Maintenance of records and financial statements
A private or professional fund must maintain records that are sufficient to show and explain its transactions, to enable its financial position to be determined with reasonable accuracy at any time, to enable it to prepare financial statements and make returns and, if applicable, to enable its financial statements to be audited.
A private or professional fund must prepare financial statements for each financial year that comply with:
The International Financial Reporting Standards, promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board
UK GAAP
US GAAP
Canadian GAAP; or
Internationally recognised and generally accepted accounting standards equivalent to the accounting standards referred to above
Fund policies and arrangements
The Fund is required to maintain a valuation policy setting out the applicable procedures for the valuation of fund property, the preparation of reports on the valuation and setting out the mechanisms for sharing valuation information with investors (Valuation Policy). On an annual basis, the Fund should review its Valuation Policy to ensure compliance with BVI legislation.
Anti-money laundering obligations
The BVI anti-money laundering (AML) regime applies to all funds as they are classified as "relevant persons" under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations 2008. In addition to appointing an officer to the fund or another individual as MLRO (as mentioned above), a fund will be required to:
Put in place investor on-boarding procedures which address typical "know your client" requirements
Report suspicious transactions to the Financial Investigation Agency (FIA) in the BVI
Report the identity of its appointed MLRO to the FIA
Put in place and maintain a written and effective system of internal controls which provides appropriate policies, processes and procedures for forestalling and preventing money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (the Manual). The Manual should be reviewed annually to ensure compliance with AML regime in the BVI.
The BVI rules do provide for funds to outsource all and any of these obligations to functionaries based outside of the BVI, such as an administrator or investment manager. Any outsourcing must, however, be documented in writing.
Obligations under FATCA and CRS?
Private and professional funds are required to register for a Global Intermediary Identification Number (GIIN) with the US Internal Revenue Service. Funds are also required to enrol with the ITA. Enrolment for FATCA reporting is made through the ITA's online portal, called BVI Financial Account Reporting System, and for CRS is made by email to [email protected].
Private and professional funds will need to identify reportable accounts and start to report the necessary information to the ITA. The reporting deadline for US FATCA, UK FATCA and CRS is 31 May.
The information that must be reported under US and UK FATCA and CRS is broadly similar and includes: the name, date of birth, tax identification number (TIN) (for Specified US Persons where available); National Insurance Number (for Specified UK Persons, where available); jurisdiction of residence (for reportable persons under CRS only); the account number; name and GIIN of the reporting financial institution; and the account balance (some minimums apply under FATCA).

Ver todos los episodios