Having an account with an offshore bank is essential for diversifying your finances. However, today’s international banking world can be difficult to navigate as a U.S. Citizen. Since the IRS began enforcing the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in 2014, many offshore banks no longer accept U.S. clients. FATCA requires banks to report the financial activities of U.S. account holders to the IRS or risk being slapped with a hefty penalty, so many banks have decided to cut their losses and close their doors to Americans rather than deal with the administrative headache. Even banks in traditional offshore havens such as Switzerland have stopped opening accounts to Americans…
Panama is Central America’s preeminent banking destination. Its thriving banking sector has fueled the growth of the country’s economy and attracted dozens of international banks from around the globe. Of the 75 banks currently operating in the country, 2 are state-owned, 47 have general licenses, and 26 have international licenses.