Liberty and justice for all United States persons abroad

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US expat tax and FBAR: Discussion thread (Ask your questions) Part One

Posted on by Posted in Issues regarding US persons abroad 578 Comments

Please note this thread is an archive and no longer current.  The conversation is continued here:

Expat Taxes and FBAR

 

Please ask your questions here about US Expat tax and FBAR.


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578 thoughts on “US expat tax and FBAR: Discussion thread (Ask your questions) Part One”

  1. @John Brown.

    I was disappointed to see that they ran my entire comment together into one BIG unreadable chunk. I hate that.

    I spent the time to be sure it was spaced for readability, and their system must remove paragraph breaks for some reason.  Poor blog comment engine. I suppose if one person bothers reading the warning, then I guess it is worth it.

  2. @ Just Me re: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/180763881.html?refer=y&nbsp

    I know what you mean about run-on paragraphs BUT (and this is only a slight consolation) I read your entire comment, despite the dicey format trick. It was, as always, very good and precisely targeted so I hope Emily will read it and heed it. EVERYONE needs to know about the IRS trap and nobody does the “W” in CCW (Comply, Complain & WARN) better than you.

  3. This recent article criticizes Americans who have money abroad supposedly to avoid taxes. It mentions “millionaire cheats”, the UBS case and Mitt Romney. It doesn’t mention Americans who actually live abroad, but it ends with the sentence “Citizenship requires Americans to help support their nation.”
    http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/Editorials/201211210321

    No, citizenship doesn’t require anything because it’s only an artificial and arbitrarily defined status. It’s the use of government services that requires users to pay for them.

  4. Re the Star Tribune article:  “Because of the United States’ foreign earned-income exclusion, we don’t have to pay U.S. taxes on most of our Hong Kong income” are seemingly innocuous words that those with more sophisticated knowledge recognize as packed with dynamite. 

  5. Shadow Raider,

    Thanks for the article. It is definitely worthy of comments.

    Just Me,

    Your comments on Emily’s article were great, as well for Sam Clemmens and other Brockers.

  9. calling all Bosheviks and little Hitlers—-time to step up and serve your majority ruler—-http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/us/politics/white-house-turns-to-obama-voters-for-support.html

    With lawmakers scheduled to return to work on Monday to begin intense discussions before a looming fiscal deadline, Mr. Obama’s aides are trying to harness the passions that returned him to the White House, hoping to pressure Republicans in Congress to accept tax increases on the wealthy. The president’s strategists are turning first to the millions of e-mail addresses assembled by the campaign and the White House.

    Already, supporters are being asked to record YouTube videos of themselves talking about the importance of raising taxes on the rich. Aides said those videos would be shared on Facebook and Twitter and would be forwarded to centrist Democrats, as well as to mainstream Republicans, who they hope will break with their Tea Party colleagues.

    With the establishment of a category labeled as “rich”, new categories of persons will be able to be labeled “rich” ” GLOBAL ELITES ” and other labels in order to pass the Simpsom Bowles Income Exclusion.

  10. the Commander had instructed me to pass on this message and to report upon its effectiveness. Please perform as instructed

  12. I need the services of the Taxpayer Advocate rather urgently, but the ‘toll free’ number does not work from Canada.

    The number for the ‘International’ section always results in a message loop that does not identify it as belonging to the TAS, and says ‘all circuits busy now’ ‘787  1’, repeats a few times (in full or part) and then disconnects.

    Any suggestions? I am reluctant to use the fax or form by mail as I have no secure access to fax, and sending the form by mail will take more time than I have been given.

    Much appreciated if anyone from OUTSIDE the US, ex. Canada has been able to contact a ‘local’ Taxpayer Advocate (not regarding a SAMS systemic issue) for help with their individual case dealing with the IRS.

  13. @Despairing Expat,

    I’ve just sent your comment to Sylvia D. Johnson, the Consul General of Canada, to see if there was any assistance she might be able to give in providing a number that will work for you. She has helped us with Canadian Consulate issues. It’s a shot in the dark, but maybe she can help.

  15. DespairingExpat,

    I have just gotten this immediate reply from Ms. Johnson. I hope you are able to get through.

    I just called the 1787 number (at the end of this email) from a Canada cell phone number, and got through. Check to see which phone the person is using. Some cell phones or phone services may limit calls outside of Canada. This happens on prepaid phones. But there are emails and fax numbers to get their attention, and so they can respond to the person with the inquiry. Hope this helps.

    So try: 1-787-622-8931. Try this on a different phone from the one you have used for your unsuccessful connection. Note that a fax to the fax number shown may alert them that you need their help. I hope this works for you.

    International Taxpayer Advocate Services
    Internal Revenue Service
    San Patricio Office Center, Room 200
    7 Tabomico Street
    Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00966

    Phone: 1-787-622-8931
    Fax: 1-787-622-8933

    Phone Services

    · Individuals: 1-800-829-1040*

    · Businesses: 1-800-829-4933*

    · Customer Service Phone: 1-215-516-2000

    · Hours: Mon-Fri 6am – 11pm (Eastern Time)

    · Customer Service Fax: 1-215-516-2555**

    · Refund Inquiries: 1-800-829-1954*

    · TeleTax: 1-800-829-4477*

    · ITINS After 30 Days: 1-215-516-4846

    · Exempt Organization Help Desk: 1-877-829-5500*

    · Tax Offset Program (TOP) Help Desk: 1-800-304-3107*

    · E-Services Help Desk: 1-512-416-7750

    * Phone numbers available from U.S. and Canada
    ** Tax instructions for Philadelphia Service Center

    The fax service cannot be used to transit your originally filed tax return. Documents transmitted to the Philadelphia Service Center should contain only information which was specifically requested and a cover sheet containing the following information:

    · To: Tax Examiner and/or Employee Profile Number (located on notice)

    · Your Taxpayer Info: Name, Address, Phone, and Fax numbers

    · Your Taxpayer ID#: Social Security / Tax Identification Number

    · Your Subject Matter: Reason why you are contacting the IRS

    Mailing Addresses: Where to File

    If you have a foreign, APO or FPO address or if you file Form 2555 or Form 2555EZ to claim the foreign earned income exclusion, mail your completed tax return to:

    Internal Revenue Service
    Austin, TX 73301

    If you file Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, please mail your completed return to:

    Internal Revenue Service
    Philadelphia, PA 19255

    Urgent Tax Needs

    For Collection/Levy Status Accounts Problems
    Phone: 1-215-516-2004
    Fax: 1-215-516-6931

    Taxpayer Advocate Officer
    Phone: 1-215-516-2499
    Fax: 1-215-516-2677
    Toll-Free: 1-877-777-4778

    International Taxpayer Advocate Services
    Internal Revenue Service
    San Patricio Office Center, Room 200
    7 Tabomico Street
    Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00966

    Phone: 1-787-622-8931
    Fax: 1-787-622-8933

  16. @DespairingExpat, You can call a US toll free number from abroad, for free, using Skype, Google Voice or Yahoo Voice (Yahoo may charge 3.5¢ per call, I’m not sure). Google Voice is also available directly on Gmail.

  18. Ms Johnson is absolutely terrific .. and you, too, Calgary411! 

    And thank you, too, Shadow Raider, for all the work you’re doing to get legislators to revise the tax code so as to end this grief and hardship to US persons abroad and green-carders!

  19. Thank you very much for your truly kind help, @calgary411, and Shadowraider. Finding it very hard to cope. No more funds left for professional help. Have to continue on my own – hopefully with TAS help and all the information gleaned from here over many months now. Have repeatedly read and re-read IJ, Moby, Just Me, and Sally – but alternatives that appeared since then (Dec 2011 factsheet, Streamlined compliance) and warnings – came too late for some of us – and it’s not clear how these paths relate/transfer to each other.

    Hope to be able to finally get clear to share, and help others here.

  20. @Despairing Expat, what is your situation? Are you in OVDI?

    Have you been hammered with some hefty fines, that you’re looking for TAS help?

  21. This is an example of how the discussion of renunciation is not relevant for so so many people where that is no option.

  22. @Christophe, firstly, can only say that it isn’t straightforward. And, the outcome isn’t clear yet – so the same potential for harm by penalties as in many of the stories here, but who knows? Will share to help others, when I feel more able.

  23. @Despairing Expat,

    It is the least I can do to try to help. This makes me so angry for you and for so many others out there, some not yet knowing what is happening / some going along with their heads in the sand, believing the myths they have believed for a long time about requirements and consequences of their US citizenship in dealing with upcoming FATCA and US citizenship-based taxation. Thanks for letting us know what you are going through. I so wish there were something more I could do to help. Please stay in touch with us here.

  24. And also, Mark Twain, question is, how does renouncing before our issues are truly ‘settled’ affect any help we might qualify for, and affect how our compliance attempt is treated by those that process it? I’m sad, and afraid much of the time now, but even so, this whole situation continues to prove so complicated that every time it seems clear – and a goal seems in sight, the fog rolls in again – and it recedes into the distance.

    I wouldn’t do it the same again, but my crystal ball was broken that day. And I would have thought I was paranoid before if I had truly been able to see the real state of things, as they have unfolded. I don’t tell my family how I really feel, it would be too much. They see this blog sometimes, so don’t want to alarm and harm them too.

  25. I explained to my representative’s office that I sit in that same place (although my situation is less urgent than yours).  Any assets must be moved out of USA in order to delay confiscation from an IRS tax lien.

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