What we do

We offer access to a wide range of tax-efficient financial planning, investment solutions and business strategies for corporate and individual clients worldwide, but especially in in the UK, US, Canada and Latin America.

Some of our solutions use the unique international planning opportunities offered by Barbados to solve cross-border issues faced by our clients. Others are based on country-specific legislation to deal with domestic problems, especially in the UK. They are all based on a full technical analysis, designed to give the greatest possible level of confidence in the proposals.

How we do it

Our extensive in-house expertise is complemented by an established network of associate firms. Our clients can choose to receive specific guidance on a single issue, or comprehensive, integrated advice on all aspects of their financial affairs; and then with our assistance, implement the chosen structures seamlessly with their current arrangements.

We aim to work with existing advisers wherever possible, and many professional firms use us to source specialist advice for their clients. Any type of planning can be appropriate in a given case, but we believe that wherever possible, transparent strategies based on genuine economic substance should be preferred over artificial or opaque 'schemes'.

You'll find various examples here of the sort of solutions we regularly offer, but much of our work involves bespoke planning, tailored to fit the client's own circumstances and objectives. If you don't see something here that appears to fit your particular problem or ambition, get in touch and tell us about it; the odds are that we can help

Wealth Management

We work closely with a number of private banks, based in Barbados, Switzerland and elsewhere, and can therefore offer integrated and sophisticated wealth management services to high net worth clients who require them.

Corporate Services

For any client seeking to establish a subsidiary or other entity in Barbados or elsewhere, Green Park can provide the full range of financial and corporate services required, working in conjunction with its preferred corporate services partners in each jurisdiction.

Companies can seek to structure their activities in a variety of ways to enhance their commercial prospects while minimising corporate tax or other liabilities.

Corporate Clients

Barbados

By incorporating a Barbados subsidiary within the group structure, profits made from international clients can be increased by taking advantage of the inbuilt cost advantages of Barbados, and sheltered entirely from UK corporation tax, with tax payable in Barbados instead at as little as 1%.

Employee retention structures

Companies can set aside significant sums into trust in order to assist with the retention and incentivisation of key staff members, including directors. A variety of such structures exist, with differing features, which may include an immediate corporation tax deduction on contributions by the company. For the staff members who benefit, such trusts can represent a superb long-term shelter for their family's wealth, combining a high level of tax efficiency with a great deal of flexibility.

Disposal of assets

Companies (or trusts) that are considering the disposal of capital assets, realising a significant gain, may be able to put in place a commercial structure for the disposal which retains the entire profit within the group, but with a greatly reduced (potentially to zero) corporation tax bill.

Additional trading activity

It is possible for companies to participate in an additional trade, which, should it deliver losses in the first year, can be offset against profits from the company's core business. The resulting corporation tax saving may be supplemented by further profits from the additional trade in later years, and the terms of the participation are such that the company can expect to remain in a cash-positive position at all times.

Property purchase

Many commercial property purchases can be arranged so that the transaction falls largely or completely outside the scope of SDLT.

Individual Clients

A multitude of planning options are available to deal with most major financial events in people's lives; and most of the major UK tax liabilities that accompany them. Many of these solutions do not involve tax 'schemes', but rather investments or the restructuring of existing arrangements that are made for entirely valid non-tax reasons, while also resulting in significant tax advantages to the client.

Income tax - new trade

There are a range of ways in which an individual can invest and participate actively in a new business for as little as 6 months, and by doing so may realise a loss in the first year that results in a substantial reclaim of the income tax due or paid in up to 4 tax years. This iniitial tax relief can be supplemented by profits from the new business in future years.

Income tax - mitigation structures

Other planning is available from time to time, often based on the generation of an manufactured loss - which does not correspond to a 'real money' loss by the client. This type of planning is fairly aggressive and artificial, but costs tend to be relatively low and the risk/reward profile may appeal to certain people.

Inheritance tax

A variety of strategies offer the potential to reduce the effects of this tax in various ways; from transferring value within families without incurring a tax charge, even on early death; to the outright mitigation of the tax on someone's entire estate, right up to the point of death.

SDLT

Many property purchases can be arranged so that the transaction falls largely or completely outside the scope of SDLT.

Pensions

Many people are concerned about the restrictions imposed on the investment of their UK pension funds, and especially about the very high tax charges that may apply on death (up to 82%, including inheritance tax, where death occurs after 75). Solutions are available to deal with both of these, and other issues that are often raised as problems by clients.

Capital gains tax

Careful planning prior to the disposal of an asset - or even afterwards, in some cases - can usually allow CGT liabilties to be reduced or avoided altogether. For example, clients holding loan notes from the sale of a company can often structure their disposal in a highly tax-efficient way.