Videos · Paraiba Wealth

The "Roth IRA" Account With No Rules — For Non-Americans

If you're not American, the U.S. tax code hands you something better than a Roth IRA: U.S. stock growth — Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia — with 0% U.S. federal capital gains ...tax, and none of a Roth's limits. No income caps, no contribution limits, no age rules, no withdrawal penalties.

Here's the asymmetry: an American selling a winning U.S. stock pays up to 23.8% federal capital gains tax, plus state tax. A non-resident investor, properly set up through a U.S. brokerage account with a W-8BEN on file, pays ZERO U.S. federal capital gains tax. It's not a loophole — it's written into the tax code, and almost no local private banker will ever bring it up.

Whether you're in Hong Kong, Singapore, Mainland China, or the Gulf, the same code applies. There's just one detail to plan for on the other side: the "$60K Threshold" — the U.S. estate tax treats non-residents differently from the way it treats gains while you're alive, and that's something you design around.

In this video, I break down the full cross-border playbook for non-US investors who want U.S. stock growth — the same structuring I use with clients at Paraiba Wealth.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
• Why non-resident investors pay 0% U.S. capital gains — and how the W-8BEN switches it on.
• The 3 jobs the W-8BEN does at once: kills capital-gains withholding, claims treaty dividend rates, and unlocks the Portfolio Interest Exception.
• Dividend withholding by country: UK 15%, China 10%, and Hong Kong / Singapore / UAE 30% (no U.S. tax treaty = the full 30% statutory rate).
• The 3 hidden drags inside "cheap" UCITS ETFs — dividend leakage, FX spreads, and loss of control over your own holdings.
• The $60K Estate Tax Threshold — and a ⚠ warning on Joint Tenancy (JTWROS) for non-Americans.
• The Mag 7 case study: $100K → ~$2.2M, and the ~$790K gap between a U.S. (California) investor and a non-US investor on the same stocks.
• How to engineer growth AND estate protection at the same time (US-situs vs. non-situs assets: Treasuries + foreign ADRs).
• The 3 things that can break the setup: W-8BEN expiry, the Substantial Presence Test, the $60K Threshold.

🌏 FREE — Non-US Investor Structure Review
We'll map your W-8BEN setup, your estate exposure (the $60K threshold), and whether a U.S. brokerage account fits your country, your assets, and your timeline — the same structuring we build for every non-US client.
👉 https://paraibawealth.com/calendly/

🇺🇸 Watching from the US? Run the FREE Unindexed Real Wealth Auditor.
Drop in your income, location, and assets — see your exact "Shadow Tax" and the gap between where you are and where you could be:
👉 https://paraibawealth.com/concentratedreturns/

▶ WATCH NEXT (for US investors)
The High Income Trap — Why Six-Figure Earners Feel Broke:
https://youtu.be/h_6VGe6LFAA

📺 Subscribe to Unindexed for more on cross-border investing and growth investing:
youtube.com/@unindexedwealth

⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 — The Tax Code Treats You Better Than Americans
1:40 — Why the Local Fund Wrapper Quietly Costs You ~$470K
3:40 — The W-8BEN Arbitrage (How 0% Gets Switched On)
5:10 — The $60K Estate Tax Threshold
6:30 — Direct Ownership vs. the UCITS Wrapper (3 Hidden Drags)
7:50 — ⚠ Why NOT to Use Joint Tenancy + Engineering Both
9:10 — Case Study: $100K in the Mag 7 → $2.2M (and the $790K Gap)
11:00 — The 3 Risks That Break the Setup
11:55 — One More Thing: U.S. Bonds Pay You More, Tax You Less
12:30 — Your Next Step

ABOUT ALVIN YAM, CFP®, MBA
Founder & Lead Portfolio Manager at Paraiba Wealth — a U.S.-registered RIA building high-conviction growth portfolios for U.S. and international investors, including Asia-based clients with U.S. cross-border needs.

⚠ DISCLAIMER: Educational content only — not personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Cross-border tax outcomes depend on your specific facts and jurisdiction, and your home country may tax dividends or gains on its own. Past performance ≠ future results. Consult a qualified professional before acting. This video is not sponsored by Charles Schwab or any bank.

—
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Cross-Border Financial Advisor Hong Kong | US Stock Investing for Non-US Residents | W-8BEN Tax Strategy | Fiduciary RIA for International InvestorsShow More

The "Roth IRA" Account With No Rules — For Non-Americans

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The High Income Trap: Why Six-Figure Earners Feel Broke (Even at $250K+ Household Income)

Maybe you're in the top 5% of US earners — $250K+ household income — ...

Maybe you're in the top 5% of US earners — $250K+ household income — yet you’re not building real wealth. Your W-2 feels more like a "liquidation event" than a ...wealth builder. Between brutal 45% marginal tax rates, the hidden Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT), lifestyle inflation in high-cost cities, and the classic HENRY Dead Zone, your money is quietly disappearing.

In this video, we expose the exact tax architecture and behavioral traps keeping high earners stuck — and the proven Roth strategies that can put you ahead.

What you’ll learn:
- Why your $250K income is actually a “liquidation event”
- The Marginal Buzzsaw + HENRY Dead Zone explained
- How proximity (location) and real inflation are silently draining you
- The W-2 Audit most high earners fail
- The Dividend & NIIT Trap that makes “safe” investing expensive
- The ONLY free lunch left: Roth Shield strategies
- Three Roth exit ramps + Backdoor Roth (with Pro-Rata warning)
- Annual Roth IRA funding playbook for high earners

Timestamps:
0:00 – The $250k Liquidation Event
0:22 – The Marginal Buzzsaw
0:47 – The HENRY Dead Zone
1:30 – The Cost of Proximity
2:38 – The Real Inflation Rate
3:10 – The W-2 Audit
4:10 – The Dividend & The NIIT Trap
5:55 – The Only Free Lunch Left (Roth Shield)
7:55 – Three Roth Exits
8:45 – The Backdoor (Pro-Rata Warning)
10:25 – Annual Roth IRA Funding Strategy
11:20 – Final Verdict
11:30 – How to Audit Your Wealth

📉 FREE Tool: Unindexed Real Wealth Auditor
Drop in your income, location, and assets → instantly see your exact “Shadow Tax,” lifestyle drag, and the multi-million dollar gap between your current path and a true Roth Growth Shield.
👉 https://paraibawealth.com/concentratedreturns/

Related Video → Target-Date Funds Are a Wall Street Trap
Why your 401(k) autopilot is costing you $620K+
👉 https://youtu.be/fU9PvbDE4k8

💼 Ready to escape the trap?
Paraiba Wealth builds concentrated, tax-efficient growth portfolios for high earners.
📩 contact@paraibawealth.com
More resources: paraibawealth.com/blog/

Disclaimer: This is structural education about the tax code, asset location, and high-income financial architecture — not personalized financial advice. I’m a Registered Investment Advisor, but I don’t know your specific situation. Always consult a qualified fiduciary advisor before making changes.

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