 "Foreign-owned,
foreign-owned, Maltese-owned…” Following after realtor Frank Salt, I wondered
how he knew. But it’s obvious once you’ve learned the secret.
The Maltese cover older houses with white- or biscuit-colored plasterwork.
Foreign buyers strip away the plaster to expose the beautiful golden limestone
hidden beneath. At the center of the Mediterranean, 60 miles south of Sicily,
the islands of Malta and Gozo glow like liquid honey. Along with $75,000
seaside apartments, they offer buyers a sunny climate, low living costs,
and the romance of long ago. Valletta—the capital—really is “history encased
in golden stone.” Rising above the Grand Harbor, it’s laden with the treasures
of the famous Knights of Malta. But these islands have more than history
going for them. There are neither property taxes nor rates. Permanent residents
pay only a flat rate of income tax of 15%. Crime is absolutely minimal.
And you can eat out for less than $8—wine included. At one time or another,
the Maltese islands have been colonized by all the great Mediterranean
powers. Architectural styles have been borrowed from everywhere. You’ll
see homes with Moorish archways...courtyards with pattering fountains or
lemon trees...cavernous millrooms where farm animals once huddled at night
...sometimes a birthing chamber where women of the house retired in the
last stages of pregnancy. - Malta
& Gozo - Mediterranean Haven - Sunny days…low living costs…English-speaking
neighbors…the romance of long ago…plus $75,000 seaside apartments…on the
Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo - by Steenie Harvey |
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 “FOR
SALE”: Old Castles in Europe - Fixing-up is
in most cases unavoidable. But problems with municipal services, historical
building authorities, and countless other unforeseeable issues can create
headaches, hence the need for a good and reliable consultant who can handle
the job for the buyer. Financing should be in place beforehand so that
you can plop down a deposit if you find your dream castle. The purchase
process takes about a month and is handled by a notary who in Europe is
the equivalent of an attorney. The writer of this article, together with
three partners, bought a castle near Leipzig in Saxony and has first hand
experience of what is involved in buying and running it. The author of
this article, together with associate Manfred Pawlik (specialist in castle
restoration) and Englishman Stephen Ferrada, both of whom have valuable
experience related to buying and restoring historic property, have all
bought their own dream properties in East Germany. The highs and lows of
castle ownership, the tears and laughter, have all been experienced. |
 What’s
Motivating You to Move Abroad and How Far Will You Leave America Behind?
- According to data from the IRS relating to the number of Americans who
renounce their citizenship annually, the numbers are dramatically on the
increase. More than 200 Americans turned their back on the United States
in 2008, 731 made the exceptionally difficult decision to renounce their
citizenship in 2009, and in 2010 1,485 individuals gave up their right
to an American passport, according to ‘corrected totals’ from renunciationguide.com.
When you consider that an estimated 5.2 million Americans currently live
abroad, you would be forgiven for thinking that these figures are an insignificant
fraction barely worthy of comment – however, according to the New York
Times: “waiting periods to meet with consular officers to formalize renunciations
have grown.” What’s more, where once even just the thought of turning
your back on your nation was regarded as treasonous, nowadays the possibility
is openly discussed amongst American expatriate groups both online and
offline. With this thought in mind, we decided to interview a number of
our readers who are currently actively planning their move overseas or
who have recently relocated. We wanted to know what the motivating
factors are for each soon-to-be expatriate for their proposed relocation
– and whether any Americans now living abroad were considering taking their
move to the next level and renouncing their US citizenship altogether…after
all, what is it that pushes people to take such drastic action? |
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 Real
Estate In Malta - Royal Visit Boosts Island's Property Prospects
- Malta's image has needed a boost for some time to attract tourists and
overseas property buyers and to compete with other Mediterranean islands
such as Mallorca, Cyprus and Lanzarote. Malta hosts the Commonwealth meeting
in late November, and in attendance will be Queen Elizabeth II, Tony Blair
and the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 50 other
countries, along with the media from each country. Will Malta let this
golden publicity opportunity slip by? Leaders of over 50 countries from
the Commonwealth will be meeting on the Mediterranean island of Malta from
November 25 to 27, and for three days the island will be enjoying the attention
of hundreds of millions of TV and online news viewers and newspaper readers
worldwide. |
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 Exploring
History ~ Teaching English In Malta ~ by Jörg M. Unger-
The Republic of Malta lies only forty nautical miles south of Sicily at
the 36th degree of latitude – almost the same like Monterey, California,
or Nashville, Tennessee. Up to the Ice Age, the islands were part of a
land bridge between Italy and North Africa that was flooded when the ice
began to melt. Since then the waters of the Mediterranean sea have shaped
Malta’s coastline and created a fascinating scenery. Because of the island’s
strategic position north of Africa’s shoreline, it attracted numerous kings
and emperors with their warriors and legions in the antiquity, as well
as the Knights of St. John in medieval times. If you are interested in
Mediterranean architecture or history, want to give English lessons to
students from European countries while staying in a foreign country, or
like swimming and diving in the open sea – Malta and its sister island
Gozo as well as the tiny island Comino in between offer lots of possibilities
and activities. |
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 Malta's
Real Estate Market Battle - With new European
destinations such as Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia offering two and three
bedroom apartments for sale for US $80,000, there was concern last year
among some Malta estate agents that 2005 could see a drop in the number
of international Irish buyers choosing to buy a holiday home on the
Mediterranean island. With good all year round temperatures enticing many
buyers for the winter months as well as the summer and a warm welcome from
the local population who nearly all speak English, Malta has been popular
for some years among overseas property buyers. The procedure for completing
a property purchase is simple. On finding the right property and agreeing
on a price, buyer and seller sign a preliminary agreement binding the vendor
to sell and the purchaser to acquire the property on terms and conditions
agreed upon and subject to good title and the issue of all relative permits.
A 10% deposit is usually lodged with your Legal Adviser, Notary or Estate
Agent on signing of this agreement. Such agreements are written out in
English. |
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 Cruise
to Malta - You have seen Napoli, been to Capri,
visited Sorrento, and toured the Amalfi Coast, now back to Rome? Maybe
not. Are you intrigued by the idea of a cooling sea cruise to an exotic
island nation that has been at the crossroads of the Mediterranean since
antiquity, been plundered innumerable times by pirates, and played host
to a storied band of knights? Why this island was even once pawned
by an impoverished king to pay his debts. The place is Malta, and
if it sounds good then book passage on the Grimaldi Ferries “Malta Express”
that sails from Salerno every Thursday. One can stay a week, or if your
collecting countries, three days, returning to Salerno on Saturday after
a Friday of sightseeing and shopping. But your mini-vacation starts topside
as George the bartender prepares a refreshing drink to begin the
nineteen hour voyage that begins at noon and arrives in the Port of Valetta,
Malta at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning. “The Love Boat it ain’t,” opines
George, as he checks his supplies. It is what is known in the trade as
a Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off), carrying truck trailers with cargo for Malta
and other Mediterranean ports. It has passenger accommodations that are
spare, but comfortable. There is a TV in the lounge along with the ubiquitous
slot machines. Deck chairs for taking the good sea air, and sort of a promenade
for those wishing to get some exercise. |
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 Malta
- The Mediterranean Jewel Where Corporations Pay Tax Rates Of 12% ... 4%...
Even Zero! - Most people couldn’t find
Malta on a map. But there’s a lot to like about this little Mediterranean
island, especially if you like to keep your taxes to a minimum and your
privacy to a maximum. The advantages of doing business in Malta include…
• Professional services that are considerably cheaper than they are in
the rest of the European Union, plus Maltese companies tend to be very
cost effective to run. • No withholding tax on the distribution of
dividends to the shareholders of the Maltese Holding Company. • Amazing
tax rates. Some Maltese corporations pay a corporate tax of 35%, but there
are automatic refunds that lower the effective tax rate to just 4.17%.
Other Maltese corporations have tax rates that range from 12% to ZERO.
• An average time frame of just two days to set up a new company. All this,
and the environment for English-speaking investors couldn’t be better:
a legacy of British administration of the island, which dates back to 1801.
The British put in place a road network, educational system, parliamentary
system, and a sound infrastructure. Today, English is the official language
of Malta, jointly with Maltese. |
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 Rhapsodic
Bohemia... where you can become a homeowner for less than $4,000
- Sound cottages for less than $14,000. Substantial family houses often
selling for $30,000 or less. As one realtor said, “Land is so cheap, it’s
like getting the buildings for free.” Where can you find these housing
bargains? In the Czech Republic, in the countryside surrounding Karlovy
Vary, Ceske Budejovice, Cesky Krumlov, Trebon, Kutna Hora... Although Prague
teems with tourists, few people seem aware of what the rest of the Czech
Republic offers. It’s divided into the regions of Bohemia and Moravia—and
Bohemia was where I spent 10 days last May. Blessed with hot summers and
Christmas-card winters, this part of the country is spellbinding—a mosaic
of romantic castles and towns straight from a sword-and-sorcery tale. |
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 The
Czech Republic - Worth A Look - Living In Czech Republic
- Let's start with the fact, that for a lot of readers of this newsletter
leaving their home country will mean tremendous tax savings (for Americans
living abroad, all income up to 75000 is tax deductible, for many other
countries all income is.) Sure, if you are a construction worker, you will
not be able to find a job in Prague, that will pay you as much as your
current job in LA, but if you are a privacy consultant, Internet entrepreneur
or stock-market trader, you might as well do it from here. The communications
are about as good as in Germany, and in the small beautiful village in
the mountains where I live, I have a phone line with ISDN, cellular coverage
and satellite dish for my CNN and CNBC. It is a known fact, that Prague
is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. In the last years it has
also become a very attractive place to live, do business and invest. |
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 EscapeArtist
Expat Taxes Newsletter Individuals have been leaving their own land to
seek opportunities elsewhere since the dawn of mankind - But
it has only been since the development of the modern nation-state, and
its taxation of the worldwide income of its citizen-residents, that expatriation
has taken on significant tax consequences. One of the first tax advisors
to appreciate the potential tax savings of expatriation was my friend and
colleague, Marshall Langer J.D., a valued member of The Sovereign Society
Council of Experts. Langer is an international tax attorney and the respected
author of several major international tax treatises. He is also the daring
creator of a now out-of-print book, The Tax Exile Report. This title gained
international notoriety when the late U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
(D-N.Y.), red-faced and angry, waived a copy of the book at a televised
Senate hearing, denouncing it as “a legal income tax avoidance plan.” -
Escapeartist has hatched a new partnership with Global Wealth Protection
that will set the standard for authoritative information on Asset Protection,
International Banking and Wealth Management and with a number of accountants,
lawyers and bookkeepers that know the laws regarding expat taxes, how to
do your income tax, which form to use, and which services understand the
complexity of expat concerns. Simply put, the EscapeArtist Expat
Taxes Newsletter portal will provide a wealth of information that
will show you ways to save on taxes . . . and then some. |
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 Privacy
Is A Psychological Necessity - If we do not have the right to privacy,
we do not own the rights to our own lives
- An excellent selection of important articles about Privacy, how we're
losing it, how to regain it, how to protect it. We believe these articles
are very important. If you want to continue to live free, these articles
are crucial. Articles About Protecting Your Privacy Appear Monthly In Our
Overseas Lifestyles Magazine - EFAM - Escape From America Magazine, the
Expat Magazine for those who want to move overseas, and those who have.
- It's the international lifestyle magazine that provides real information
on what it takes to live abroad, including articles on International Relocation,
Overseas Retirement, Residency, Privacy, 2nd Passports, Jobs Overseas,
International Real Estate ... |
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 EscapeArtist
Asset Protection Newsletter -
Live & Invest Offshore - Get the real facts from the best; including
Doug Casey, Bobby Casey, Bob Matthews, Global Asset Advisors, Inc., Jeff
Schneider CPA, PassportIRA and more of the best international investment
advisors. |
|
 Self
Service Shipping to Europe - Ubox we ship
- Save over 40%! on international shipping. Door to door , Door to
port , Port to port. Professional services with discount prices. Call today
for a free shipping quote 866.566.9350 |
 Medical
Tourism In Europe Safe Overseas Medical Tourism
Offshore Medical Tourism WorldWide. Find Safe Clinics, Read Reviews, Active
Discussion posts. Members and providers can communicate directly and exchange
information freely. |
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 Offshore
Securities Broker Private Asset Management Online
- Thales Securities has been on our website for almost a decade and in
that decade we have heard nothing but positive reports about their service.
Founded in 1998 Thales Securities is a leading investment brokerage based
in the Republic of Panama. |
 Advertise
Your Real Estate, Yacht, Product, or Service on EscapeArtist
- Wow! We're growing, we'll soon have videos on our real estate marketplace
site, our magazines have over a half million readers, and those readers
are looking for real estate abroad. Find out about advertising on EscapeArtist,
or becoming a partner of EscapeArtist. Join one of the fastest growing
sites on the internet. |
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Each
day American Citizens lose more and more of their fundamental rights.
Many of these rights were given up in the name of “national security.”
It’s a very slippery slope. Scholars have debated the erosion of civil
rights caused by the passage of the Patriot Act. A recent unanimous amendment
to a Senate transportation bill may have just cost Americans the right
to travel. - Senator Harry Reid of Nevada was successful in amending a
Senate highway funding bill to now allow the IRS to revoke or limit the
passports of U.S. taxpayers who are seriously delinquent in their tax obligations.
- Under the measure, if one owes more than $50,000 and the debt is at the
levy or lien stage, the IRS can request the State Department revoke the
taxpayer’s passport. America abolished debtor’s prisons in 1833 but the
new measure is pretty similar - Americans freedom and liberty can be curtailed
until the taxman is paid.
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