You can protect virtually your entire net worth internationally. Cash, securities and collectibles (gold and jewelry) and other assets that you can physically relocate internationally are ideal. Real estate, cars, boats, U.S. securities and other U.S.-based assets necessarily remain within the jurisdiction and recovery powers of the U.S. courts and generally are not transferred to international entities. The trustees, protectors and other fiduciaries who control your assets internationally would be international firms who remain beyond the control and recovery powers of the American courts. But to fully lawsuit-proof yourself, you would shift as much of your wealth as possible internationally. For example, you can directly transfer your liquid assets internationally, and then mortgage or sell your U.S.-based assets and invest the cash proceeds internationally. Your creditors’ only recourse then through the U.S. courts is to seize your equity-stripped assets which would then have little or no value to your creditor. You thus constructively shift your total net worth internationally though you may still own significant assets domestically.
