SBI Wealth: wealth management at India's largest bank
SBI Wealth: entry from ₹50 lakh TRV; AUM ₹2.83 lakh cr, mostly deposits; flagship NRI franchise; DICGC deposit cover up to ₹5 lakh.
Estate planning
BRI Private: wealth at Indonesia's oldest bank
BRI Private — top tier of BRI's wealth franchise: Prioritas from IDR 1bn, Private from IDR 15bn; WM AUM Rp 239.6tn (2024); state-owned via Danantara; LPS IDR 2bn.
Bancolombia Banca Privada: Colombia's largest bank and its offshore arc
Bancolombia Banca Privada profile: Grupo Cibest holding since 2025, offshore via Panama, Puerto Rico and Miami, Cibest Capital entry at US$500k, Fogafín cover of COP 50m.
Axis Bank Burgundy Private: India's third-largest private bank's HNW platform
Burgundy Private by Axis Bank: entry threshold ₹5 cr TRV excl. demat, AUM ₹2.4 lakh cr, GIFT City offshore banking, DICGC deposit cover ₹5 lakh.
Public Bank: Red Carpet Banking instead of a private bank
Public Bank (Malaysia): official RCB tiers Gold from RM 300,000 and Elite from RM 1,000,000; Public Mutual is the No.1 unit-trust company; PIDM cover up to RM 250,000.
Northern Trust: the American trust bank for family offices
Northern Trust — the Chicago trust bank with US$534bn of wealth AUM: legal entities by country (US, London, Guernsey, Singapore, Abu Dhabi), the GFO threshold of US$200M+, FDIC protection and the BNY approach story.
Citi Private Bank: the global private bank with ten booking centres
Citi Private Bank — 10 booking centres and a published US$10M+ net-worth entry: legal entities by country (Citibank N.A., Citibank UK, Citibank (Switzerland) AG), OCC/FINMA/MAS/HKMA supervision and deposit protection.
Rathbones: the UK's wealth house with a banking licence inside
Rathbones — £120.7bn FUMA: the banking licence inside RIM, the Investec deal, entry from £150k, the EDD onboarding pause after the FCA review and FSCS £120k protection.
Bessemer Trust: the 1907 family office that became a private bank
Bessemer Trust — the Phipps family office of 1907 turned private bank: $250bn under supervision, 15k trusts, a press-reported ~$10m threshold, FDIC cover at only two entities.
SMBC Private Banking: PRESTIA and the trust core
SMBC private banking — the two-layer model: PRESTIA with an English perimeter (official statuses from ¥3m) and the trust bank with testamentary trusts; DIC ¥10m cover on yen.
Shinhan Premier: unified wealth at Korea's first privately founded bank
Shinhan Premier unifies Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Securities wealth: tiers at KRW 100m/1bn/10bn, AUM KRW 278.6tn (mid-2026), KDIC deposit cover KRW 100m.
Standard Bank Private Banking: Africa's largest bank and its offshore arm
Standard Bank Private Banking: SA entry from R58,000/month income, offshore Optimum from £5,000/US$7,000, booking in Jersey, Isle of Man and Mauritius, CODI cover up to R100,000.
TD Wealth Private Banking: private banking at Canada's second-largest bank
Official minimums C$1m (Canada) and US$1m liquid or US$3m net worth (US); 2024 US AML settlement US$3.1bn; CDIC deposit cover C$100k.
Woori Private Banking: the Two Chairs franchise of Korea's oldest bank
Two Chairs since 2003 — Korea's first bank-run PB franchise: tiers at KRW 100m / 500m / 3bn / 5bn, 308k PB clients, KDIC deposit cover of KRW 100m.
Scotia Wealth Management: private banking at Canada's international bank
Scotiabank private banking: from C$1 m in Canada and US$500,000 in Mexico; booking in Canada, Bahamas, Cayman and Peru; GWM AUM C$432 bn; CDIC deposit cover up to C$100,000.
Mandiri Private: private banking at Indonesia's largest bank
Mandiri Private — Bank Mandiri's private banking: Prioritas entry at IDR 1bn and Private at IDR 20bn, wealth-management AUM above IDR 300tn, LPS deposit cover up to IDR 2bn.
Maybank Private: private banking at Malaysia's largest bank
Maybank Private: entry from US$ 1m investable assets; Premier from RM 250k; PIDM cover RM 250k; Singapore Qualifying Full Bank; Forest City family offices.
SCB Private Banking: Thailand's first bank and the Julius Baer joint venture
SCB Private Banking: tiers at THB 2m / 10m / 50m, the SCB–Julius Baer JV active since 2019, and DPA deposit protection of THB 1m.
ICBC Private Banking: private banking at the world's largest bank
Entry threshold RMB 8m; 289k clients and RMB 3.47tn AUM at end-2024 (disclosure since dropped); offshore hubs in Hong Kong and Singapore; deposit insurance cap RMB 500k.
Itaú Private Bank: Latin America's first R$1 trillion franchise
Itaú Private Bank: reported R$10m minimum; R$1.1tn AUM (May 2026); booking in Brazil, Miami, Zurich and the Bahamas; FGC cover up to R$250k.
KBank Private Banking: Thailand's private banking leader
Official entry THB 50m; AUM THB 883bn and ~35% market share; Lombard Odier alliance since 2014; DPA deposit protection THB 1m.
KB Private Banking: Gold&Wise and the FIRST at Korea's largest financial group
KB Private Banking at KB Kookmin Bank: tiers from KRW 500m / 1bn / 3bn, trust leader with KRW 108.1tn, KDIC deposit protection up to KRW 100m.
CIBC Private Wealth: private banking across Canada and the US
Private banking at Canada's fifth-largest bank: advisory from C$ 2m in Canada and US$ 1m in the US, family office from US$ 50m, deposits protected by CDIC/FDIC.
FirstRand Private Banking: FNB and RMB under one licence
Official entry thresholds R750k/R1.8m; FNB Channel Islands in Guernsey; CODI deposit cover R100k; Euromoney Africa's Best Private Bank 2025 (FNB).
Hana Private Banking: Korea's first private banking service
Korea's first private banking service (1995): tiers of KRW 500m / 3bn / 30bn, Club1 UHNW centres, family office and KDIC deposit protection up to KRW 100m.
BDO Private Bank: private banking at the Philippines' largest bank
Separate BSP-licensed private bank: reported ~US$200k entry minimum, ₱704.5 bn trust assets, PDIC deposit cover raised to ₱1 m since March 2025.
BMO Private Wealth: private banking at Canada's oldest bank
Private banking at Canada's oldest bank (founded 1817): no published minimums, reported entry ~C$1m; Bank of the West acquired 2023; CDIC cover up to C$100k.
Bradesco Global Private Bank: Brazil's number two private bank
Bradesco Global Private Bank: de-facto minimum ~R$ 10m (press-reported), ~R$ 450bn client assets, offshore booking in Miami and Luxembourg, FGC deposit cover R$ 250k.
Leumi Private Banking: wealth segment of Israel's largest bank
Official entry from NIS 1.5m net worth (US$50k for foreign residents); no offshore booking centres remain; Israel has no deposit insurance scheme.
Absa Private Banking: post-Barclays wealth at South Africa's third bank
Absa Private Banking: official ladder from R 750k income to R 3m / R 20m wealth tiers and R 100m Family Office; Mauritius offshore booking; CODI R 100k.
ANZ Private: private banking at ANZ
ANZ Private: entry threshold A$3m to invest or borrow (NZ from NZ$1.5m), 17,500 clients, record ASIC penalties of A$250m in Dec 2025, FCS deposit cover A$250k.
NBK Wealth: Kuwait's largest wealth manager with a Geneva private bank
NBK Wealth: Kuwait's largest wealth manager — AUM > US$41 bn (end-2024); Geneva private bank since 1984/1999; Kuwait deposit guarantee; no PB minimum published.
İşbank Private Banking (Privia): wealth at Turkey's first national bank
Privia is İşbank's private banking brand: no published minimum, Aile Fonu family fund, TMSF deposit cover of TRY 1.2m per person from 2026.
CIMB Private Banking: Malaysia's second bank and its two-lane model
Wholesale CIMB Private Banking sits inside CIMB Investment Bank; Preferred starts at RM 250,000, Private Wealth at RM 1m + RM 500,000; PIDM covers RM 250,000.
Bank Hapoalim Private Banking: wealth at Israel's founding bank
BoI segment definition: assets above NIS 3m; US$874m US settlement (2020); no deposit insurance in Israel; New York branch FDIC-insured.
MUFG Private Banking: the trust core of Japan's largest group
MUFG private banking — the group model of Japan's largest bank: the MUTB trust core, the MUMSS brokerage with Morgan Stanley, a press-reported ¥300m target segment, DICJ ¥10m cover.
Wells Fargo Private Bank: trusts across 50 states after the Fed cap was lifted
Wells Fargo Private Bank — $2.5+tn of WIM client assets: an entry benchmark of ~$1m, trusts across 50 states, specialty assets, the lifted Fed cap (2025) and FDIC/SIPC protection.
Bank of America Private Bank: the trust core since 1853
Bank of America Private Bank — the U.S. Trust heir with $759bn of client balances: an entry benchmark of ~$3m, the #1 US trust position, specialty assets and art lending, FDIC/SIPC protection.
Relocating with a Trust: What Twelve Destination Countries Do on Arrival
What happens to a trust when its settlor or beneficiaries move to the UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Cyprus, UAE, US, Canada, Israel.
Insurance Wrapper Jurisdictions: Where to Issue a Unit-Linked or PPLI Policy
Luxembourg, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Bermuda, Cayman, Singapore, Hong Kong, Isle of Man and Guernsey compared, and how FR, IT, ES, DE, UK and US tax the policy.
Trust Jurisdictions: A Map for Choosing Where to Settle
Fifteen trust jurisdictions on one map: firewall and reserved powers, perpetuity, purpose trusts and PTCs, trust tax, regulators and published tariffs, the creditor test and digital-asset custody.
Cross-Border Divorce Jurisdiction: Where to File and How to Get the Decree Recognised
Jurisdiction under Regulation (EU) 2019/1111, the race of fora and lis pendens, English rules under s. 5(2) DMPA 1973, recognition of foreign divorces, and why money does not follow the divorce.
Jersey, Singapore or New Zealand: Choosing a Trust Jurisdiction
Three trust jurisdictions compared from primary sources: firewall, reserved powers, perpetuity, taxation, disclosure and CRS/CARF timing, trustee licensing and published JFSC, MAS and IRD tariffs.
Family Wealth: Matrimonial Property, Inheritance and Governance
A map of the family perimeter: the matrimonial regime first, then the instrument, then the event. Regulations 2016/1103 and 650/2012, waiver of the reserved share, governance and the family office.
Borrow Against a Collection or Sell: Tax, Cost and Risk
Interest on art loans is non-deductible under §163(h), with no carryforward. Break-even is 5 years versus 7.5 for an SBLOC. Maths, §68 from 2026, collateral.
Private Museum and Charitable Foundation: Collection Ownership and the FMV Deduction
Private operating foundation §4942(j)(3): full fair market value deduction, 30% AGI ceiling, related use, self-dealing under §4941 and the 0.5% floor from 2026.
Situs of Movable Assets: Aircraft, Yachts and Collections
Where a jet, yacht or painting sits for inheritance tax: the US $60,000 threshold, the UK long-term residence test, French assiette matérielle, treaties.
Art Taxation: Donations, Dation en Paiement and Freeports
Tax treatment of art collections: US FMV charitable deductions, UK Acceptance in Lieu, French dation en paiement, freeport customs suspension, fractional gifts, insurance proceeds and valuations.
Charitable Deduction: Appreciated Stock, CRT/CLT and DAFs
The charitable deduction after the 2026 rewrite: the 0.5% AGI floor, the 35% cap, the $1,000 non-itemizer deduction, appreciated stock, DAF bunching, CRTs and CLTs — what works now.
Buying Property in the UAE as a Non-Resident: Freehold, DLD and Residence
Freehold zones in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, a 4% DLD fee, no annual property tax, Golden Visa from AED 2m, off-plan escrow and DIFC wills. The non-resident deal.
Family Philanthropy: Foundations, DAFs and Cross-Border Giving
How family charitable capital is structured: private, operating and conduit foundations, DAFs, supporting organisations and CRTs, Gift Aid, the 10% IHT threshold and cross-border giving.
Matrimonial Property Regimes: What Counts as Marital and Under Which Law
Community of acquests, separation of property and deferred community: default regimes in France, Germany, England, the US and Russia, plus EU Reg 2016/1103.
Art as an Asset: Title, Provenance, Storage and Lending
The legal mechanics of owning art: title and provenance, UNESCO and UNIDROIT, Nazi-era restitution, art-secured lending, export control and AML.
Buying Property in France as a Non-Resident: Notaire, SCI and IFI
France imposes no restrictions on foreign buyers: transactions through notaire with costs ~7–8%, IFI on property over €1.3m, SCI for inheritance, réserve héréditaire and exit taxes.
Purchasing London Property as a Non-Resident: SDLT, ROE and Inheritance Tax
No restrictions for foreigners, but SDLT with 5% + 2% surcharges reaches 19% at the top band, companies pay ATED and disclose in ROE, and UK property always faces 40% IHT. Transaction breakdown.
Buying Property in Italy as a Non-Resident: reciprocità, codice fiscale, and Taxes
How non-residents buy property in Italy: reciprocità check (confirmed for Russian citizens), codice fiscale, 9% registration tax on cadastral value, IMU, rental, and inheritance.
Intestate Succession in the UK: Intestacy, Freedom of Testation and Planning
How estates are divided without a will in England and Wales: £322,000 statutory legacy for spouse, freedom of testation, the 1975 Act, 40% inheritance tax and residence-based regime from April 2025.
Intestate Succession in Spain: legítima, foral law and planning
Forced share in Spain: two-thirds to children under common law, usufruct to spouse, a one-quarter legítima in Catalonia and a symbolic one in Navarre, choice of law under Brussels IV and regional inheritance tax ISD.
Intestate Succession in France: réserve héréditaire and Planning
Mandatory share for children in France (half, two-thirds, three-quarters), surviving spouse rights, Brussels IV choice of law, droit de prélèvement 2021, assurance-vie.
Intestate Succession in Italy: legittima, patto di famiglia, and Planning
Forced heirship (legittima) in Italy for spouses and children, patto di famiglia for business transfer, foreign trust recognition under Hague Convention, 4–8% inheritance tax.
Intestate Succession in China: Civil Code 2021 and Planning
Two classes of heirs under China's 2021 Civil Code, spousal share, testamentary reform, "necessary portion" (Art. 1141), testamentary trusts, and no inheritance tax.
Intestate Succession in the USA: Intestacy, Elective Share, and Planning
Inheritance without a will in the USA: probate and state formulas, no forced share for children, spousal elective share, federal estate tax ($15M / 40%) and the $60K trap for non-residents.
Inheritance in the UAE: Sharia defaults, DIFC Wills and ADJD
What happens to UAE assets on death: frozen accounts, Sharia and Decree-Law 41/2022 defaults, DIFC Wills (AED 10,000) vs ADJD (AED 950), probate and guardianship of minors.
Panama Private Foundation (Law 25): Structure, Taxes, Succession
Panama Fundación de Interés Privado under Law 25 of 1995: founder, council, protector, beneficiaries in private regulations, $10,000 contribution, territorial tax, FATF and EU status.
Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung): Family Foundation and 12.5% Tax
Liechtenstein Stiftung under PGR (Art. 552): family foundation without members, privacy through deposit, beneficiary types, 12.5% tax and PVS status, Pillar Two impact.
Jersey and Guernsey Trusts: Reserved Powers and Firewall
Channel Islands trusts: Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 and Guernsey 2007, settlor's reserved powers, firewall protection from forced heirship and creditors, tax neutrality.
Art and Collectibles as an Asset Class
Art cluster hub: the economics of collectible assets, title and provenance, freeports, AML, ownership structures and succession, with deep dives on tax, lending and the private museum.
South Dakota Dynasty Trust: Taxation of US Citizens Living in the UK
South Dakota dynasty trust for an American who becomes UK-resident: how Settlements Code, ToAA and s.86/s.87 TCGA collapse deferral, and residence-based IHT from 6 April 2025 reaches trust assets.
Monaco: Tax Regime for Residents and the Carte de Séjour
Monaco carte de séjour: who needs one, card types and fees, bank attestation; 0% income tax, the 1963 French exception, inheritance tax on Monaco assets.
Upstream basis step-up: erasing built-in gain through the older generation, cross-border too
How IRC §1014 resets the basis of inherited assets to date-of-death value, why the step-up reaches a nonresident alien's foreign assets (Rev. Rul. 84-139) and where the §1014(e) one-year rule bites.
Minor Heirs and Guardianship
What happens to inheritance of minor children: guardianship, property management until adulthood, appointing a guardian in a will, and the role of trusts for children.
Incapacity Planning: Power of Attorney and Living Will
What happens to assets and decisions if the owner is alive but incapacitated: power of attorney, living will, and medical directives. A plan must cover this scenario.
Foreign Real Estate Succession
Why foreign real estate is inherited under the law of the country where it is located (lex rei sitae), how this creates forced heirship and double taxation issues.
Succession to Foreign Accounts and Brokerage Portfolios
How foreign bank accounts and brokerage portfolios are inherited: account freezing, bank requirements for heirs, US-situs for American stocks, and the role of designated beneficiaries.
Family Charter: Values, Governance and Succession Planning
What is a family charter: a set of rules for ownership, management, and succession of family capital. Why it's needed, what it includes, and how it relates to legal documents.
Business Succession: Transferring a Company to Heirs
How to transfer a family business to the next generation without collapse: separating ownership and management, shareholder agreements, foundation or holding at the top.
Inheritance Tax: Country-by-Country Map
Inheritance tax map for 2026: US and UK estate tax at 40%, French, German, Spanish and Italian rates, zero-tax regimes and situs traps for non-residents.
Gift Tax and Lifetime Gifting
Lifetime transfer of assets as an estate planning tool: gift tax, the UK 7-year rule, clawback into forced heirship calculations, and where gifting beats inheritance.
Types of Trusts: Discretionary, Fixed, Revocable, Life Interest
Discretionary, fixed, revocable and irrevocable, life interest and purpose trusts—how trust types differ and which to choose for inheritance, asset protection and charity.
Family Holding for Succession and Inheritance
Why consolidate family assets into a holding company before inheritance: single control point, shares instead of scattered assets, and linking the holding with a foundation or trust.
How a Trust Works: Settlor, Trustee, Beneficiary, Protector
A trust basics map: settlor, trustee, beneficiaries, protector, legal and beneficial ownership, fiduciary duties, reserved powers and sham risk.
Recognition of Foreign Trusts: The Hague Convention 1985
How civil law countries recognize common law trusts: the 1985 Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts, and why foundations are sometimes more convenient than trusts.
Intestate Succession in Russia: Order of Heirs
Who inherits and in what order without a will in Russia: eight lines of succession, spousal share, representation rights, and dependent heirs.
Inheritance Contract and Joint Will of Spouses
New Russian inheritance law tools since 2019: inheritance contract and joint will of spouses—how they work and differ from a standard will.
The European Certificate of Succession
A single document proving heir, executor or administrator status across the EU except Denmark and Ireland: the European Certificate of Succession under Regulation 650/2012 — why it matters and how it works.
Domicile, Residence and Citizenship in Succession
Three connecting factors that determine succession: domicile (common law), habitual residence (EU) and citizenship. How they differ and affect applicable law and taxes.
Life Insurance as a Succession Tool
Unit-linked policies from Luxembourg and Ireland as a capital wrapper: liquidity for inheritance tax, tax deferral, direct transfer to beneficiaries, and asset protection.
Crypto and Digital Asset Inheritance
How to pass on bitcoin, tokens and accounts: the private key problem, access without revealing seed phrases, legal status of crypto in estates, and the role of foundations or trusts.
Multi-Jurisdiction Wills and Probate
Why separate wills are needed for different countries, how to avoid mutual revocation, and why probate can drag on for years. Mirror wills, formalities, and forced heirship.
US Estate Tax: The US-Situs Trap for Non-Residents
Non-residents face only a $60,000 estate tax exemption on US-situs assets (US stocks, real estate), with rates up to 40%. How the trap works and treaty relief.