Foundations

Foundations were introduced approximately 100 years ago in Western Europe. Their use for estate and asset planning started in Liechtenstein in the early part of the 20th Century. Foundations have since become popular across the globe, especially in civil law jurisdictions where the concept of ‘Anglo Saxon Trusts’ is less well known.

A foundation is a separate legal entity, without members or shareholders, and is generally established to reflect the wishes of the founder, who may be an individual or a corporate entity. These wishes are contained within the Foundation's Charter and Regulations. Foundations can be established for a fixed or indefinite period of time and can be used for charitable, commercial or for family purposes.

Foundations are a very important component when structuring the ownership of family and corporate assets and are particularly important where trusts are not generally recognized. They are in many respects similar to corporate entities, but afford the protection and continuity derived from the use of trusts.

The Nevis Multiform Foundation is a unique modification of the standard Foundation that allows the Nevis Foundation to take on the form of a Company, Trust, and Partnership or as a standalone Foundation. The Nevis Multiform Foundation is unlike any other. This flexible, customizable and creative Foundation maintains the original concepts of any Foundation. It is a legal body that is separate from its creators.

The Nevis Offshore Foundation can be used internationally for philanthropic or charitable reasons. Nevis Foundations can also be used for inheritance and estate planning and asset and wealth protection. Additionally, the Nevis Foundation can very well be used to maintain corporate control under a veil of ultimate privacy and confidentiality.

The Nevis Foundation is a protection and holding instrument in which various assets, i.e. real, tangible or intangible such as corporations, shares, bank accounts, investment holdings, real estate, art collections, pension funds, Trusts, to name a few, can be held.

The concept of the Foundation is centuries old and proven in its function. Many offshore jurisdictions see the Foundation entity as a means of increasing its portfolio of products. While some merely adopt the preexisting laws of Foundations, others like Nevis, actually modify and improve the Foundation entity to make it more appealing, functional and attractive to clients.

All Nevis Foundations are mandated under the Multiform Foundation Ordinance of 2004.

The Panama Foundation is a legal entity that is entirely separate from its creators, and it is unlike any other entity. The Panama Private Interest foundation was carefully designed and developed to create a more flexible, a more modern and a more affordable model which is to be used internationally. International estate and inheritance planning in a neutral, secure environment is the main benefit of a Panama Foundation.

 The Panama Private Interest Foundation under Law No. 25 was legislated into the Public Registry on June 12, 1995 and this is the presiding law for governance and regulation of all Panamanian Private Interest Foundations.

 NTL Trust's Panama office provides incorporation and management services for Panama Private Interest Foundations.