Trust Law - New Zealand Offshore Trusts

Our services

New Zealand Offshore Trusts Limited's practice is the establishment and administration of:

• New Zealand Offshore Trusts
• New Zealand private companies
• New Zealand private trustee companies
• Australian and New Zealand and pre-migration trusts and gifting.

By using the latest technology (including trust and company administration and document storage software from ViewPoint), our fees are very competitive.

Back to top

The benefits of New Zealand as an Offshore Financial Centre

The benefits of New Zealand as an Offshore Financial Centre are:

1. New Zealand tax laws allow a non resident to establish a trust in New Zealand without exposing that trust, its trustees, or beneficiaries, to New Zealand taxation, providing it does not earn income in New Zealand. As there is no erosion of New Zealand's tax base, collection of tax will not be an issue as far as the New Zealand Commissioner of Inland Revenue is concerned: see New Zealand as a jurisdiction for Offshore Trusts.
   
2. No New Zealand taxes are paid by the Offshore Trust on offshore income which is trustee income or allocated to overseas beneficiaries.
   
3. No New Zealand tax reporting is required.
   
4. The trust can access a number of New Zealand's Taxation treaties.
   

5. From 1 October 2006, resident foreign trustees (including qualifying resident foreign trustees) are required to complete this disclosure for each foreign trust they administer.

   A qualifying resident foreign trustee is:

   • an individual who is a member of an approved organisation, or
   • an entity that has a director or other individual who is resident in New Zealand and is a member of an approved organisation who is in a position allowing significant influence over the management or administration of the trustee.

   Organisations that have been granted approved organisation status are:

   • New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants
   • New Zealand Law Society
   • The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (New Zealand Branch)
   Full details of these new rules are in the Tax Information Bulletin Vol 18, No 5 (June 2006). 
6. Requests for information can be made under the requirements of specific legislation).
   
7. No audit of the accounts of the Offshore Trust is required.
   
8. No Government registration of the Offshore Trust is required.
   
9. The costs are lower than in many tax haven jurisdictions.
   
10. New Zealand is a reputable country, with a stable political and economic environment.
    
11. The New Zealand trustee and other law applicable to such trusts is similar to those widely known and used in other Commonwealth jurisdictions. New Zealand's Trustee Act 1956 and the English rules of equity permit well structured modern trusts.
    
12. There are well developed communication, business and commercial infrastructure and a high standard of professional services in New Zealand.
    
13. New Zealand is not a party to the numerous treaties and conventions of the European states.
    
14. The assets/investments of the Offshore Trust can be held outside New Zealand on behalf of the Trust by a custodian trustee to provide security.
    
15. The settlor of the Trust can establish a New Zealand private trustee company to act as trustee of the trust. New Zealand company law also provides a simple procedure for transfer of registration of the company to another country in the event of an emergency: see New Zealand as a jurisdiction for trustee companies.

Back to top