Petros
Peter W. Dunn (Petros) grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and is a scholar of Early Christianity. While attending school in Vancouver, Canada, he married a Canadian girl. Afterwards, he studied in England and Switzerland. After finishing his studies, he settled in Ontario. He has taught theology at the undergraduate and graduate levels both in Canada and in Africa.
As a result of Heroes Earnings Assistance and Tax Act, he decided to become a Canadian citizen in 2010. He did so on 28 February 2011 and relinquished his US citizenship on the same day. He has decided to complete his expatriation forms but not to file FBAR. While most people have chosen to use aliases for their online discussion, Peter has decided come out in the open about this issue.
Peter blogs at the Righteous Investor and Acta Pauli.
He has written some published articles on FBAR, FATCA and renunciation of US citizenship:
(1) When government turns predator with Monty Pelerin
(2) FATCA: A ticking time bomb for the Economy
(3) No Civilized Country Would Ever Banish Eduardo Saverin
Kristiaan Yeo interviewed Peter for CCTV:
Jon McComb interviewed Peter Dunn on the World Today.
Atossa Abrahamian interviewed Peter W. Dunn for her Reuters article, Tax time pushes some Americans to take a hike.
Peter spoke with ABC News writer, Enjoli Francis: Facebook’s Eduardo Saverin Joins Americans Renouncing Citizenship.
Peter spoke with Canada’s Barrie McKenna, Ottawa, U.S. negotiating change to tax reporting. Toronto Star’s Michael Lewis cited Petros in his article, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin’s taxing connection to U.S.-Canadian dual citizens.
Dow Jones columnist, Al Lewis featured Peter Dunn in his article: Tax man makes it hard to be an American / Commentary: Tough IRS rules hit the little guys hard.
Emma Elliot Freire spoke with Peter Dunn for her article: Toxic Citizen: The Misery Of Being An American Abroad.
Living abroad isn’t as romantic as you might think.
He should not be confused with Pete the Planner, who is the younger, better looking Peter Dunn who also has an investment blog but unlike Petros, is nice enough looking that he can go on television. Petros has a face for radio (see above–he’s the less furry one in the picture).
At his own blog and here he’s written several useful posts:
- Renunciation of US citizenship: On avoiding the new $450 renunciation fee
- My April 7 visit to the US consulate
- Is the taxation of US citizens abroad constitutional?
- Pillaging one person at a time: why I’m coming out in the open with my fight against the IRS
- Presidential Pardon as constitutional solution to FBAR madness
- Fourth Amendment: FBAR equivalent to general warrant
- Fifth Amendment: FBAR substantial hazard
- Fifth Amendment: two cases
- Fifth Amendment: Miranda Rights and FBAR
- Sixth Amendment: No fair trial possible for expats
- Eighth Amendment: The IRS is bluffing, bad faith in OVDI
- Ignorance is an excuse in the case of FBAR
He is married with 4 or 5 cats.
Peter spoke at the FACTA Fact Finding Forum on December 15, 2012:
Listen to Peter Dunn’s interview with Pete the Planner:
No, you’re not banned. Not sure why that post is no longer appearing. I just sent you an e-mail. Glad you got in touch about it.
Petros,
I am looking at contacting the embassy here in Ireland to tell them I am relinquishing based on my voluntarily getting Irish citizenship in 2006 and moving my family to Ireland where I live and work and vote etc.. You wrote in a comment somewhere here what you wrote as a declaration and I was hoping to find a copy I could use when writing the embassy. My intention is to stop using my US passport, filing taxes etc .. (my taxes are current through 2013 and I only used my US passsport traveling to the US when I had to..)
Would you be willing to share your declaration and what are your thoughts of my chances? I can’t take an oath as I am already an Irish citzen (and Canadian , I wa registered at birth and had it reinstated in 2009)
thanks
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
You may want to ask your question again on the ‘Ask your questions about’ (Relinquishment or Renunciation of US citizenship) section on the right hand side of the page. You can direct your question to Petros or any of the other experts may answer it.
My understanding is that you have continued to file your US taxes and/or used a US passport AFTER you took out another citizenship. This would negate your claim for relinquishment as you cannot claim that you fully ‘intended’ to lose your US citizenship when you continued to act as an American. You can however make an appointment to renounce but you would have to pay the new fee. You should call or email your nearest Embassy for an appointment.
You can read the reports of renunciations on the ‘Consulate Directory, Brockers describe their meetings’, section of this page, to give you an idea of the procedure. Good luck.
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Peter I warned you before about not crossing the border even after 2017/2018 because you did not do FBAR with exit tax rules.
I saw this
“Norman Diamond says
November 18, 2015 at 1:35 am
“There is something in humans that prohibts them from speaking plainly or honestly or I-don’t-know-what-the-right-word-is.”
26 USC section 6702(a) as confirmed by telephonic statement from the IRS, court rulings, and
IRB 2005-14, https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-irbs/irb05-14.pdf
“Rev. Rul. 2005–18, page 817. […] The ruling emphasizes to taxpayers and to promoters and return preparers that striking or altering the jurat in a manner that negates its validity invalidates the return.”
The IRS can rule that because you did not do exit taxes properly (no FBAR) you are still a USA citizen for tax purposes. They then can rule that you still have to do all the IRS taxes no statue of limitation. I imagine that they would look more seriously at anyone associated with a successful Canadian Supreme court challenge.
This also why I have told people that use of paypal in court challenge was dangerous. I told them use cheques or interac. I even suggested that the Kish etc look at setting a scotia bank Euro account so people in Europe can send Euro cheques.
You are still a Non Canadian for FATCA and all you need for that is CLN.
The Liberal government recognized US tax laws in 1995 US-Canada Tax rule and they said they will only collect taxes for USA citizen at time it occurred. The Conservative committed to not collect taxes for these people if the income occurred in Canada. Therefore you doing your tax return for those year was not required for FATCA.
Also for your interest
“The electricity trade accounts for only a fraction of the value of Canadian energy exports, which are ruled by oil and gas. And in the best years, Canada’s electricity exports account for only 1 or 2 per cent of total U.S. power consumption.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/where-canada-s-surplus-energy-goes-1.1109321
Obama really does not want our oil (he can stop pipeline but not trains) and will be happy to get supply from elsewhere Saudi, Iran, Venezuela and other countries that do not like them. So various states will not shut down their electricity if USA enforces sanction.
On a side note when you went to school did you list yourself as white instead of Oriental regarding affirmative action quota system? My understanding the the Oriental applicants have to have the highest grades.
I did not strike or alter the jurat.
Well ask Norman Diamond it on how IRS interpret these rules. You may get on Obama enemy list because you are a conservative who opposes his reign ( US administration believes in advise & consent) . The IRS may say you did not do FBAR therefore your 8854 was not valid and you are still a US Citizen. They also could say that they did not know your net worth was less than 2 million therefore you had to file for x amount of years. Covered expatriate? Just be safe and do not cross the border. They can not do anything to you in Canada.