There are various types of account available to suit your means and needs. You could arrange with your employer to have part of your salary or expenses paid into your offshore account, and part into the local account. Fund investment means that you can choose to invest in a particular class of assets without having to examine the characteristics of each asset individually, and if you choose to invest in an offshore mutual fund, the responsibility for the management, maintenance and administration is taken by the promoter, manager and custodian of the fund. Always depending on your original home tax regime, many expatriates will be able to receive dividends and capital returns from an offshore fund without paying tax while they remain non-resident. However, the asset protection advantages, and the enhanced privacy afforded by an offshore trust are useful features.
Trusts are still effective as a defence against inheritance tax.
It is normal for trustees to operate the trust in accordance with the wishes of the settlor. There are different types of trusts for different purposes, and you need professional assistance in selecting the right type in the right jurisdiction. If your home tax regime does not yet have anti-avoidance legislation, and you hope to gain tax benefits from setting up a trust, then you will probably use a discretionary trust, in which the trustees have full control over the disposition of the trust income and assets. This is another complex area in which professional help is needed, but the interpolation of a company can sometimes distance you from your income sufficiently to avoid taxation. An offshore company can take many different forms, some of which are not of interest to the individual expatriate investor.