The APT or Offshore Trust > Countries With Favorable Laws: > The Cook Islands
The Cook Islands
The Cook Islands was the first jurisdiction to enact legislation encouraging the formation of Offshore Trusts. All trust companies are licensed and regulated by the government of the Cook Islands with the strictest qualification and capitalization standards.
The Cook Islands is located in the South Pacific near Tahiti and Samoa. Until 1965, the country was a protectorate of New Zealand and is now self-governed with its own legislature and prime minister. Communication facilities are excellent with modern international telephone, telex, and facsimile services via satellite. The Cook Islands are in the same time zone as Hawaii—two hours behind Pacific Standard Time and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
Since the enactment of the International Trusts Amendment Act of 1989, the Cook Islands have been the jurisdiction of choice for the creation of Offshore Trusts. The law provides the highest degree of protection, flexibility, and privacy. The trust companies in the Cook Islands are experienced and knowledgeable with an unblemished record of competency, thoroughness, and integrity unmatched by any other country in the world.
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