Corb7 International January 19th, 2022 Newsletter

International Business 

Editor's Note

Davos Switzerland is Quiet Again  

Davos is quiet this week, which is extremely unusual.

Davos is a town in the Swiss Alps, within the Canton of Graubünden. One of the largest ski resorts in Switzerland with a permanent population of approximately only 10,000, and the highest city in Europe, it is taking a substantial economic hit for the second year in a row.  The annual World Economic Forum (WEF) summit scheduled for this week has been delayed while last year it was moved to completely to cyberspace. World leaders have avoided travel because of the pandemic resulting in the predictable consequences to the hospitality industry in this area of the alps.  

Related Story 

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International Business 

Business Psychology

Foods to Improve Your Mood!

No one is immune to the occasional bad mood. Whether it's the weather, waking up on the wrong side of the bed or another variable, various factors can have an adverse affect on a person's mood.

Food is one factor that can have a positive effect on mood. Certain foods have been found to positively affect mood, so incorporating them into your diet may help you stay positive even on those days when you get up on the wrong side of the bed.

· Fatty fish: A study from British researchers published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that a daily dose of an omega-3 fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, helped patients with depression significantly reduce their feelings of sadness and pessimism. Hackensack Meridian Health notes that salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, trout, and anchovies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

· Nuts and seeds: The minerals selenium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc have all been linked to mental health, and nuts are rich in each of those minerals. Hackensack Meridian Health notes that almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and peanuts are particularly good sources of the immune system-boosting minerals zinc and magnesium.

· Dark, leafy greens: Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach and collards are rich in iron and magnesium, both of which can increase serotonin levels and help reduce feelings of anxiety. Dark, leafy greens also help the body fight inflammation, which can have a positive effect on mood. A 2015 study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that brain inflammation contributed to certain behaviors, including low mood, that appear during major depressive episodes.

· Dark chocolate: Chocolate lovers may be happy to learn that dark chocolate can improve mood. Another recent study published in the Journal of Proteome Research found that dark chocolate helped to reduce levels of the hormone cortisol, which has been linked to stress. Hackensack Meridian Health notes that, when consumed in moderation, dark chocolate made of at least 70 percent cocoa can help people relax.

Various foods can have a beneficial effect on mood, potentially helping people to stay positive when doing so proves challenging.  

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International Business 

Cross-Border Business

Turks and Caicos

  The Turks and Caicos isa tropical Atlantic archipelago that's located 575 miles (925 kilometers) southeast of Miami, Florida, and 75 miles (120 km) north of the Dominican Republic. The country is a British Overseas Territory with a population of 44,543 (2020 estimate) spread over nine inhabited islands. The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing. The key offshore sectors are banking, insurance and trust management. The Islands also have a popular yacht registry.

Turks and Caicos
Location:  575 miles SE of Miami
Capital City:  Grand Turk
Population:  44,543 (2020)
Language Spoken:  English
International Time:  EST
Airline Service:  Atlantic Gulf Airlines, American, British Airways, Delta, Frontier
Currency:  US dollar
Type of Government:  British Crown Colony
Main industries:  Tourism, offshore financial services, fishing
Tax Treaty:  Yes
OECD:  Approved
FATF:  Member
Additional Notes:  Offshore financial activities serve as a major source of government revenue

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International Business

Business Tools

 Understanding Asset Protection Trusts

Asset Protection Trusts, or APT’s, are complex structures that can be custom made to fit the needs of a particular individual and his goals. The history of wealthy families using trusts dates to Roman times when trusts were used as an instrument for holding property.  More recently, trusts were common in England as early as the 11th century.  It is generally accepted that the modern trust, used for asset protection and estate planning, has a history extending some four hundred years.
 
In the United States, it was possible to obtain substantial tax benefits prior to the Tax Reform Act of 1976. “Under prior law, a United States citizen could create an irrevocable accumulation trust that would be taxed in basically the same manner as a nonresident alien individual.  Thus, it was possible to defer United States taxes indefinitely or until distributions were actually made to its US beneficiaries.”[1] While tax law reform has eroded much of the tax-planning power of the trust in United States, it remains a powerful tax planning weapon elsewhere. For citizens of the United States, the Offshore Asset Protection Trust is a formidable tool for asset protection against creditors and litigators.
 
An APT with the objective of protecting assets should divest the settler of just sufficient ownership of assets to deter potential future claims by creditors or litigators.  For United States’ citizens, ownership of a foreign trust will frustrate the efforts of creditors as assets are the property of a trust and not a named individual.  Offshore courts are hesitant to set aside a transfer to a trust if it is properly established under their law.  In addition, a judgment from a U.S. litigator is difficult to enforce offshore; most litigation stops at the border. If for any reason the jurisdiction was approached and asked to disallow the trust, it can easily be moved to another country before any such an action would take effect.
 
Much like any offshore consideration, anyone considering an offshore trust should seek the advice of a competent, professional advisor. There are several terms regarding trusts that your advisor will use frequently:

• SETTLOR or GRANTOR:  A person placing property into a trust.
• TRUSTEE:  Professional who manages the trust for those named as beneficiaries.
• BENEFICIARY:  Individual(s) named to benefit from the trust.

 
Finally, it is important to keep in mind that there are many types of trusts.  One specific type of trust cannot be all things to all people.  The best approach is to know your main objective, and then consult a professional.  

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[1] Marshall J. Langer, “Practical International Tax Planning” p.57

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International Business

Business Etiquette

Focusing on Things Within Your Control

 by Candace Smith
The Etiquette Blog
Etiquette for the Business of Life

  One key to living peaceably among others is to focus on the things within your control.  In other words, avoid meddling and concentrate on your own affairs.  

The advantage to this, as a character in the children’s story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), growled, “If everybody minded their business, the world would go round a great deal faster than it does.”

Concerns Mirror Our Cares
Our concerns might be worries over the past, present, or future.  Not only in our own lives, but in the lives of others.  We can be concerned about what is or isn’t happening politically or economically or the advantages of one group over another.  

We might be concerned about the reasons for the neighbors’ barking dog, whether a colleague is dating someone that you don’t like, or whether Aunt Joan’s health is improving.  Concerns are stand-alones and we all have them. 

But when we concern ourselves with actions or words around someone else’s personal and private affairs, we are crossing the line into meddling or micromanagement.

Accepting What is Not Within Your Control
Focusing or fretting over problems that are not within your control or that are matters of another person’s privacy makes for pushiness and unsolicited advice.  Mindfulness of this tendency, however, can assist in moving the focus away from trying to change another or attempting to steer a situation as you alone see fit.  

The attitude expressed in the Serenity Prayer is at the heart of good manners and proactively taking a “live and let live” approach.  Letting go gracefully of what’s not ours to do or say is etiquette-fully sound.  Being able to stop, mid-sentence, to re-calibrate is a masterful gesture of self-command: “Excuse me, I was saying something that needn’t be said.  Please go on. What were you saying?”  Listening attentively leads us to know when we need to stand back in the moment when we’re tempted by nosiness.

At the Helm of Etiquette-fulness
Extending kindness, friendliness, and helpfulness in ways recognizable to others is etiquette’s charge.  Only as individuals can we choose to:

• Be respectful of others’ right to privacy.
• Be flexible in our understanding of others in what seems to be their less than courteous or wise moments.
• Mind our “P’s & Q’s” by watching our language and being on our own best behavior even when others aren’t.
• Compose and re-compose ourselves in challenging situations when we’re tempted by the opinion that we know best. 

We benefit by looking for the strengths in others and by remembering and employing the old adage, “No one’s perfect.”  When encountering others being not quite as we think they should be, it can help to remember that we, too, have our moments of imperfection in the eyes of others.  In these moments, we can be reminded how beneficial it is to keep our focus on what is within our control rather than judging or attempting to direct the business of other people.

When you keep your attention on the things within your control, you don’t get bogged down with the cumbersome business of others.  It’s the best way to keep your life simple, lighten your load.  With this lightness of being, your world moves with ease and grace.

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Lifestyle

Executive Fitness

Embracing Your Intentions, Positive Changes & Healthy Habits 

by Nancy Hovde
Life Empowerment Coach
UberEmpowerment.com

 
"That Vision you’ve set for yourself, commit to pursuing specific action steps to achieving it and you will get there!" ~ quote from “Uber Empowerment Quotes: 500 Inspirational Quotes for Knowledge, Insight & Wisdom”
by Nancy Hovde

 
The New Year has arrived and we survived another one of the globally most challenging years in history! Most of us would agree that neither 2020 nor 2021 were one of our most favorite years.
 
Generally, when we ring in the New Year,  we acknowledge and celebrate a New Year with massive excitement because the economy is solid, new companies and businesses are just starting with the anticipation of another successful year. And in many cities, gyms are signing up new members who had the usual action plan for their wellness intentions and fitness goals to start in January and looked forward to seeing results by Spring or Summer. However, as we know, by March in 2020 lockdowns were just underway in many areas around the globe, with things slowly beginning to feel somewhat normal in late 2021. Here we are in 2022. How are you doing with New Year Intentions or goals?
 
We’ve still got to hang in there as we make more progress over the next several months with overcoming the pandemic. That being said, 2022 will require a different approach to welcoming another New Year.
 
The new approach I am using with clients is similar to my previous New Year approach, as this has been very successful. However, the difference is, putting a stronger focus on everything that was positive for you in 2020-2021. I know, this can be a more challenging stretch this year, for 2022 as things are still not completely back to normal. So, we have to really dig deep here.
 
Create a list for everything that you can recall in 2020-2021 that really worked out well for you. This could be with your health/wellness goals, your career or business, any new endeavors, hobbies, activities, new interests, your home environment, relationships and any area of your life you noticed positive change or improvements. Then, reflect on what it was about these things that actually worked? What  was it about them that made them so positive or successful? Was it certain action steps you were consistent with? Was it old beliefs, outdated patterns or unhealthy habits you let go of and replaced with more nourishing, positive and inspiring beliefs, habits and new routines? List whatever you feel was truly positive and beneficial for your wellbeing and your success. This transitions into the next step.
 
Now, it is time for being real honest with what didn’t go well. Of course, it is easy to put at the top of this list, the pandemic. I did this, too, then realized the importance of focusing on other things as well, those things that may have held us back or tripped us up with our goals. As mentioned above, sometimes we trip ourselves up with having such limited beliefs or negative self-talk. What do you need to stop doing? How can you make a positive change or improvement in order to get to where you are now to where you would like to be?
 
Yes, we can all blame the pandemic for tripping up our goals, intentions, dreams and plans. However, if we truly want to keep moving forward, we’ve got to accept where we are and begin to work within smaller steps, if needed, for some of us.
 
Typically, many of us will sit down at our desk with a laptop or pen and paper to reflect on setting new intentions. If it works for you, then I encourage you to continue. However, in speaking for myself and a number of clients, getting outdoors, in nature, to reflect can work very effectively as well. In any case, take some time to reflect on the above tips. Allow this insight you’ve reflected on to create those positive changes, healthy habits and new intentions for the New Year. This year, try to have simple but clear goals. Having an action plan, support and accountability, is what helps for success! 

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Lifestyle  

Spirits & Cuisine

What to Do when a Dinner Guest is Choking 

 Hosting a dinner party at home is a popular way to gather with family and friends. When hosts and hostesses plan such dinners, much of their focus is directed to food, ambiance and topics of conversation. Thoughts of someone choking may be far from hosts' minds, but they must know what to do, and not do, in such instances.

The National Safety Council says choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death. Food often is responsible for choking incidents in the elderly, but it can occur at any age. It's also a leading cause of unintentional death in infants.

Knowing how to handle choking incidents can save lives.

· DO encourage the person to try to cough to dislodge the object causing the choking.

· DON'T ask the person if he or she is alright. Instead, ask him or her if choking is occurring so you can take proper action.

· DO look for inability to talk, difficulty breathing or noisy breathing. These often are signs of choking.

· DON'T delay in calling for emergency services before you take action yourself, or have someone else call for first aid.

· DO a "five-and-five" approach to deliver assistance, per the American Red Cross. This includes five back blows first. Stand to the side and just behind a choking adult. For a child, kneel down behind. Place one arm across the person's chest for support. Bend the person over at the waist so that the upper body is parallel with the ground. Deliver five separate back blows between the person's shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Then follow with five abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich Maneuver. Stand behind the person. Place one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Wrap your arms around the waist. Tip the person forward slightly. If a child is choking, kneel down behind the child. Make a fist with one hand. Position it slightly above the person's navel. Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust - as if trying to lift the person up.

The risk of choking is present any time a person eats. Those who entertain at home can learn what to do when someone is choking to keep themselves and their guests safe. 

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Lifestyle 

Leisure

Classic Cars

They're eye-catching, often exotic and always call to mind a bygone era. Classic cars are undeniably unique and their unrivaled automotive appeal has inspired legions of fans. That appeal also has compelled many to try their hand at classic car restoration.

Restoring a classic car can be a rewarding hobby, particularly the first time a vehicle emerges from its owner's garage and hits the open road. Car buffs interested in restoring a classic car of their own can consider various factors before they lift the hood on this challenging yet rewarding hobby.

Time and Money

It's hard to know if a classic car restoration will cost owners more time or money, but restoration novices should expect to spend a lot of both as they work to restore a ride to its former glory. CarsDirect.com estimates that a restoration done by a professional shop can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000, and that does not necessarily include the cost of the vehicle. If the financial commitment raises an eyebrow, perhaps would-be car guys and gals should look away from the estimated time it takes to restore a classic car. CarsDirect notes that it can take around 1,000 hours for DIYers to restore a classic car. The excitement of restoring a classic car can quickly wear off if owners don't have enough time and/or money to keep the project going at a steady pace.

The Car

Some car buffs may already envision which type of car they want to restore. Some may want to restore a classic Ford Mustang like the one they drove in high school, while others with a flare for automotive history might want to restore a 1930s classic. Whatever your preference, make sure you find a car that won't bust your budget. Even the initial cost to purchase the car from a local salvage yard can be deceiving. Some cars might only be affordable because they've experienced such extensive damage that the cost to restore them will be especially high. It's good to know what you're looking for as you begin to scour newspaper classified ads or visit local salvage yards. But allow yourself some room for flexibility in regard to the type of car you're willing to restore. That can ensure you aren't breaking your budget right away or overcommitting yourself to a project that may prove beyond your range of abilities. Online car forums can be great places to get some insight into restoration, especially for beginners.

The Project

In addition to determining which car to get and how much time and money you can realistically devote to the restoration project, car enthusiasts must determine which tools they'll need, where they're going to work on the project and the availability of discounted parts. Discounted parts can help offset considerable restoration costs, so access to a local seller or salvage yard can be a significant advantage. The internet has made finding parts easier, as resources like CheapAutoParts.com can be invaluable. A place to work also is a must-have, so garages may need to be outfitted to make projects more enjoyable. Tools also can be costly, though CarsDirect notes that different steps in the process require different tools. That can make it easier to spread out the cost of buying new tools.

Classic car restoration can be an engaging hobby. Novices are urged to learn as much about restoration as possible before they decide to fully commit to this potentially rewarding endeavor.

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Lifestyle

Lifestyle & Travel

Traveling & Pets 

We all have cabin fever after two years of Covid, and many would like to do some serious traveling in the near future. If you travel and have pets, you know very well how stressful it can be leaving your family member behind.  We have a high energy dog and needed a method to check on him while we are traveling (even with a house sitter) or when  just out for a quick meal.

Well, Furbo is a pretty cool all-in-one dog sitter that includes a camera, treat popper, barking alerts and night vision. You can also talk to your pet via a microphone – although they don’t seem to recognize voices very well.  In any case, the above evaluation was posted on YouTube and seems a fair review.  

This might just help your separation anxiety!  

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Business Services

Business Acquisitions

New Swiss Trust Company Acquisition Opportunity! 

Profit, Diversification, Asset Protection 
 
Own a Prestigious Swiss Based Business!
  
Here is a synopsis of the immediate opportunity:  
 
1982 Swiss Trust Company:
* 40-years-old with full authority - turnkey
* Year Incorporated: 1982
* Place of Incorporation: Zug, Switzerland
* Corresponding Bank Relationship: Client’s Choice
* Excellent administration with a prestigious law firm located in Zurich 
* Administration first year fees included in acquisition price
* Initial legal retainer also included
* Administration also has SRO license which is large benefit to meet AML & KYC

Please contact us at your earliest if you have an interest.
 
For Details: Call:  +1-310-601-3115 (Beverly Hills Office)

or Email: contact@corb7.com