Is the service really 100% online?
Yes. Meetings take place by video call, documents are exchanged digitally and the engagement letter is signed electronically. You never need to travel to Brazil. When a step requires someone to be physically present here, such as a notary registration or representation before a government agency, it is done under a power of attorney. We work with clients living in any country, in Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian and German.
Is it legal to have an offshore company or a bank account abroad?
Yes, as long as everything is declared. Foreign assets and income must be reported on your Brazilian income tax return, and anyone holding US$1 million or more in assets abroad must also file the Brazilian Capital Abroad report with the Central Bank. Holding assets outside Brazil is not the problem; failing to report them, or taxing them incorrectly, is.
How are offshore companies taxed since Law 14,754/2023?
Since 2024, profits of foreign companies controlled by an individual resident in Brazil are taxed every year at 15%, based on the December 31 balance sheet and even if nothing is distributed, when the company's income is mainly passive or it is located in a low-tax jurisdiction. There is an option for the transparent regime, under which the company's assets and income are treated as if the individual held them directly. Financial investments held directly abroad are now also taxed at 15% on the annual return. Which route makes sense depends on the type of asset, the income it generates and what you plan to do with it.
I am moving abroad. Do I need to file a formal exit from Brazil?
As a rule, yes. The exit notice and the final exit return set the date on which you stop being a resident for Brazil's Federal Revenue Service. From then on you are taxed in Brazil only on Brazilian-source income, usually through withholding. Without this step, you remain a resident for the first twelve months of your absence and may be taxed on the income you earn abroad. You will usually also need to appoint an attorney-in-fact in Brazil and update your status with banks and brokers.
Does Brazil have a double tax treaty with the country where I live?
It depends on the country. Brazil has treaties in force with more than thirty countries, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria. The treaty with Germany ceased to apply in 2006 and has not been replaced, and there has never been a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States. Even without a treaty, tax paid abroad can in some cases be credited in Brazil on the basis of reciprocity. Each situation calls for checking the rule for that country and that type of income.
I live abroad and own property or investments in Brazil. How am I taxed?
As a non-resident, you are taxed in Brazil on Brazilian-source income, generally through withholding. Rent is subject to 15% withholding, and the sale of real estate triggers tax on the capital gain, paid through your attorney-in-fact. Financial investments made under the special regime for non-resident investors may receive more favorable treatment. When the beneficiary lives in a low-tax jurisdiction, rates go up, generally to 25%.
Is international tax planning the same as hiding assets?
No, and we do not do that. Tax planning means choosing, among the options the law allows, the one with the lowest tax burden for your situation, with everything declared. Structures without a business purpose or without substance are usually disregarded by the tax authorities, with tax, interest and penalties charged. That is why we tell you plainly when a structure is not worth it, whether because of the cost of maintaining it or the risk.
Do you work with my accountant or advisor abroad?
Yes, and we recommend it. The Brazilian side of your planning has to fit with the rules of the country where you live or where your assets are. We coordinate directly with your accountant, lawyer or wealth manager abroad, so that the returns filed in both countries tell the same story.
