Complex structured finance transactions
Complex Financial Transactions and Complex Structured Finance Transactions
Complex financial structures are often created to make money by reducing taxes. This can be done by delaying when a tax is due, by moving income to a lower tax area, or by taking advantage of the inconsistencies within the taxation rules for different countries. These May Be simply "complex financial transaction" or, lately, the more difficult to organize "complex structured finance transaction". These transactions are considered a subset of Structured Finance just as they are a subset of Finance.
Complex structured finance transactions are advanced private and public financial arrangements that efficiently refinance and hedge any profitable economic activity beyond the conventional forms of on-balance debt, bonds or equity in the effort to lower cost of capital and costs of market barriers on liquidity. There are many problems associated with these transactions but one of the most complex areas is that of taxation since it is often the case that they are created to avoid certain forms of tax. Because this area is of strategic importance to the U.S. Government the FDIC has specifically targeted Complex Structured Finance Transactions: The statement informs financial institutions of the internal controls and risk-management procedures that should be used to identify, manage and address the heightened legal or reputational risks that may arise from their involvement in certain complex structured finance transactions. http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2006/fil06045.html
In order to engage in these types of transactions a company such as a large bank or investment firm with a professional business and legal team is GeneRally hired to carry out the necessary research and development of an investment strategy. The USA Patriot Act was created in part to address problems associated with these transactions and the funding of [...] activities.