s a totally different landscape with TikTok and families not watching tv together in the same way - it’s more common for everyone to watch something different on their iPads than to gather around the tv and enjoy something together which was part of the magic of idol.

The americas got talent and the voice winners though, they were always at a disadvantage compared to X factor and idol because the shows are significantly shorter and never let people feel like they knew the singers. By the time they crowned a winner most of them hadn’t performed a full 30 minutes and only had their intro video and then short interviews before and after a performance. And the AGT people were competing with comedians, dancers, fire breathers… it wasn’t a good metric to see how they’d fair in the music industry and the prize was a performing contract, not a recording one. Idol was so big for a while they had a spin off show that was like big brother, showing what they got up to during the week in the share house!

I personally think the singers on the voice would’ve been better winning a money prize instead of a recording contract, because the contract just needed to be less than the advertising profit for the show. Of course the label wanted the next superstar, but they usually rushed an album out within a few months of winning and only seemed to support the artist in kind to how much the public rallied behind the album, instead of really giving them a chance.

Sorry, I’ve gone on a lot of tangents and can’t remember where I wanted to end up lol 😂

I guess the TLDR would be: tv show contracts were a game show prize. Some did really well, but if they didn’t do really well they were dropped and not given a chance. They could get away with shittiest contracts too because the artists usually had no industry experience or knowledge, and the contract was a three way between the label, tv show and artist.

Oh and then there are the sunset clauses and non compete clauses too, so even if you’re dropped from your label you might not be able to sign another deal for a few years even if someone wants you - just look at Kesha, Cher, and “the artist formerly known as Prince”.

I’m gonna stop writing now 🫣

see, I also think there are just too many of these shows and there have been too many for a long time. Like you say, people were into Idol and it did start a few great careers (and yes I think a lot of the early winners got suckered into shitty deals because they didn’t know better but also here was enough interest and good will for it to mostly work) but now there are just too many winners on too many shows for people to give a fuck (even if they do watch). Like you might enjoy watching The Voice because you like the coaches and the concept and the performances but not be invested to the point of streaming music. I also think your point on not knowing the artists long enough on most of these shows is a good point and imo (aside from the fact that a lot of the acts are shitty) why Eurovision doesn’t launch that many careers. It might be fun to watch but people don’t necessarily have the time or energy to get invested. Which also brings me to the news cycle being so fickle as a whole because the other thing is these days even blowing up on TikTok and having a trending sound for half a second really doesn’t equate to longevity or people actually giving a fuck. There’s just too much content. And I guess there was always a risk of blowing up with one or two songs and not really having the support or the know how to make that into a career and not getting label support and even being sabotaged by the label as you said to make you keep touring and keep churning shit out but these days because content is so accessible, one or two songs people like doesn’t even necessarily equate to people going to watch live shows. It’s tricky. You also obviously can monetize your own original content in a way that’s MORE empowering for artists these days because you can own all your TikToks and YouTube videos and shit and get paid by those and do pretty well but that also makes labels I think even less likely to spend money on promoting you unless they’re confident in your brand and that’s… tough.

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theangryjikooker · 1 year ago

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I don't think JK leaves Korea for US. Of all the members, the one I could see doing it but not in the US is Tae , He talked about that not a long ago and maybe Yoongi, He likes LA.

What I notice is that Tae and JK are closer now than Tae and Jimin and JK and Jimin .That means They have a relationship ?no, They don't have It, but people pass for different phases in their lives and now It seems Tae and JK are in the same one

No one quote me on this, but I believe Jungkook has mentioned it a while back too, along with New Zealand as a possible location. That was years ago (assuming my memory hasn’t failed me), though, so his feelings could have changed since then.

Generally, though, if his professional trajectory takes him to LA more frequently, it might be a practical move for him even if he has no emotional investment in the city. We see this a lot in our industry. I don’t anticipate that he or any of the members would make a permanent move, but I see dual residency being a realistic option for any of them.

Jimin isn’t any less close to Jungkook, I’m not sure where you’re getting that impression. Their approach to life, personally and creatively, appear to be different, but that’s the extent of it. You could argue that this development means it wouldn’t be suitable for a relationship, if that’s what your angling for and it would be valid, but it’s certainly not a measurement of closeness.

Taehyung and Jungkook are closer these days, in the sense that their interests seem more aligned, which explains why they’d be getting closer as friends would. Taehyung has shut down Tkkrs (and probably all shippers, by extension) before, and given that he has, I don’t entertain ideas that he’s romantically interested in any of the BTS members and vice versa.

#TAJ asks #questionable anon #jikook #kookmin #not jikook

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irenicinternational · 2 days ago

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ashadowofburnedoutstardust · 4 days ago

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Apparently the government got called out for basically shoveling the entire country into a recession in order to force the hand of selling state-owned assets into private hands

Thus far with managed to stop a lot of their legislation, meanwhile they're attempting to bankrupt the entire country

I have a solution

We have so many billionaires that reside in this country that since they apparently live here and have citizenship they should be paying taxes in this country

It seems like the easiest solution for the next incoming government that's going to win by a landslide after the racist that the current government has been attempting to pull

I mean it does make you wonder if this American lobby that has been connected to the pedo party/National/Winnie the racist has some sort of connection to the republican party in the US who apparently want to buy Greenland?

I mean is that because they haven't managed to secure the mining rights in New Zealand yet?

I mean even if all of these companies end up buying permits and things it would take years of clearances to set up and then once the next government comes in they'd all get told to sod off, so I mean is it worth the business investment?

Seems easier to just tax the billionaires, or introduce a capital gains tax, while regulating both the rental market as well as investigating the retail sector

I wonder how much time will have passed by now because it doesn't really matter how long ago it was they still get prosecuted if they're able to find the evidence

I remember years ago when the head of like I think it was like Sony or Apple got his ass hauled into the prime ministers office for lying about online sales in this country when assurances were made that we weren't being ripped off and then the independent investigation found in fact that we were, that was nearly 20 years ago but that's probably the first time the USA as well as the entertainment industry majorly pissed off millennials in this country

It's why nearly all of us understand the process of how to pirate things lmfao

Yeah our watch dogs can be a little nasty that way

I wonder what they're working on right now

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kawaiikinghologram · 4 years ago

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Armin Ordodary, FSM Smart, and Lau Global Services

In the era of CFDs and binary options, massive international forex operations arose. With the peak occurring in or around 2015, many of them began operating between 2010 and 2012. Legislators and regulators needed some time to recognize emerging trends and devise effective countermeasures. The beginning of 2014 saw regulators issue warnings about binary options, signaling the end of the FX gold rush. It took three more years for regulators to formally outlaw binary options. A few international forex operations impacted hundreds of thousands of retail investors between 2012 and 2017. One of the groups that created a wave of binary options, forex, and cryptocurrency trading methods is Lau Global Services Corp. Media has requested additional information to establish an EFRI funds recovery campaign.

The FSM Smart Broker Scheme by Armin Ordodary

The FSM Smart operation has been aggressively gaining clients through their Serbian boiler room Upmarket d.o.o., according to information provided to the media by whistleblowers. Benrich Holdings Ltd., a company based in Cyprus, is the only shareholder in this boiler room. Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus, is a director of both companies. Upmarkt is only one of the Lau Global Services Corp operations' several boiler rooms. FinTelegrem has information that indicates FSM Smart and Armin Ordodary are involved in the “Lau Network.”

The “Lau Network” has only a few minor branches, including the Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o. Kiev, Ukraine, has served as something of an epicenter for additional boiler rooms that have already been discovered in other jurisdictions. For instance, call center addresses in Kiev were discovered by the Russian website Forex Analysis. Apart from E&G Bulgaria, Lau Global Services Corp is unquestionably one of the biggest broker enterprises on the planet. Even with so many offshore connections, this operation appears to be run out of Ukraine and the Balkans.

The Global Services Network of Lau

It is clear that there are connections between the operators of FSM Smart and other individuals, such as MTI Markets (www.mtimarkets.com). According to reports, Lau Global Services Corp., the company behind this unlawful broker, also ran the following other broker operations:

TradingMX (www.tradingmx.com)

LGS Corp www.lgs-corp.com

TradingBanks (www.tradingbanks.com)

Trade12 (https://www.trade12.com)

MTI Markets (mtimarkets.com)

Grizzly (www.grizzly-ltd.com)

The following companies have been linked to the Lau Global Services Group by the Media team:

Belize’s Lau Global Services Corp

Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o

Global Fin Services Ltd (UK), Exo Capital Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands), and MTI Investments LLC or MTI Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands)

Malta-based Grizzly Ltd

Cyprus-based R Capital Solutions Ltd

Cyprus-based Benrich Holdings Ltd

SIO Ltd (Cyprus)

Eyar Financial Corp Limited (Vanatu)

Regulators from many jurisdictions issued numerous warnings to the brands and businesses connected to Lau Global Services Corp.

August 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert by the Italian CONSOB.

September 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert from Cyprus agency CySec.

April 2016: The Belgian Financial Services Authority (FSMA) cautioned investors.

November 2016: The Australian regulator ASIC issued a warning to investors about MXTrade.

November 2016: The New Zealand regulator FMA issued a warning to investors about EXO Capital Markets Ltd. trading as Trade12.

November 2017: The Guernsey regulator issued a warning to investors about Exo Capital Markets Ltd. trading as Trade12.

Individuals Found in the Network

The individuals listed in the FSM Smart network include Mathew Bradley, Ali Mahmoudi, and Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus who is purportedly a former Windsor Brokers employee. Born in January of 1991, Armin Ordodary has registered multiple forex trading domains during the years of 2013 and 2014. In addition, he serves as the director of Bythos Yachts Management OÜ in Estonia.

The well-established ties that Armin Ordodary

We are unable to determine at this time if Armin Ordodary was a lieutenant in Cyprus or one of the network’s leaders. In actuality, we have managed to determine his affiliation with businesses, endeavors, and undertakings within the brokering landscape. He has ties to both the Nepcore project and SIAO Ltd, a provider of services. Additionally, we are aware that he oversees the Upmarkt boiler room in Serbia, which provided services to FSM Smart. He offered marketing services for the Lau Network’s operations through Nepcore.

#Binary Options #Lau Global Services #news

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head-post · 23 days ago

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NATO chief suggests EU pay for defence, learn Russian or go to New Zealand

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned in his speech in the European Parliament on Monday that residents of the EU member states will be forced to learn Russian in a few years if they do not increase defence spending to the level of 10% of GDP.

Speaking in the European Parliament, Rutte pledged:

“We are safe now, but not in 4-5 years. So, if you don’t do it, get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand. Or decide now to spend more. I just want you to spend more money! I’ve not committed to a new number, just saying that 2% is not nearly enough.”

The NATO Secretary General urged the EU not to prevent companies from the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance, which are not members of the pan-European association, from investing in the development of the defence industry. According to Rutte, such restrictions are not only a barrier to increasing defence spending, but also complicate production and hinder the introduction of innovations.

Mark Rutte also noted that the alliance’s military capability targets may require countries to spend up to 3.7 per cent of GDP on defence. But this figure can be reduced through innovation and joint procurement, he continued.

Rutte added that US President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, was “many times right” when he demanded higher defence spending within the North Atlantic Alliance.

Earlier, Rutte said that NATO should quintuple its defence spending to 10 per cent of GDP if the military bloc wants to operate outside its borders. In particular, he suggested that the military bloc could operate outside its area of responsibility to create a new alliance system.

Read more HERE

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carnivalofrust · 1 year ago

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Armin Ordodary

In the era of CFDs and binary options, massive international arose. With the peak occurring in or around 2015, many of them began operating between 2010 and 2012. Legislators and regulators needed some time to recognize emerging trends and devise effective countermeasures. The beginning of 2014 saw regulators issue warnings about binary options, signaling the end of the FX gold rush. It took three more years for regulators to formally outlaw binary options. A few international forex scammers duped hundreds of thousands of retail investors between 2012 and 2017. One of the groups that created a wave of illicit binary options, and cryptocurrency trading methods is Corp. Media has requested additional information to establish an EFRI funds recovery campaign.

The FSM Smart by Armin Ordodary

The fraudulent FSM Smart (www.fsmsmart.com) has been aggressively gaining clients through their Serbian boiler room Upmarket d.o.o., according to information provided to the media by whistleblowers. Benrich Holdings Ltd., a company based in Cyprus, is the only shareholder in this boiler room. Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus, is a director of both companies. Upmarkt is only one of the Lau Global Services Corp several boiler rooms.

The has only a few minor branches, including the Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o. Kiev, Ukraine, has served as something of an epicentre for additional boiler rooms that have already been discovered in other jurisdictions. For instance, call centre addresses in Kiev were discovered by the Russian website. Apart from E&G Bulgaria, Lau Global Services Corp is unquestionably one of the biggest illicit broker enterprises on the planet. Even with so many offshore connections, this operation appears to be run out of Ukraine and the Balkans.

However, let’s begin with FSM Smart and work our way up to the larger picture. Early in 2018, the illicit FSM Smart made its debut. Investor cautionary note regarding the current FSM Smart (www.fsmsmart.com) :

August 2018: In the summer of 2018, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) of New Zealand issued a warning on FSM Smart.

In November 2018, the Canadian watchdog in Manitoba (MSC) issued an investor warning against FSM Smart, while the financial market regulatory organisation in Switzerland,

FINMA issued a warning against the company. FSM Smart’s contact address is reportedly Hertensteinstrasse 51, 6004 Luzern in Switzerland.

The Global Services Network of Lau

It is clear that there are connections between the operators of the FSM Smart and other con artists, such as MTI Markets (www.mtimarkets.com). According to reports, Corp., the company behind this unlawful broker, also ran the following other illicit:

TradingMX

(http://www.tradingmx.com)

(www.lgs-corp.com) LGS Corp.

(www.tradingbanks.com) TradingBanks

Trade12: https://www.trade12.com

mtimarkets.com, the website of MTI Markets

(www.grizzly-ltd.com) Grizzly

The following companies have been linked to the Lau Global Services Group by the Media team:

Belize’s Lau Global Services Corp.

Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o.

Global Fin Services Ltd (UK), Exo Capital Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands), and MTI Investments LLC or MTI Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands)

Malta-based Grizzly Ltd.

Cyprus-based R Capital Solutions Ltd.

Cyprus-based Benrich Holdings Ltd.

SIO Ltd (Cyprus)

Eyar Financial Corp Limited (Vanatu)

Most of the businesses don’t have a website or aren’t active on social media. Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus, appears to be involved. The last several months have seen the disappearance of all the websites and social media accounts he is directly related to going offline. Only to bring up his SIAO Ltd. The reason behind this is the question.

Regulators from many jurisdictions issued numerous warnings to the brands and businesses connected Corp.

August 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert by the Italian CONSOB;

September 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert from Cyprus agency CySec;

April 2016: The Belgian Financial Services Authority (FSMA) cautioned investors.

Nov. 2016 saw the Australian regulator ASIC issue a warning to investors about MXTrade; Nov. 2016 saw the New Zealand regulator FMA issue a warning to investors about EXO Capital Markets Ltd. trading as Trade12;

Nov. 2017 saw the Guernsey regulator issue a warning to investors about Exo Capital Markets Ltd. trading as Trade12;

numerous other warnings regarding the various trading styles (domains/brands)

#investing #news

0 notes

miamorimachi · 2 months ago

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Tips for Locating the Perfect Portable A/c Unit Online in New Zealand

When it relates to keeping cold in the course of the very hot summertime, having the best portable air conditioning system is important for comfort. Portable air conditioner units are a wonderful choice for people who desire versatility and performance without the need for permanent installation. Whether you're searching for an air conditioning system for your bedroom, residing room, or office, finding the ideal portable a/c unit NZ can make all the distinction in your comfort and energy expenses. Here are actually some useful recommendations to take into consideration when purchasing a portable air conditioning system online in New Zealand.

Understand Your Cooling Needs

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Consider Energy Effectiveness

Energy efficiency is a best priority for many when selecting an air conditioning system NZ portable. Air conditioner units may consume a considerable amount of electric power, specifically in the course of the warm summer season when they are used widely. Look for portable air conditioning system along with high energy productivity ratings. Designs featuring energy-saving features, including rest modes or eco settings, can help in reducing your electrical power costs while still providing you with the air conditioning comfort you need. Lots of best brands like Daikin AC, Carrier AC, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AC provide energy-efficient choices that not just lower energy intake however additionally boost the overall performance of the unit. If you're concerned regarding energy expenses, think about investing in a portable a/c unit with enhanced inverter modern technology, which guarantees the unit utilizes power more effectively.

Try to find Portability and Convenience

One of the major conveniences of a portable ac unit is its mobility. Pick portable air con unit NZ that fits your way of living and could be easily moved in between areas, relying on where you need to have cooling a lot of. Take into consideration the body weight, dimension, and mobility of the unit, along with attributes like integrated tires or even takes care of, that make it less complicated to transport from space to area. If you consider to relocate your air conditioner unit from your bar to your room or maybe in between various floors, a light-weight and portable style will definitely deliver you along with the adaptability you need to have. Some air conditioners also feature easy-to-install home window packages that enable you to prepare all of them up in different areas swiftly. In addition, you might would like to check out whether the portable ac system possess a push-button control, therefore you can readjust the temperature level and fan settings from the comfort of your bedroom or even couch.

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Final Thoughts

Discovering the best portable air conditioning system online in New Zealand needs cautious factor to consider of your space dimension, cooling down necessities, and energy productivity. Whether you're looking for a small ac system or a more highly effective portable AC to cool your whole entire home, there's a broad variety readily available to fit your finances and requirements. Portable ac unit provide a convenient and cost-efficient technique to keep comfy year-round, particularly when coupled with NZ heat pumps that use both home heating and cooling solutions. Along with the right version, you can easily ensure comfort and productivity during the course of those hot summertime months while keeping your energy consumption in inspection.

Whether you decide on brands like Daikin AC, Carrier AC, or Hitachi AC, remember to try to find attributes that match your requirements and inclinations. Whether you're hunting for a small central air conditioning unit for a singular area or even a larger model to cool down an entire house, there's an alternative out there for you. Make sure to consider factors such as energy performance, transportability, and brand credibility and reputation when deciding on the most ideal portable air conditioner unit to satisfy your lifestyle in New Zealand.

#AC

0 notes

magstarkt · 2 months ago

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Tips for Discovering the Perfect Portable A/c Unit Online in New Zealand

When it comes to staying cool during the course of the warm summer, having the best portable a/c is important for convenience. Portable a/c units are a terrific possibility for folks who really want adaptability and effectiveness without the need for permanent installation. Whether you're trying to find an ac unit for your bed room, residing room, or workplace, discovering the best portable ac system NZ may create all the distinction in your comfort and energy expenses. Here are some helpful pointers to take into consideration when purchasing a portable air conditioner online in New Zealand.

Understand Your Cooling Demands

Prior to buying Haier AC, it is crucial to determine the cooling demands of the space you plan to use it in. Portable air conditioning unit happened in different air conditioning capacities, and opting for the ideal one for your room measurements is actually key to making certain productivity and comfort. A small air conditioner unit will certainly work well for a bedroom or even much smaller room, while larger ac system are actually suitable for larger living places or open spaces. Inspect the unit's BTU (British Thermic Unit) score, which will definitely show its cooling power. The higher the BTU, the bigger the room it may properly cool. Be sure to decide on the greatest portable air conditioning system NZ that matches the size of the room where it will be actually utilized to steer clear of being rippling off for an extra-large unit or undercooling a much larger area.

Take Into Consideration Energy Effectiveness

Energy effectiveness is actually a best concern for many when selecting an air conditioner NZ portable. Air conditioner units may consume a great deal of electrical power, especially in the course of the very hot summer when they are actually used widely. Search for portable air conditioning unit with higher energy effectiveness scores. Styles including energy-saving functionalities, such as sleeping modes or eco settings, can easily help in reducing your power costs while still providing you with the air conditioning convenience you require. Numerous leading brands like Daikin AC, Carrier AC, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AC offer energy-efficient options that certainly not only lower energy consumption yet also enhance the general performance of the unit. If you are actually involved regarding energy prices, look at investing in a portable central air conditioning unit along with advanced inverter modern technology, which makes sure the unit uses power extra effectively.

Look for Portability and Convenience

Among the major advantages of a portable air conditioning unit is its own range of motion. Choose Rinnai AC that matches your way of living and may be simply moved in between rooms, relying on where you need to have cooling down a lot of. Think about the weight, measurements, and range of motion of the unit, in addition to components like built-in wheels or takes care of, that make it less complicated to move from room to space. If you plan to move your central air conditioning unit from your cocktail lounge to your room or maybe in between different floors, a lightweight and sleek model will provide you with the adaptability you require. Some air conditioning system also possess easy-to-install home window sets that permit you to specify them up in a variety of spaces swiftly. In addition, you could yearn for to examine whether the portable ac unit feature a remote control, thus you can easily adjust the temperature and fan environments from the convenience of your bedroom or even sofa. Sneak a peek at this website to get portable conditioner air.

Analysis the greatest Brands and Designs

When looking for portable ac unit online in New Zealand, it is essential to opt for a reliable brand that provides top notch, sturdy, and effective units. Widely known brands like Rinnai AC, Haier AC, Gree AC, and Panasonic AC have a powerful online reputation for creating portable a/c units that are both dependable and efficient. If you're seeking advanced attributes and premium efficiency, take into consideration purchasing a model from a counted on brand including Daikin AC or Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AC. Furthermore, check out product evaluations and ratings to observe what various other users possess to point out regarding the efficiency, longevity, and simplicity of use of certain models. While a lot of models are actually available at different rate points, buying a top-tier brand can easily provide you assurance, recognizing your portable ac system NZ will certainly deliver steady cooling over time.

Final Thought and feelings

Discovering the ideal portable ac system online in New Zealand calls for mindful factor to consider of your space dimension, cooling needs, and energy efficiency. Whether you are actually seeking a small air conditioning system or an extra powerful portable AC to cool your whole home, there is actually a vast choice readily available to accommodate your finances and requirements. Portable air conditioning unit offer a beneficial and economical technique to stay relaxed year-round, particularly when combined along with NZ heat pumps that use both home heating and cooling solutions. Along with the right design, you can easily make sure convenience and efficiency throughout those very hot summertime months while keeping your energy usage in check.

Whether you decide on brands like Daikin AC, Carrier AC, or Hitachi AC, always remember to search for components that match your demands and choices. Whether you're looking for a small a/c unit for a singular room or a bigger style to cool an entire residence, there's a choice on the market for you. Make sure to consider variables like energy effectiveness, mobility, and brand online reputation when deciding on the very best portable air conditioner unit to fit your way of living in New Zealand.

#AC

0 notes

creativeimproved · 1 year ago

Text

Armin Ordodary, FSM Smart and Lau Global Services (2024)

In the era of CFDs and binary options, massive international forex scams arose. With the peak occurring in or around 2015, many of them began operating between 2010 and 2012. Legislators and regulators needed some time to recognize emerging trends and devise effective countermeasures. The beginning of 2014 saw regulators issue warnings about binary options, signaling the end of the FX gold rush. It took three more years for regulators to formally outlaw binary options. A few international forex scammers duped hundreds of thousands of retail investors between 2012 and 2017. One of the criminal groups that created a wave of illicit binary options, forex, and cryptocurrency trading methods is Lau Global Services Corp. Media has requested additional information to establish an EFRI funds recovery campaign.

The FSM Smart Broker Scheme by Armin Ordodary

The fraudulent broker scheme FSM Smart (www.fsmsmart.com) has been aggressively gaining clients through their Serbian boiler room Upmarket d.o.o., according to information provided to the media by whistleblowers. Benrich Holdings Ltd., a company based in Cyprus, is the only shareholder in this boiler room. Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus, is a director of both companies. Upmarkt is only one of the Lau Global Services Corp scheme’s several boiler rooms. FinTelegrem has information that indicates FSM Smart and Armin Ordodary are involved in the “Lau Scheme.

The “Lau Scheme” has only a few minor branches, including the Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o. Kiev, Ukraine, has served as something of an epicentre for additional boiler rooms that have already been discovered in other jurisdictions. For instance, call centre addresses in Kiev were discovered by the Russian website Forex Scam (www.forex-scam.net). Apart from E&G Bulgaria, Lau Global Services Corp is unquestionably one of the biggest illicit broker enterprises on the planet. Even with so many offshore connections, this operation appears to be run out of Ukraine and the Balkans.

However, let’s begin with FSM Smart and work our way up to the larger picture. Early in 2018, the illicit broker FSM Smart made its debut. Investor cautionary note regarding the current FSM Smart (www.fsmsmart.com) scheme:

August 2018: In the summer of 2018, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) of New Zealand issued a warning on FSM Smart.

In November 2018, the Canadian watchdog in Manitoba (MSC) issued an investor warning against FSM Smart, while the financial market regulatory organisation in Switzerland,

FINMA issued a warning against the company. FSM Smart’s contact address is reportedly Hertensteinstrasse 51, 6004 Luzern in Switzerland.

The Global Services Network of Lau

It is clear that there are connections between the operators of the FSM Smart scams and other con artists, such as MTI Markets (www.mtimarkets.com). According to reports, Lau Global Services Corp., the company behind this unlawful broker, also ran the following other illicit broker schemes:

TradingMX (http://www.tradingmx.com)

(www.lgs-corp.com) LGS Corp.

(www.tradingbanks.com) TradingBanks

Trade12: https://www.trade12.com

mtimarkets.com, the website of MTI Markets

(www.grizzly-ltd.com) Grizzly

The following companies have been linked to the Lau Global Services Group by the Media team:

Belize’s Lau Global Services Corp.

Serbian Upmarkt d.o.o.

Global Fin Services Ltd (UK), Exo Capital Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands), and MTI Investments LLC or MTI Markets Ltd (Marshall Islands)

Malta-based Grizzly Ltd.

Cyprus-based R Capital Solutions Ltd.

Cyprus-based Benrich Holdings Ltd.

SIO Ltd (Cyprus)

Eyar Financial Corp Limited (Vanatu)

Most of the businesses don’t have a website or aren’t active on social media. Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus, appears to be involved in the “Lau Scheme.” The last several months have seen the disappearance of all the websites and social media accounts he is directly related to going offline. Only to bring up his SIAO Ltd. The reason behind this is the question.

Regulators from many jurisdictions issued numerous warnings to the brands and businesses connected to Lau Global Services Corp.

August 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert by the Italian CONSOB;

September 2015: MXTrade and Lau Global Services were the targets of an investor alert from Cyprus agency CySec;

April 2016: The Belgian Financial Services Authority (FSMA) cautioned investors.

Nov. 2017 saw the Guernsey regulator issue a warning to investors about Exo Capital Markets Ltd. trading as Trade12;

numerous other warnings regarding the various trading styles (domains/brands)

The Facebook page of Lau Global Service Corp is still accessible, even though the majority of the network’s illicit broker websites have since gone offline. It is purported that R Capital Solutions Limited, a financial services firm registered in Cyprus (HE329922) with licence number 246/14, approved and regulated by the Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission, was the previous owner and operator of the MXTrade brand. 2015 saw the alleged transfer of the MXTrade name and customer base to Lau Global Services. R Capital Solutions, however, disputes that it ever had any relationship with MXTrade in a corresponding statement:

R Capital Solution’s declaration about MXTrade

But from what I’ve read in a few forums, it appears that R Capital Solutions was working with MXTrader up to the middle of 2015. Emails obtained by Media appear to indicate that R Capital Solutions did, in fact, run MXTrader up to the middle of 2015.

Lau Global Services is also a shareholder in Grizzly Ltd., a Malta-based company that formerly operated payment services for such illicit and dishonest broker schemes, according to Offshore Leaks Database. This can be seen, for instance, on an old MTI Markets website. Shlomo Matan Shalom Avshalom, an Israeli, is listed as a director of Grizzly Ltd. Grizzly Ltd was involved in the “Lau” Scheme and possessed several illicit trading brands, according to various sources and forums.

The legal companies involved in illicit broker schemes typically make regular changes to deceive Google, law enforcement, and clients. In particular, the front shell firms that are usually run by “monkeys” are changing a lot.

Individuals Found in the Network

The individuals listed in the FSMSmart network include Mathew Bradley, Ali Mahmoudi, and Armin Ordodary, a resident of Cyprus who is purportedly a former Windsor Brokers employee. Born in January of 1991, Armin Ordodary has registered multiple forex trading domains during the years of 2013 and 2014. In addition, he serves as the director of Bythos Yachts Management OÜ in Estonia.

The well-established ties that Armin Ordodary

We are unable to determine at this time if Armin Ordodary was a lieutenant in Cyprus or one of the scheme’s masterminds. In actuality, we have managed to determine his affiliation with businesses, endeavours, and undertakings within the illicit brokering landscape. He has ties to both the Nepcore project and SIAO Ltd, a provider of FOREX services. Additionally, we are aware that he oversees the Upmarkt boiler room in Serbia, which provided services to FSM Smart. He offered marketing services for the “Lau Scheme’s illicit trading styles through Nepcore.

#finance #investing #news

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taxconsultantinperth · 2 months ago

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Reducing your tax through a tax haven

Reducing your Australian tax bill through a fancy offshore tax haven is appealing. And, the idea that up to half of your wealth will be taxed on income to the Australian government is not appealing to many business-minded families in Perth and across Australia.

In this blog we will consider how income in tax havens is taxed, what people when they have a tax haven, and alternative options to people who are looking at tax havens.

What is a tax haven?

A tax haven is a country with either no or very little tax. Some countries have a higher tax rate, but if you do something, they will lower their headline tax rate to attract you to invest in that country.

Sometimes they offer no tax if you employ a minimum number of people in their country.

What is not a tax haven?

Australia has different tax laws with different countries. However, if you have money and assets invested in the following countries, your Australian tax risk is reduced:

Germany

France

Canada

Japan

New Zealand

United Kingdon

United States of America.

Who deals with tax havens?

Many countries and their tax advisors will strongly suggest that they are not tax havens but lower-tax countries. Luxemburg has previously been considered a tax haven. Still, they are now part of the European Union – so they cannot act as a tax haven under their membership requirements for the European Union.

So, who deals with a “tax haven” is not restricted to a country or a person. The simple act of dealing with a tax haven, or a country with lower taxes, does not make a person a good taxpayer or a bad taxpayer—they are simply dealing with a country that is not Australia.

If you run a boat charter business in the Cayman Islands, you might simply be leveraging their beautiful coastline and growing tourism business.

What is the best way to deal with a tax haven?

Suppose you want to use a tax haven. In that case, the best way is to leave Australia forever and not be an Australian tax resident – think Novak Djokovic, a tax resident of Monaco, and Sean Connery, a tax resident of Switzerland.

So, the ideal solution is to leave the country, sever your ties to Australia, and make the tax haven your home. This solution works for globally mobile families.

If you have no money in Australia, and no connection to Australia, Australia cannot tax you.

If you leave Australia and become a non-resident of Australia, the Australian tax regime will still tax your Australian assets. So, if you have an Australian rental property, the income from that property will still be taxed in Australia. Suppose you have Australian shares on the ASX. In that case, you can pay capital gains tax when you become a non-resident at the market value of the shares, or you can keep those shares within the Australian tax net, so they continue to be taxed within the Australian tax system.

So, to use a tax haven properly, you would also sell all taxable Australian assets, such as real estate and privately held shares, and not generate income from those assets.

What happens if you have income generated from a tax haven?

Suppose you’re an Australian tax resident with investment income generated in a tax haven. In that case, that income will likely be deemed your Australian income – using the tax haven to quarantine taxable income away from Australia will not work. The income will be attributed to you, through the tax haven, and you will pay tax in Australia.

If, after you have paid Australian tax on the income, the tax haven transfers the taxed income to you, the cash payment of that money transferred will not be taxed again. Australia won’t tax your income twice.

If the tax haven applied some minor tax rate (say 2%) on the monies sent back to you, you might enjoy a reduction on your Australian tax payable.

How do some people hide their income in a tax haven?

They don’t. The ATO is very sophisticated at detecting hidden money, and a range of smart people who have hidden money now look silly—think Project Wickenby.

If you engage a stranger as your front person, you commit a criminal act. Sadly, the world is full of stories where the stranger either steals your money or, when asked by the ATO to reveal who they are acting for, gives them your name.

What is the best tax haven I can consider from Perth?

The best tax haven is your superannuation fund. As a couple, you can have $3.8m invested, and when you are over 60, the entire income generated on your superannuation fund monies is entirely tax-free. The income and capital the superannuation fund pays to you are also tax-free.

Further, any underlying tax companies pay (think franking credits) is also fully returned to you.

So, if your $3.8m superannuation fund generated a franked dividend of 4%, you will enjoy an income stream of $152,000 from your investments. The government will then refund you $65,142 as a refund of your franking credits.

Your tax rate, when appropriately structured, is negative 42.8%. This compares to a personal income tax rate of positive 2.5% in Liechtenstein.

You could also own another $1m personally outside the super fund earning, say 5%, as a couple and not pay tax.

So, you can earn $192k and enjoy a negative tax rate of 42.8%.

What other Australian tax havens exist?

The sale of the family home as your main residence is also tax-free. This tax-free gain you make is not capped, so if you sell the family home with a profit of $10,000 or $10m, you will not pay tax on the profit.

If we compare the generous Australian tax position to the USA, the ability to enjoy tax-free profits on the sale of the family home is capped at USD 500,000 a couple.

Using the family home to shelter wealth from taxes is a significant tax haven that is only sometimes available in other countries.

Comparing countries and tax regimes

Many find the Australian headline tax rate of 47% intimidating. However, it is also worth noting that our tax rate is final. Australia does not have a state income tax system, and we are often quoted the Federal tax rate of other countries but not the differing state income tax rate.

For example, the highest US tax rate is 37%, so it looks like people are getting a better deal. However, California’s highest state tax rate is 13.3%, so the combined tax rate for a person in California is 50.3%. This rate should be compared to the Australian rate of 47%.

Further, Australia does not have death taxes. In comparison, the UK has a death tax of 40% of the estate value over 500,00 pounds if the estate is left to a child. Admittedly, we can have a hidden death tax in a superannuation fund, but this can be managed with smart tax advice from your Perth tax accountant.

Australia also does not have a social security tax. French residents’ social security tax rate is roughly 13% to 40%, depending on their income. So, comparing the French Federal tax rate is not appropriate.

It is also worth knowing that nothing is for nothing. Many tax havens apply no taxes at all to attract investment; however, to qualify for a zero-tax outcome, you are committed to spending a minimum amount of money in that country. So if you have a team of people working for you in another country, you might need to consider the tax impacts before hiring staff internationally.

How to generate taxable income in a tax haven safely

If you run a business in another country through a permanent establishment, prepare sound business records, and keep the business profits in that country, Australia typically won’t tax them until they are sent to you as a dividend.

So, if you have a coffee shop in Monaco selling coffee to local people, the profits from your coffee shop are legitimate trading profits, and Australia won’t tax them. However, if the Monaco business is somehow connected to Australia, such as buying Australian coffee beans for free, then you will have significant tax problems.

Managing your taxes

The tax rates of countries where it is easier to generate income are generally higher. The infrastructure of countries like the USA, Australia, Germany, and the UK makes it easier to make profits in those countries, and those countries generally have a higher tax rate.

The infrastructure support of, say, the Cayman Islands generally makes it harder (not always) to generate income. Those countries use lower tax rates to attract foreign investment.

When you engage a tax advisory firm, it is important to use a firm with a deep international network like GGI. As an alliance of over 31,000 advisors, you get the benefit of a global view while benefitting from independent advisors in each country.

At Westcourt, we have the best of both worlds regarding tax and financial structuring advice. We are a committed independent team of tax professionals who actively engage and leverage the Australian tax system so business families can structure and manage their financial affairs to enjoy the highest after-tax returns. We are also globally connected to other independent firms that are at the top of their field to help business families who are globally invested. So, if you are seriously considering managing the family and business wealth properly, why not call us?