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Private Investment Companies and Trusts

Wealth structuring to protect you and your family

We know that you have worked hard to build and maintain your wealth and you naturally want to preserve it for future generations. Wealth structuring is the best way to gain control and privacy over your finances, and plan ahead so that your family wealth works exactly how you want it to, minimising tax liabilities and maintaining financial privacy.

As a client of Citi International Personal Bank you have access to Citi Trust, one of the oldest and most experienced Trust and Fiduciary Services Groups in the world. Working as partners we can help you protect your assets for your family, properly safeguarding your wealth for the future.

What is a Private Investment Company (PIC)?

A Private Investment Company (PIC) is a corporation established to hold your investment assets. Although you technically own the PIC, it has a separate legal identity that provides many wealth protection benefits. A PIC's obligations are generally limited to the assets within it, which means your personal assets are separate and protected.

PICs are generally incorporated in and operated under the laws of countries that have modern corporation and trust laws, such as The Bahamas or London and Jersey for example.

How do PICs work?

Your investment assets, such as cash, securities and real estate, are transferred to a PIC, which becomes the legal owner of the assets. Shares of the PIC are registered in the name of one or more Citi nominees, and directors and officers are appointed for the PIC. However, you retain the ultimate rights of ownership. The PIC issues you shares and an interest-free loan equal to the value of the assets.

Get document in PDF format More about the benefits of PICs (131kb)

What is a Trust?

A Trust is a way for you to hold your assets without holding legal title to them. It is a confidential arrangement where a trustee holds legal title to your assets and manages the Trust under exact terms specified by you.

How do Trusts work?

A Trust is established with you as a donor and Citi Trust as the trustee. You choose the beneficiaries and the terms under which they benefit, and you decide which assets you want to hold within the Trust, which can include a PIC.

Get document in PDF format More about the benefits of Trusts (244kb)

Who are PICs and Trusts suitable for?

  • Those who want to increase their financial privacy. The assets in a PIC are registered in the PIC's name, not the owners. With a Trust, the trustee holds legal title to the assets, not you, and the agreement is not publicly recorded.
  • Clients who need to diversify sovereign risk, (i.e. the risk attached to international transactions because of the possibility of regulatory, political or economic change in a particular country). A PIC, for example, can be established in one country, administered in another and hold assets located in a third, spreading sovereign risk.
  • People who are looking to protect their wealth for their children may be able to minimise their tax liabilities .
  • Those looking for more control over their estate planning. By holding your assets in a Trust you can specify in the Trust Deed exactly how your assets will be passed on to whoever you choose, for example from husband to wife.

Take advantage of PICs and Trusts

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Please note: If you are not already a Citi International Personal Bank client and wish to apply for a PIC or Trust, please contact us directly rather than going through our usual application process – as you will need to complete a slightly different application process.

For U.S. clients, trust services are provided by one of the following entities: Citibank N.A.,; Citicorp Trust, N.A.; Citicorp Trust South Dakota; or Citigroup Trust - Delaware, N.A. The service providers are referred to collectively as "Citi Trust" and as the "affiliated trust companies."

The services of Citi Trust's Global Wealth Structuring business are available to clients who are neither residents nor citizens of the US and are provided by one of the following entities: Cititrust Private Trust (Cayman) Limited, Cititrust Private Trust Zurich GmbH, Cititrust (Bahamas) Limited, Cititrust (Cayman) Limited, Cititrust (Jersey) Limited, Cititrust (Singapore) Limited, Cititrust (Switzerland) Limited, or Citigroup Trust - Delaware, N.A.

Citigroup Inc. and its affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. To the extent that this material or any attachment concerns tax matters, it is not intended to be used and cannot be used by a taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed by law. Any such taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer's particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

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Member FDIC

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