A list of foreign countries where those Americans lucky enough to still have money can look to bank, and next results from a survey conducted by The National Foundation for Credit Counseling that looks at whether Americans are saving, mortgage decisions, credit cards and much more!
Offshore Banking
Thanks to onerous U.S. banking regulations and uncertainty surrounding future U.S. federal government legislation under the Obama administration, the bank of choice for many Americans may be the one that's in some other country!
The problem there, however, is that because of the burden of dealing with the U.S. government, many foreign banks have chosen not to deal with U.S. customers.
Perhaps the solution is for the Obama administration to simplify and clarify so that U.S. citizens can feel more comfortable in dealing with U.S. institutions without having to consider looking to bank offshore!
Operating under the assumption that simplification and clarification won't occur and may in fact get worse, and that you are one of the lucky Americans to still have enough money that makes where you bank an important decision, here is a list of some countries that banking offshore is a possibility (this does not constitute financial advice but is merely financial information).
Some banking countries of choice!
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1) Andorra. This tiny low-tax nation nestled high in the
mountains between France and Spain has long been a favorite of well-heeled
Europeans. Today, despite all the turmoil in the rest of Europe, Andorra has
one of the most well-capitalized banking systems on the continent.
2) St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This country is more
famous for being the filming location for “Pirates of the Caribbean” rather
than as an international banking center. The banking sector is still quite
small, and as a result, banks are still willing to do the extra paperwork
required to deal with US customers in order to boost their balance sheets.
3) Mongolia. Perhaps one of my favorite places in the world
to bank, you can get paid upwards of 13% interest in Mongolia, easily the
fastest growing economy in the world.
4) Belize. Even though it’s just a short flight from a
number of cities in the US, several banks in Belize will open accounts for US citizens
through the mail without you having to leave town.
5) Hong Kong. One of the original international banking
centers, Hong Kong remains one of the most efficient places in the world to
bank. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and you have unfettered access to opportunities in
mainland China. Many of the big name banks, including HSBC, will still open
accounts for US citizens.
6) The Bahamas. With the local economy already so closely
tied to the United States, most banks in the Bahamas have made the decision to
stay in bed with Uncle Sam rather than rock the boat.
7) Chile. Among the most well-capitalized banks in Latin
America, Chile’s banking system marches to the beat of its own drum. It’s very
difficult (though possible) to open an account without obtaining residency
first, but fortunately it’s a straightforward process to obtain residency in
this thriving country.
8.) Turks and Caicos. Like the Bahamas, T&C’s economy is
heavily dependent on the United States for trade, tourism, and its financial
sector (which constitutes 30% of all economic activity). While a few private
banks have closed their doors, some larger multinationals (like Scotiabank)
still readily accept US customers. (Source)
Next: The survey results from The National Foundation for Credit Counseling
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