A Licensing Company is a type of offshore company that involves intangible property and the licensing of its use. It involves a variety of issues relating to country disparity. This use of the offshore situs usually is a result of a particular foreign situs imposing withholding tax upon royalty income and is not treaty accommodating. Also, one may find peculiar foreign situs rules that effect the disposition of industrial property rights.

Licensing Companies seek International Financial Centers that provide more reliable substantive judicial systems to protect intangible and substantive rights, as compared to a country situs of licensing use. Licensing Companies also provide flexibility. The flexibility lies in the contracting for rights to use in different foreign locations. The issues of Subpart F Income, source of income concepts, and arm’s length pricing of related parties are the focus of structural planning. Read More