Media and Blog Articles Open for Comments, Part 9 of 9 (2022-2024)
You can access all years at this link: Media and Blog Articles – Links for All Years
Media and Blog Articles
EmBee suggested that it would be good if there was a thread for new articles, so that people would be aware of where to comment. So, I created this permanent page. I’ll make a permanent list of links posted here and keep adding to it, but not deleting, so we’ll end up having sort of a “bibliography” of FATCA/CBT articles. [Note: Some articles are not open for comments]
For more articles on FATCA, enter FATCA into Google then click on the link “more news for fatca” just below the most recent featured article.
Notes:
From JC: To see #FATCA on Twitter for latest breaking news. JC finds that is quite a good source and there even are some international articles that one may read using Google Translate. Others may help certain tweets and articles remain in elevated position by retweeting them.
From Badger: On an important archival note, please use the Internet Archive Wayback machine https://archive.org/web/ (see bottom right ‘Save Page Now’ box to enter URLs of webpages you want saved for posterity, and try to save backup copies of articles and other items of interest in some other form – such as a datastick or external drive. Some important and very significant webpages and the fulltexts of articles are no longer available (although some can be retrieved if someone using the Wayback machine saved them).
Be sure to read the comment stream for this thread — there are often very recent articles mentioned since this list was updated.
2023.02.28
Supreme Court Rules in Taxpayer;s Favor on FBAR Penalties, Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, US.
Bittner v. United States, Supreme Court of the United States, (decision referred to in above article).
2022.10.23
Kids stuck with $2000 bill each for KiwiSaver, Rob Stock, Stuff, New Zealand.
2022.08.26
American Expat Campaigners laying groundwork for citizenship-based tax challenge, Helen Burggraf, AmericanExpatFinance.
Next, the Supreme Court Decides How to Punish US Expats, Andreas Kluth, Washington Post, US.
2022.07.30
FATCA isn’t the problem, CBT is, Ross McGill, AmericanExpatFinance.
2022.04.22
TIGTA Report on IRS Effort to Enforce FATCA, Federal Tax Crimes, US.
2022.04.07
Additional Actions Are Needed to Address Non-Filing and Non-Reporting Compliance Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, Treasury Department, US.
2022.03.30
Long awaited ‘Gwen and Kazia’ FATCA appeal hearing in Canada takes place today, Helen Burggraf, American Expat Finance.
2022.03.25
A bilateral data-sharing deal with US better than status quo, James McCarran, Winnipeg Free Press (Canadian Press).
2022.03.23
Canada, US enter talks on deal to access, share data in criminal investigations, James McCarran, Orillia Matters (Canadian Press).
2022.03.22
United States and Canada Welcome Negotiations of a CLOUD Act Agreement, Department of Justice, US.
Responsibility Deflected, the CLOUD Act Passes, David Ruiz, Electronic Frontier Foundation, US.
2022.03.18
CLOUD Act, Department of Justice, Canada.
2022.03.04
Decades of Neglect Leave IRS in Tax Season Chaos, Alan Rappeport, New York Times, US.
2022.02.15
Can the Whistle be Blown Against Accidental Americans, Part II, Alan S. Lederman, Bloomberg Tax, US.
2022.02.11
Those in Kamila Valieva case may be prosecuted under new US law, Katie Wermus, Newsweek, US.
He is good, I’ll give him that. He’s also scaremongering.
He’s not so good answering my points regarding enforcement against a UK born UK resident UK citizen.
“You’re wrong” was about all he had to say regarding my points.
No comments, except one from the NZ government that is pretty predictable.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/130223449/kids-stuck-with-2000-bill-each-for-kiwisaver
Supreme Court Rules In Taxpayer’s Favor On FBAR Penalties
Kelly Phillips Erb
Feb 28, 2023,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2023/02/28/supreme-court-rules-in-taxpayers-favor-on-fbar-penalties/
See;
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-1195_h3ci.pdf
WSJ article, no taxation without representation. The comments section will not make comfortable reading for those holding out hope that the US public will accept the end of CBT. Horrific reading, frankly.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-expats-face-taxation-without-representation-delegate-washington-american-abroad-tax-medicare-northern-mariana-islands-ab5e8a75?fbclid=IwAR0TMLYe57eHkj4vFkj-t4wl1YuJ_JUyElbkMa5GNG8NkRcGSQMm57i1rTY
Another WSJ article featuring Fabien from the Association of French Accidentals. Despite the clear abuse laid bare, the majority of Americans are choosing to blame Fabien for the actions of the US government. Like everybody can simply renounce to live outside US borders. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-land-of-the-free-wont-leave-me-alone-irs-facta-france-tax-compliance-d1005893?st=1tfd0gtt6ovkhzu&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink&fbclid=IwAR07802UbbOUBFUX9sSAbYJro3504h8zB_rs8PzihpvXzzlGVgOi9cnCLnM
See:
Opinion
Farah Stockman
Leaders Stay, Others Run
May 14, 2023
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/14/opinion/sudan-medicine-doctors.html
This is another instance of those outside the US with US status being lumped together as a faceless uniform mass – mischaracterized and used as convenient scapegoats and presumed to be immoral, cowardly, tax shy, “elites” with unspecified (but by implication suspect ) “lifestyle preferences” evading political, moral and fiscal responsibility by jumping ship rather than ‘staying’ in the US to fight for change. No nuances acknowledging that many were born outside the US, have never lived in the US or visited it, have permanent family ties outside the US, have more than one citizenship (which we didn’t ‘buy’), are not wealthy, etc.
This article has a novel new twist!!! Those living outside the US are worked into the center of an article ostensibly primarily about the violence in Sudan, also with mention of Afghanistan. The author says of this article in a tweet; “My latest piece in the @nytimes , about the doctors of Sudan and the moral power of staying behind during a conflict.” https://twitter.com/fstockman/status/1658085406729023488?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
We appear in the middle of the article – compared unfavourably as craven cowards leaving the US rather than staying to fight the good fight politically speaking. US citizens living outside the US, or who renounced/relinquished are contrasted unfavourably to the lauded choice by a doctor bravely staying in war torn Sudan, and Karzai in Afghanistan.
“……..Which brings me to the subject of Americans who threaten to move to Canada every time an election doesn’t go their way. More than 5,000 people renounced their American citizenship in 2016, and more than 6,000 renounced in 2020, …….. (It’s not clear how many did so because of politics.) More than three million American voters are estimated to be living abroad, some of whom say they left the United States because of political strife.
……It’s often easier to leave a place than to fight to change it, especially for well-off, well-educated Americans. For those with means, decisions about where to live are increasingly made based not on tribal homelands or national allegiances but on lifestyle preferences and favorable tax treatment………. ”
The author really had to strain to fit us in to an article primarily about Sudan and Afghanistan. Mischaracterization by sideways allusions, implications, lack of robust citations and sources to back up points made (ex. how many is “some”?, ignorance of US citizenship law and the effects on those the US claims extraterritorially.
Shows stunning ignorance since for one thing, on the tax front Canadians and many others outside the US actually pay higher taxes than if we were US residents. What of our national and family allegiances if duals born in countries outside the US but with only US parentage? What of those who naturalized and have dual status? The highest number of those with US citizenship living outside the US is in Canada. With good reason given the long shared border, economics and history. Movement across the border has always gone both ways.
Author omits that many outside the US with citizenship were never US residents, or not for long, or inherited status merely via some US parentage, were born abroad, were only in the US briefly while non-US parents were visiting for work or education, etc., have another citizenship, moved away to marry, study, work, etc and stayed. Have family elsewhere, etc. Birthplace and parentage are random events, not shackles – and those deemed US citizens have the legal right to travel – and to live outside the US don’t they?
What makes this author think that the only ‘moral’ ‘good fight’ by those with US status (however acquired) – or duals, or those who’ve renounced/relinquished US citizenship (in favour of their country of choice or origin) is being active inside the US? What makes her think that those in the whole wide rest of the world couldn’t possibly be doing something brave, politically valuable, moral, responsible, constructive etc.?
I’d expect more informed nuance and analysis from the NYT. and better research into US citizenship law and its history, the characteristics of those with US status living outside the US, and the variety of reasons for emigration, for ex. starting with the work of Dr Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels
https://www.kent.ac.uk/brussels/people/2612/von-koppenfels-amanda-klekowski https://ces.fas.harvard.edu/people/001397-amanda-klekowski-von-koppenfels https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/counting-uncountable-overseas-americans
For more information about the author Farah Stockman;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farah_Stockman)
A correction, Canada is thought to have the second highest numbers of those deemed US citizens outside the US, behind Mexico. For nuances, see the Washington post article below.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/23/american-emigrants/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emigration_from_the_United_States
Belgian government agency prohibits transfer of FATCA data to the US.
https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report-international/belgium-stops-unlawful-sharing-of-accidental-americans-data
FATCA related hoops stop a non-US charity from being able to open/operate a local bank account in a small village in Scotland;
……..”…”Within days we received another set of forms asking us to set up online banking and a 13-page form relating to the foreign account tax compliance act, and a common reporting standard form.
“…..This we filled in, but has since been returned saying – ‘the classification you have selected for FATCA and CRS are conflicting’. They also included another new form for us to complete.
“We are still at a loss as to why a small village hall in the Highlands, that does not pay tax, and only wants an account to pay in funds from events and pay its bills, even needs to fill in this form….”
https://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/village-hall-charity-at-a-loss-over-banking-mess-320847/
New entity name and logo announced:
Tax Fairness for Americans Abroad.
This is guided by Fabien Lehagre (of Accidental Americans fame) to highlight and end U.S. double taxation and over-regulation of Americans Abroad = to END U.S. Citizenship Based Taxation of USP tax resident in other countries.
https://x.com/TaxFairUSAbroad/status/1711853839807135830?s=20
Please follow on Twitter: @TaxFairUSAbroad
Please follow on Facebook: tax fairness for americans abroad
On Twitter Fabien says of the entity:
As a reminder, this will aim to firstly bring together the 9 million Americans who live abroad and then, secondly, to pool resources to take action before the American Congress to put an end to to Citizenship-Based Taxation.
I don’t know if this has been posted, but FWIW;
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/accidental-americans-launch-lawsuit-refund-cost-renouncing-citizenship-rcna118770
‘They paid thousands to give up their U.S. citizenship. Now they want a refund
Many “accidental Americans” filed a lawsuit after the State Department announced it would lower the fee to renounce citizenship. ‘
Oct. 4, 2023, 10:14 AM EDT
By Mithil Aggarwal and Nancy Ing
More in the same vein, too many to post individually;
If interested, search ex.
renounce AND us AND citizenship AND sue AND refund
Limit results to time period;
last month
Thank you, Badger, for the article and your suggestion about doing a search — I found several more to add to the ongoing list in the OP..
If you have American connections, you may owe the IRS some tax money, Kim Moody, Financial Post, Canada.
https://financialpost.com/personal-finance/taxes/american-connections-owe-irs-tax-money
This article was published Monday, but commenting is active today.
Tax Fairness for Americans Abroad @TaxFairUSAbroad (x Twitter)
We’ve taken one step closer to success by endorsing an ambitious proposal for elective residence-based taxation. Please check out the summary on our blog: https://taxfairnessabroad.pulse.ly/98unqmxk1e
#taxfairnessnow #expats #taxes #taxation #USabroad #Americansabroad #FBAR #FATCA #GILTI #discrimination #residencebasedtaxation
https://x.com/TaxFairUSAbroad/status/1840902077641318645
**
Mentioned on x/Twitter:
The Isaac Brock Society
Alliance for The Defence of Canadian Sovereignty
[defunct] Alliance for The Defeat of Citizenship Based Taxation
Citizenship Solutions later with IRSMedic and Keith Redmond
American Expats for Residency Based Taxation
Purple Expat
Jenny’s lawsuit in the U.K. against FATCA.
Fix The U.S.-Australia Tax Treaty
Accidental Americans
Various lawsuits
SEATNow
Tax Fairness for Americans Abroad
& other groups.
All created over years as a result of the indifference or ineffectiveness fby the two main political parties for the double taxation and over-regulation of Americans Abroad.
IMO it is reflective of a broke system.
Please Repost/Retweet This is the start of a series of 21 tweets.
https://x.com/JCDoubleTaxed/status/1846812502723907846
The first link is to the “hope” article.
The second link is to the expected outcome for this skeptic.
Cheers,
BC Doc
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/americans-abroad-pin-hopes-on-trump-promise-to-end-double-taxation/ar-AA1w9hYE
https://youtu.be/9dsm7K1Xkn4
BcDoc Bang on, Anyone who expects tis to pass doesn’t understand the process. Nice to hear from you. Another BC Doc