The quote above is from a none-too-shy but almost-always-right financial source on the ground in Madrid, Spain.
The new populist regime in Greece, elected last month, means that the odds of Greece leaving the Euro (already high in the long-term) just got a lot shorter in the short-term. New Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has pledged to lock horns with the Powers That Be in Europe, mostly notably the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund. He has promised Greek voters that he will renegotiate the austerity measures imposed upon the country by these economic institutions. The institutions, backed first and foremost by Germany, have not shown any inclination towards renegotiation.
The financial crisis in the European Union, on the back burner but always warm, will be heating up once again during the coming months. Greece may be number one on the chopping block, but despite assurances from the troika of European financial overseers, it’s easy to imagine a contagion spreading to the rest of the EU, beginning with Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The speed of the spread has been slowed during the past few years, but the momentum has not been reversed.
Just ask the Swiss. On January 15, 2015, the Swiss National Bank decided to abandon Switzerland’s fixed exchange rate with the Euro. Within minutes a newly unpegged Swiss currency gained 30% against the Euro, a clear sign that Switzerland and other investors view the Euro with suspicion if not outright disdain.
The lesson for people with money tied up in Europe is clear. To quote my friend in Spain: “Get your ass(ets) out!” (You can guess where he places the emphasis.)
What do I recommend? You can probably guess the answer to that, too: move your money to Belize to safely invest in a tax-optimized way. An English-speaking, highly developed, tax haven outside of the European Zone, Belize features a climate conducive to offshore banking, international business companies (IBCs), limited liability companies (LLCs), shelf companies, offshore foundations, offshore trusts, and other international financial mechanisms that provide a confidential, safe home for your money. Small wonder that Belize is considered one of the best countries for offshore accounts and offshore banking in the world.
And perhaps most importantly, we are licensed lawyers, so you can be sure you won’t get burned.
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Move your assets to Belize. Great title! Cheers.