This family holding company is ideal for selling shareholdings free of tax and for paying out dividends without withholding tax to a low-tax country abroad.
Key advantages
- Top reputation. The City of London is the most important financial centre in the world.
- No withholding tax on outgoing dividends. Ideal if you live in a low-tax country.
- No tax on gains from the sale of shareholdings of 10% or more held for at least one year.
- The UK has double taxation agreements with more than 100 countries, which reduce the tax on dividends the company receives.
- Shareholders' rights are set flexibly through a subscription agreement and alphabet shares. Non-voting shares are possible.
Services included in the fee
- Formation of the company in London
- Drafting of the articles, minutes and shareholder resolutions
- Prestigious registered office in the City of London for 12 months
- Mail forwarding by scan and email for 12 months
- Tax registration
- Alphabet share structure (3 share classes A, B, C)
- Subscription agreement between the shareholders drafted by a lawyer
- Support with transferring existing assets to the company
- Ongoing personal support from our team
- Basic compliance, including filing the annual confirmation statement
Formation facts
- No notary appointment
- No visit in person
- At least 1 director (residence and nationality do not matter)
- Minimum share capital £1
- Formation time: 2 days
Discretion
None. The UK has a very open companies register in which every shareholder must be published. The register of persons with significant control is also very easy to access. Put simply, it shows every beneficial owner who holds more than 25% of the company's profits, directly or indirectly. Beneficial owners who hold no more than 25% of the profits, and only indirectly (for example through a holding company), do not have to appear in that register.
Opening a bank account
Opening a bank account is not included in the fee. We recommend that you open a business account for your company yourself with one of the usual online banks. For an additional fee, we can support you with opening an account outside the EU at one of the top 5 UK banks, which can open accounts for UK and US companies and for companies from many other countries. Accounts in many currencies are possible. If you need this service, please order it separately when you instruct us.
Tax support
Ongoing tax support for the company is charged according to time spent.
Costs after the first year
The annual cost of managing the company after the first year is £2,600 plus tax support.
Process and next steps
01, Onboarding and KYC: Once you instruct us, you receive our onboarding questionnaire. We analyse your family situation, your assets and your long-term goals.
02, Formation and structuring: Formation of the FIC in London in 2 days. Drafting of the alphabet share structure and the subscription agreement.
03, Handover and support: Full handover of all documents. Ongoing personal support and help with transferring your assets.
Suitable for
- Families with substantial investment assets
- Business owners with shareholdings
- People who want to plan for inheritance tax
- Clients who want to keep control