The offshore industry was once the bastion of the world's financial elite, since only the very wealthy could afford the services it took to successfully plan and implement an offshore financial strategy. Today, however, increased competition, enhanced technologies and advances in telecommunications have combined to create an environment where offshore financial services are cheaper, simpler to use and generally more accessible. These changes have opened the offshore market to more and more small business owners and professionals.

The truth is that EVERY Fortune 500 company, most Fortune 1000 companies, many major North American and European Banks, and thousands of other enterprises and associations currently have corporations, branch offices, assets, insurance, investment accounts and/or bank accounts offshore. In most cases, they have been there for decades, and only recently have the advantages they enjoy become more available to the general public.

Situations that call for the use of an offshore financial structure are very common and will apply to virtually every professional or business owner. Those who should investigate the benefits of offshore financial planning include:

• professionals who are subjected to a high degree of legal liability in the course of their profession - lawyers, doctors, dentists, entrepreneurs;

• anyone seeking to protect assets from litigation and third party claims.

• individuals looking for increased flexibility and efficiency in organizing the succession of family wealth;

• individuals considering marriage without a pre-nuptual agreement;

• individuals and businesses looking for an international investment vehicle; and

• e-commerce and other businesses operating on an international scale.