I am not a Native American or an aboriginal, but like them, I was born on Turtle Island. Turtle Island is North America. Not a country, not a residency for certain designated citizens based on an artificial border. It is a great continent with endless space that is bound only by the world’s greatest oceans. It is my home. My ancestors are buried here. My forefathers are remembered in place names all across the continent.
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Shouldn't disabled Canadians who happen to be "US Persons" receive, as other disabled Canadians, full benefit of the Registered Disability Savings Plan?
UPDATE: I have received the following reply from my MP, Michelle Rempel’s constituency office:
On behalf of Michelle Rempel, MP, Calgary Centre-North, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your email and thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with her on this important issue. Please be assured that your comments have been carefully reviewed and recorded for the Member’s information. In addition, I will advise the Minister’s Office of our response and we look forward to his official response.
I replied:
Ambassador Jacobson's words as bad faith negotiation (updated with comments from Roy A. Berg)
On 18 October 2011, The Globe and Mail reported reassuring words from the Ambassador of the United States to Canada:
“My message on this is to sit tight,” Mr. Jacobson said in a speech to the Canadian Club of Ottawa on Tuesday. “We are not unreasonable. We are not unsympathetic. We are not irresponsible.”
The IRS is exploring ways to accommodate the roughly one million dual Canadian-American citizens living here, Mr. Jacobson said.
The taxpayer, the IRS and the "cross border professionals" – where to go from here
This post has been cross posted on RenounceUSCitizenship.
Tax compliance for U.S. citizens living abroad is complicated and expensive. This is the fourth of a series of posts I have written on the recent problems of citizenship-based taxation.
Financial Post covers the Volcker Rule
FATCA is not the only bank regulation that will result in foreign capital fleeing the United States.
Barbara Schechter, Canadians blast U.S. Volcker rule, writes about how the new rules violate NAFTA:
U.S.-born Campbell River senior fears Uncle Sam’s tax wrath
An American-born Campbell River senior [Paul] – a Canadian citizen for 40 years – fears he and other ex-patriots are about to become the victims of a mean-spirited money grab by Uncle Sam.
Paul said, ““Once I showed my Canadian passport at the border and the U.S. border guard told me ‘you are a U.S. citizen until we tell you you’re not.’”
Reasons to remain a U.S. citizen
Yesterday was a busy day on this blog. There were many comments explaining why U.S. citizenship is a “problem to be solved“. I would be interested in having you post comments explaining specifically why you wish to retain U.S. citizenship. Practical, emotional, Patriotism?
Civil Disobedience, FBAR and Forms 8854 and 8938
A law which is unjust does not seem to me to be a law.
St. Augustine, On Free Choice Of The Will 1.5
Once a free person determines that a law is unjust, it is not wrong, if he or she disobeys that law. I consider the FBAR law unjust, especially in its application to US persons abroad, who by nature of their residency outside the United States, innocently open up financial accounts to store and invest the capital that they have saved after duly paying taxes. Continue reading
Wall Street Journal: Washington's Assault on American Expats (Updated with a comment)
Copied to me from Just Me:
We are on a roll. WSJ has just posted another story under the heading…
Washington’s Assault on American Expats
If you can not read this, go to Google News, and plug the headline into the search, and that should get you beyond the create an account page…
The new year is shaping up better than 2011 for a conversation in the public forum on US citizenship taxation/reporting issues.
A law requiring the fair and equitable treatment of United States Citizens Living Outside the United States
Those were the days:
Section 611 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1979, (Public Law 95-426) enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Jimmy Carter on October 7th, 1978.
Section 611(a) The Congress finds that –
(1) United States citizens living abroad should be provided fair and equitable treatment by the United States Government with regard to taxation, citizenship of progeny, veterans’ benefits, voting rights, Social Security Benefits, and other obligations, rights, and benefits; and Continue reading