Your offshore company:
A look at the paperwork

Register of Shareholders

OFFSHORE-FOX.COM
with Peter Widder

(Part 7 of 12)

Register of Shareholders (also called share register or stock register) typically takes the form of a record book that lists the owners of shares of stock issued by your offshore company.

Your company's share register needs to record the following:

• Names and addresses of all shareholders, with number of shares held by each.

The Register also notes pertinent details (dates, parties involved) in relation to:

• Issue of shares to shareholders;
• Transfer of shares by or to shareholders;
• Repurchase or redemption of shares from shareholders.

Where shares are issued to bearer (if permitted), the appropriate entry in the Register should note the details of the bearer's agent or attorney to whom the company can address any notices normally sent to shareholders.

Unless a nominated administrator assumes responsibility for keeping your company's statutory records, you will have to maintain the company's Register of Shareholders.

		Depending on the jurisdiction of incorporation, the Register of Shareholders -- and so the ownership of your company -- might or might not have to be revealed to one extent or another. • Some jurisdictions permit anonymous companies that only keep internal share registers; access is possible only for the company's officers and shareholders. • An increasing number of offshore havens demand disclosure to local authorities (but not to general public or other governments). • Some go yet further and allow unrestricted public access. The majority of offshore incorporators can provide nominee shareholders who shield the actual owner from exposure.

Also, the Register must almost always be kept at the company's registered office, in its jurisdiction of incorporation.

Most offshore incorporation agents can supply clients with a corporate records-keeping package that includes a blank share register. Note however that there is no prescribed form; flexible offshore legislation even permits an electronic version of the Register so long as the company can produce written evidence of its contents.

See sample Register
of Shareholders >>