No Nexus Required: Dangers of the Water’s Edge, and a New Paradigm for Cross-Border Clients
Wednesday, September 16 @ 5:00 pm | City Club of SF
* Please RSVP by September 14, 2026 to avoid a late registration fee.*
Topic
Generally, presentations about cross-border planning concentrate on cross-border taxation. However, playing outside of the water's edge may trigger harsh penalties related to the globalization of compliance. It's not just the U.S. FATCA regime that U.S. persons must navigate when traveling abroad. Certainly, tax, trust, and privacy planning laws vis-à-vis the U.S. and other jurisdictions can conflict. In the U.S., there is no required registration of domestic trusts. To require otherwise goes against the strong mandate of privacy most U.S. persons expect related to trust assets. It is understood that trusts have to pay U.S. income tax, but there is a strong sense of privacy related to the trust's beneficiaries and assets.
Those same principles are not always respected in other jurisdictions. Registration of trusts is mandated in many European countries, subject to harsh penalties for non-compliance. Registration is required for discretionary beneficiaries, regardless of whether or not that beneficiary ever receives a distribution.
The point of this presentation is to highlight required registrations and disclosures, along with conflicting laws that can negatively impact our clients. We'll discuss real-world scenarios where U.S. beneficiaries move and are almost immediately non-compliant, thus living within the danger beyond the water's edge!
Agenda
- 5pm - 6pm: Networking, cocktails, and appetizers
- 6pm - 7:30pm: Meeting and content presentation
Cost
- $125 Members (pre-registered)*
- $185 Guests (pre-registered)*
*An additional $25 fee applies if you register at the door.
About the Speaker
Cynthia ("Cindy") Brittain is a partner at ArentFox Schiff where she advises high-net-worth individuals, families, and family offices on sophisticated domestic and international wealth planning strategies.
With decades of experience in cross-border wealth planning, Cindy counsels clients on complex matters involving international estate and income tax planning, pre-immigration planning, business succession, family governance, charitable giving, private trust companies, and family office structures. Her practice also includes advising multinational families, entrepreneurs, and their advisors on navigating global regulatory and compliance issues while preserving and transferring wealth across generations. Cindy has extensive experience working with clients throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, including having lived and worked in both Hong Kong and London.
In addition to her legal practice, Cindy is a frequent speaker on international estate and tax planning and serves as an adjunct professor teaching International Estate Planning. She is recognized as a leading practitioner in private wealth law, including rankings in Chambers High Net Worth and Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers.
CE Credit: This activity may be approved for continuing education credit by the State Bar of California and CFP Board. Certificates are provided after attendance.
Excused Absence: Members can request an excused absence in writing emailing us prior to the meeting.
Cancellations must be received three business days prior to the meeting.
