Managing cross-border wealth requires meticulous planning. This article presents a comprehensive checklist for global families, covering trusts, residency, tax, and legacy tools. A downloadable PDF is included for private use.
International wealth management is increasingly complex. Families with assets, members, or interests in multiple jurisdictions must consider tax regimes, succession laws, information exchange treaties, and institutional reliability.
Here’s a streamlined Wealth Structuring Checklist used by private bankers and trust planners:
✅ Foundational Planning
- Identify asset classes across jurisdictions
- Determine controlling individuals
- Appoint legal and tax advisors in all tax-relevant countries
✅ Asset Protection Vehicles
- Review offshore trust viability (jurisdiction + trustee type)
- Consider foundation vs trust structures
- Reassess ownership of real estate and IP holdings
✅ Residency & Tax Optimization
- Confirm residency rules in each country
- Avoid accidental tax residency
- Choose primary tax domicile (flag theory)
✅ Family Governance
- Draft family constitution or charter
- Establish multi-generational board
- Create succession timeline & voting mechanism
✅ Compliance & Reporting
- FATCA & CRS review
- Bank KYC file preparation
- Entity register & UBO compliance
✅ Digital Assets & Access
- Secure cold storage for crypto assets
- Nominate digital executor
- Password/seed phrase inventory in encrypted vault
Download: Click here to access the free PDF (EN version)
FAQs:
- Q: Who should use this checklist? A: Families with assets in 2+ countries or citizenships across borders.
- Q: Can this checklist replace legal advice? A: No. It’s a planning tool to organize your questions for professionals.
- Q: Is the PDF editable? A: Yes, it includes form fields to customize for your structure.
- Q: Do banks use similar documents? A: Yes, private banking onboarding often includes 60–90% of these items.
- Q: Will this be updated regularly? A: Yes. Subscribe to our newsletter to get updated versions.
User Comments:
- WealthPlannerHK: “This is the most useful pre-meeting checklist I’ve seen.”
- LegacyFirmSG: “Perfect for client onboarding sessions—simple and clear.”
- GlobalTaxLaw: “We printed it out for internal partner use.”
- FirstGenCapital: “Helps me talk to my children about succession properly.”
- FamilyOfficeAlpha: “Please make a Chinese version too!”
Editor's Note:
A checklist doesn’t replace advice—but it makes sure you ask the right questions. Use this guide to save time, avoid regulatory issues, and protect your legacy across generations.
(Editors: admin)