Strategy For The Ultra Wealthy Ep 316

In a revealing discussion about tax strategies, the speaker, an ultra-wealthy individual, debunks common misconceptions and shares personal insights on minimizing tax burdens. They emphasize the importance of residence location—both state and country—for tax advantages, such as living in a low-tax state or leveraging Puerto Rico's favorable tax laws. The speaker underscores the significance of asset growth over contributions, advocating for early investment to harness compound interest. They also highlight the ultra wealthy's approach to purchasing undervalued assets and holding them long-term to avoid capital gains tax, and the strategy of borrowing against appreciating assets to fund lifestyle expenses without incurring income tax. The speaker advises against getting caught up in minor tax 'hacks' and instead focuses on the 'big rocks' of tax planning, ultimately prioritizing freedom and lifestyle over maximizing wealth.

• Speaker A introduces the topic of tax strategies employed by the ultra wealthy.
• They express concern about the lack of transparency and firsthand experience in most online discussions about the topic.
• The speaker has personally invested in understanding the US tax system to minimize tax drag.
• They have spent a significant sum on tax advisors and strategies.
• The speaker has paid $18 million in taxes over the past three years and aims to share insights to help others avoid unnecessary financial stress.

"In this video, I want to talk to you about the tax strategies of the ultra wealthy. And as someone who is ultra wealthy, I find it ironic that the vast majority of videos that I see on YouTube are made by people who are not ultra wealthy, talking about how the ultra wealthy do things when they have no transparency into what those actions actually are."

The quote establishes the speaker's credibility and the purpose of the video, which is to provide genuine insight into the tax strategies of the ultra wealthy from someone with firsthand experience.

"So I have gone through, I've spent probably $750,000 on different tax advisors, different tax strategies to try and figure out at least the US system to minimize tax drag."

This quote indicates the speaker's significant financial and personal investment in understanding and navigating the US tax system.

"And for context, in the last three years, I've spent $18 million or I've paid $18 million in taxes to the US government. And happily done so, Uncle Sam."

The speaker provides context on their tax contributions, emphasizing their compliance and substantial payments to the government.

• Emphasis on shifting perspective rather than focusing on small tax hacks.
• Speaker A suggests that many advertised tax strategies are minor and not significantly impactful.
• The goal is to align the listener's thinking with that of the ultra wealthy regarding taxes.

"But what I want to do is rather than talk about the little itty bitty hacks, I want to shift your perspective around them."

This quote highlights the speaker's intention to change how the listener views tax strategies, moving away from minor hacks to more substantial approaches.

• Where you live in the US can greatly affect your tax obligations due to state-level taxation.
• Moving to a lower tax state is a straightforward strategy for reducing tax liability.
• Global taxation affects US residents regardless of where they live.
• Puerto Rico offers a legal option with a significantly reduced federal tax rate for those who live there for at least six months a year and export services.
• Expatriation is another method to reduce federal tax, involving renunciation of US citizenship and potentially using a citizenship by investment program.

"All right, so right off the bat, the first thing is where you live is going to make the biggest initial difference."

The speaker points out the importance of the taxpayer's state of residence as a primary factor in determining their tax burden.

"And so if you are a US resident, you suffer from global taxation, meaning it doesn't matter where you live, they're going to tax you."

This quote explains the concept of global taxation and its implications for US residents.

"The first is to live in Puerto Rico six months of the year, and export services from Puerto Rico. If that is you, you can do that. It's a 4% federal tax rate, so you can have 0% state, 4% federal and live there."

The speaker offers a specific strategy involving residency in Puerto Rico to benefit from a lower federal tax rate, highlighting the legal requirements and benefits.

"The other way to do it is to expatriate, meaning you stop becoming a US resident, you renounce your citizenship as a US citizen, and then you come back basically as an alien."

The quote outlines the process of expatriation as an alternative means of reducing federal tax liability for those willing to renounce their US citizenship.

• The ultra wealthy focus on growth of assets rather than contributions to increase net worth.
• Starting early with investments is crucial due to the compounding interest over time.
• Even small monthly contributions can significantly impact future wealth.
• The ultra wealthy buy undervalued assets to gain value without immediate taxation.
• Long-term holding of assets is a common strategy to minimize taxes on capital gains.

"The big conclusion here is, in the beginning, get out of the states that are the high tax states, move to a state that is lower tax."

This quote emphasizes the importance of geographical location in tax strategy, suggesting that residing in a lower-tax state can be beneficial for wealth accumulation.

"The vast majority of your net worth is going to come from growth, not the contributions, okay?"

This quote underscores the principle that asset growth is the primary driver of net worth, rather than the initial money put into investments.

"So you can start using the compounding interest of time to your advantage."

The speaker highlights the power of compounding interest over time, advocating for early and consistent investment as a path to wealth.

"The dollars now count ten times more than the dollars in ten years and so forth, okay?"

This quote illustrates the concept of the time value of money, indicating that earlier investments are more valuable due to their longer time to grow.

"If I buy something that's worth $100 for $30, I instantly tripled my money. Except I didn't pay tax on that tripling, right, because the value of what I purchased is worth three times more than what I paid for it."

The speaker describes a strategy of purchasing undervalued assets, which increases net worth without incurring immediate tax liabilities.

"But there are a lot of strategies around buying and holding."

This quote introduces the concept of buy-and-hold investing as a tax-efficient strategy, implying that avoiding the sale of assets can defer or reduce capital gains taxes.

"Do I think that this thing is going to last for a very long time? And if so, I will get fortunate returns by buying safe and buying something that's going to be here in 30 years than trying to buy something that's up and coming."

The speaker suggests that a long-term investment horizon can lead to substantial returns, advocating for the purchase of stable, enduring assets over speculative, short-term investments.

• The ultra wealthy think in longer time horizons, focusing on generational wealth rather than short-term expenses.
• This perspective shift involves holding assets for the long term and thinking beyond immediate purchases like cars.

"Because the biggest shift in perspective the ultra wealthy have versus the not wealthy is that they think in longer time horizons, they think about generational wealth."

The quote emphasizes the difference in mindset between the ultra wealthy and the not wealthy, highlighting the long-term, multi-generational approach to wealth management favored by the ultra wealthy.

• Loans are not treated as income in the U.S. tax code, which allows them to be used as spendable money without immediate tax implications.
• Investing in assets that earn while one sleeps is a strategy for wealth growth.
• Assets that grow tax-free can be leveraged for loans to fund living expenses, allowing the underlying assets to compound tax-free.

"And so, for example, if I continue to plow all of my money into assets that earn while I sleep... I can realize by taking loans against those things, and I can use those loans to live my life."

This quote describes a strategy where one invests in appreciating assets, then takes out loans against the growth of these assets to fund living expenses, thus avoiding taxes on the growth as long as it exceeds the amount borrowed.

• Wealthy individuals use strategies like conservation easements and captive insurance to minimize taxes.
• Conservation easements involve donating land and receiving tax benefits for the full value of the land.
• There are risks involved with aggressive tax strategies, as the government can change rules and apply them retroactively.

"These are the strategies of the people who are ultra wealthy, the things when they talk about conservation easements, which is basically you donate land and you get the full value of the land even though you didn't pay the full value."

The quote explains one of the strategies used by the ultra wealthy, conservation easements, which allow landowners to donate property and receive a tax deduction for its full market value, potentially more than what they paid for it.

• The U.S. tax code is subject to change, and the government can retroactively apply new rules.
• It's important to align with the existing rules while being aware that they may change.
• By not selling assets, one can potentially avoid taxes, as taxes are typically triggered by the sale of an asset.

"The US tax code is not fair because the government can change the rules whenever they want... And so I like to think about it, just like I think about content on any kind of platform, is that I just have to align within the rules that exist."

The quote highlights the speaker's view that the tax code is unpredictable and can be changed at the government's discretion, which necessitates a strategy of compliance and alignment with current rules to avoid unexpected taxes.

• The speaker emphasizes living frugally and making lifestyle choices that align with personal freedom.
• They have chosen not to relocate to Puerto Rico despite tax benefits because it does not significantly impact their quality of life.
• The speaker values freedom over money, suggesting that wealth should serve as a means to live freely rather than becoming a goal in itself.
• They argue against sacrificing personal freedom for financial gain, such as staying on an island for tax advantages.
• The speaker implies that money is a tool for achieving desired experiences and should not overshadow the original purpose of seeking financial success.

"For me, I've chosen not to do the Puerto Rico thing because the difference in net worth for me makes no difference in my life, because the difference between having $100 million and $180,000,000 to me makes no difference."

This quote highlights the speaker's view that beyond a certain point, additional wealth does not translate into a meaningful difference in their life quality or happiness.

"And so if I have to remain prisoner of an island for six months of the year in order to get a better income tax rate, right, then it seems like it's putting the cart before the horse."

The speaker is expressing that living in a place solely for tax benefits, at the cost of personal freedom, is contradictory to their financial goals and philosophy.

• The speaker discusses the rationale behind certain tax strategies, such as relocating to areas with lower taxes.
• They explain that for those with smaller net worth, tax benefits like those in Puerto Rico could be more enticing and impactful.
• The speaker stresses that for the ultra-wealthy, wealth growth is not significantly affected by taxation due to the nature of asset appreciation.
• They advise focusing on fundamental investment strategies, such as buying undervalued assets and leveraging asset growth through loans, rather than exploiting tax loopholes.
• The speaker shares insights on how the ultra-wealthy manage taxes, emphasizing the importance of understanding core investment principles.

"I think it makes sense if you are smaller and you were starting out and you're trying to develop your net worth, but I can tell you right now, the vast majority of your worth is going to come from the growth and none of that has to be taxed."

This quote suggests that for individuals who are in the early stages of wealth accumulation, tax benefits can be more significant, but for those who are already wealthy, asset growth is the primary source of wealth increase, which is not directly taxed.

"It's really about making sure that you understand the big rocks correctly, which is buy low, immediately get value on your money for buying for less than what something's worth when you sell it or don't sell it at all."

The speaker is emphasizing the importance of fundamental investment strategies like buying undervalued assets and holding them for growth, rather than focusing on short-term tax-saving tactics.

• The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to focus on the key principles of wealth growth.
• They offer a final piece of advice to understand and apply the wealth management strategies used by the ultra-wealthy.
• The speaker signs off with an invitation to subscribe for more value-driven content.

"You can continue to take loans against the increased value of the assets and you can live off those for the rest of your life if you so choose."

This quote explains a strategy used by the wealthy, where they leverage the increased value of their assets through loans, which is a tax-efficient way to access capital.

"And so these are the tax strategies that the ultra wealthy, from someone who actually is ultra wealthy. I hope you found value in this video."

The speaker is asserting their credibility as someone who is part of the ultra-wealthy demographic, sharing strategies that are practical and used by people in that financial bracket. They express a hope that the viewers find the shared information valuable.