In Valor Econômico: wealth protection should be a priority in the United States
Amid the growing number of millionaires leaving Brazil for the United States, Valor Econômico spoke with Alexandre Piquet, founder and managing partner of Piquet Law Firm, and Luiz Flávio Paína Resende Alves, Director of Global Tax & Wealth Planning, about what happens to companies, real estate and investments when tax residency changes country.
Reproduced from Valor Econômico, by Dino, São Paulo, August 18, 2026.
Moving country is not just changing address
Research by New World Wealth, reported by The Economist, indicates that 165,000 millionaires are expected to change countries this year, a record against the 140,000 recorded in 2025. For Brazilians, the leading destination is the United States.
Relocating permanently, however, is not a simple process. Beyond securing permanent residence, companies, real estate, investments and family structures begin to live under two jurisdictions at the same time.
"Cross-border planning means relocating with full legal, tax and financial security, so as to avoid unpleasant surprises that affect your wealth, such as double taxation." Alexandre Piquet, founder and managing partner, Piquet Law Firm
Four points the article highlights
Formal exit filing: the Comunicação de Saída Definitiva, filed with Brazil's Receita Federal, formally ends Brazilian tax residency and changes how income kept in the country is taxed.
Tacit exit: non-resident status can be recognized after twelve consecutive months abroad, even if the formal filing was never submitted.
What stays in Brazil: real estate and investments may remain. The regime changes: rental income, as a rule, moves to 15% withheld at source, instead of the progressive table that reaches 27.5%.
U.S. succession: U.S. citizens and residents have an estate tax exemption of up to US$ 15 million, a significant factor when designing the wealth structure.
More important than the formal act, the article notes, is that the facts on the ground match the move. Brazil's tax authority may examine elements such as the taxpayer's center of personal and economic interests to verify whether residency was in fact transferred abroad.
"Without proper planning, it is common for taxpayers to face unnecessary tax costs, succession risks, or wealth structures that are incompatible with local law." Luiz Flávio Paína Resende Alves, Director of Global Tax & Wealth Planning, Piquet Law Firm
Global Tax & Wealth Planning
An international move may begin with an address, but it should not end there. Each type of investment carries its own rule and has to be reviewed individually at the moment tax residency changes.
The Global Tax & Wealth Planning team at Piquet Law Firm brings the tax, estate and corporate dimensions of Brazil and the United States into a single reading.
Informational content based on an article published by Valor Econômico on August 18, 2026. This is not legal or tax advice. Each case must be reviewed individually.
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