Company Formation in Panama

How to successfully incorporate a company in Panama?

In Panama, the company incorporation process is simple and fast.

Necessary documents

In Panama, for a successful company formation, you will have to prepare and provide documents mostly pertaining to the beneficial owner(s) of the newly formed company. This set of documents usually includes passport copies of all shareholders and directors.

In order to register an offshore company in Panama, you need to describe its main activities and provide the office address as well as the names and emails of all company members. It’s worth mentioning that there are no minimum share capital requirements to register a company in Panama. That means that you can establish a company by investing the amount of money you can or consider necessary.

Remote incorporation

After analyzing all the benefits that Panama’s government provides to foreign entrepreneurs and business owners, you will agree that choosing this country as an offshore jurisdiction is definitely the right decision.  The good news is that you do not have to be present in the county to register your company. You can do the whole process remotely.

Panama offers a simple and straightforward company formation process. And an opportunity to incorporate the company remotely makes this process even much easier. Remote company formation helps foreign entrepreneurs minimize their taxes and improve their business strategies.

How to: registration company in Panama

Panama provides a favorable business climate to attract entrepreneurs and investors. Company registration is an easy and simple process that does not require too much time. First, you should understand what type of business structure is best for your company. It’s crucial to assess the long-term goals of your company to be able to select the appropriate business structure.

The next phase is to prepare all the necessary documents for LegalBison’s project management team to file them for registration. Once the registration process is complete, LegalBison provides you with assistance in opening a bank account for conducting business transactions and managing the company finances effectively.

What are the taxes for companies registered in Panama?

The Panama’s government creates favourable tax conditions to attract more foreign entrepreneurs and investors.

According to the existing Panamanian laws and regulations, the offshore companies do not have to pay corporate income tax if they generate profit outside of the country.

What are the requirements in Panama for accounting and audits?

According to Panama’s laws, there are no specific requirements for offshore companies to file audit reports, but it is important to keep accounting records to understand the financial situation of the company.

Accounting and Bookkeeping

Panama is a reliable offshore jurisdiction that provides a favorable business environment for investors and entrepreneurs. There is no compulsory obligation for companies to submit annual records. Auditing is not mandatory as well.

Auditing requirements

Despite the fact that the Panamanian government does not impose auditing requirements on offshore companies, undergoing audits can still be important for the evaluation of your company’s financial performance.

About the registry of companies in Panama

The Public Registry of Panama plays an extremely important role in registering and maintaining information about companies and their assets. Once you incorporate a company in the country, you will need to have it added to the Panama business registry.

Registry of directors in Panama

According to Panamanian laws and regulations, you should appoint a board of directors to be able to register your company successfully. It’s worth mentioning that there is no registry of company directors that the general public has access to. However, you should keep internal records about the company directors.

You should keep the information about the board of directors in the local office. The records usually include names, addresses, contact information, and copies of identification documents. The regulatory authorities as well as shareholders may access the records when such a need arises.

Registry of shareholders in Panama

In Panama, the company formation process includes the appointment of directors as well as shareholders. In fact, there is no registry of company shareholders available to the public. The companies should keep this information internally. The internal registry information should include details about shareholders such as their names, addresses, number of shares, and class of shares.

Are nominee services legal in Panama

According to Panamanian laws, you can appoint a nominee director or shareholder to increase privacy and protect your identity. Despite the fact that nominee services are legal, you must make sure that all your actions comply with the existing Panama’s laws and regulations.

Economic substance requirements for company registration in Panama

There are some specific substance requirements that apply to the offshore companies in Panama but no requirements for residency.

Economic substance in Panama

In Panama, you have to comply with the current laws and regulations to be able to register a company successfully. The specific substance requirements usually include the necessity to have a local address, local office and hire full-time local workers. Make sure that you maintain an adequate number of employees.

You should also have bank accounts and hold meetings in Panama. It’s crucial to meet all the requirements. It will help you run your company successfully in Panama and turn it into a prosperous business.

Residency requirements of shareholders and directors in Panama

A favorable business environment makes Panama one of the most popular offshore jurisdictions. When it comes to appointing directors and shareholders of the company, there are no residency requirements you should meet. Directors and shareholders can be from different countries and do not have to live in Panama.

As you already know, Panama offers a wide range of benefits to foreign entrepreneurs and business owners. Despite this fact, you should always consult experts to make sure that you comply with the existing laws and regulations. It will help you establish and run your company successfully in this reliable jurisdiction.

Opening a bank account for a company registered in Panama

Panama is a country with a healthy banking system. In this jurisdiction, opening a bank account for your company can be a straightforward process if you meet the existing requirements. You can always consult our highly experienced professionals to make sure that you are on the right way.

Once your company registration is complete, you can start preparing all the necessary documents to open a bank account in Panama. The country has different local and international banks. So, choosing the right one will not be a problem. We are always ready to assist you in this matter.

The different possible companies one can register in Panama

In Panama, there are different types of business structures you can choose from.

• International Business Company
• Limited Liability Company
• Trust
• Foundation

IBC is a company type that you can use for different business interests. It has the elements of a corporation. LLC has the elements of a partnership and a corporation as well. Trusts and foundations are popular legal structures that provide a wide range of benefits in terms of privacy and asset protection.

No taxes

Although tax is an important part of the government revenue stream, over 75% of company owners complain that federal income tax is one of the major problems in running a business in Panama.

According to Panamanian law, businesses as well as individuals have to meet certain conditions in order to benefit from the zero-tax policy. One of them is that the income must come from outside. That means that a company has to operate outside of Panama and earn income in other countries. Immigration authorities have outlined the criteria for individuals who are interested in taking advantage of Panama’s tax incentives. Meeting these criteria gives them a chance to acquire a residency in the country. Additionally, individuals can legally cut their taxes and get better conditions for business growth. However, businesses and individuals must also comply with international tax laws and regulations to get tax advantages. Doing tax planning in advance helps avoid potential issues.

Fast set-up

Quick and easy company formation is definitely one of the reasons why business owners choose Panama as an offshore jurisdiction. The process of company registration in Panama takes about 1 business week and does not require visiting the country.

Agreements for non-double taxation signed by Panama

The government of Panama does its best to improve transparency and international tax cooperation. To help entrepreneurs avoid double taxation, Panama has signed tax avoidance agreement treaties with such countries as Barbados, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Spain, France, Portugal, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Israel, United Kingdom, Singapore, and the Czech Republic.

No annual records

Panama is a reputable offshore jurisdiction with a stable economy and favorable tax policy. According to local laws and regulations, offshore companies do not have to file annual records. Panama’s government implements specific measures to cope with tax evasion and money laundering. So, today it requires more transparency from offshore companies.

No residency required

To open an offshore company in Panama, you do not have to be a resident of the country. You can set up a company remotely without even visiting Panama. Anyway, you should consult legal and financial experts to make sure that you comply with Panama’s existing laws and regulations.

Strategic location

Its privileged geographical location has made Panama one of the best places for doing business. The country is in Central America bordering Costa Rica and Colombia. Obviously, it was the main reason for constructing the Panama Canal which serves as a critical link between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

This strategic position offers a lot of business opportunities. International trade thrives in this country. Due to the shipping and trade, different types of businesses have quick and easy access to goods in Panama. Banking benefits from Panama’s convenient location as well.