Huff Post: American Expat Taxpayers Would Rather Ditch Citizenship Than Face New IRS Rules

47 thoughts on “Huff Post: American Expat Taxpayers Would Rather Ditch Citizenship Than Face New IRS Rules”

1. *You will not believe me but even the IRS told me that one way for me to deal with this impossible situation as an American Abroad was to renounce the citizenship; I felt hurt because I am proud of being an American.

2. Previous comments that need to be seen here — especially the comment of Victoria’s that was taken down! Why isn’t there some real discussion on what Victoria presents?

   swisspinoy

   November 10, 2012 at 4:42 am

   *Victoria, your comment is being reported as having been deleted. Here it is:

   “Ken is dead right. I’m a U.S. citizen and have lived outside
   the U.S. for nearly 20 years now. I too am thinking hard about
   making appointment with the embassy to renounce. Is it the
   double taxation? No, you idiots, it’s the onerous reporting
   requirements that force me to hire a cross-border tax
   professional every year to make sure I’m compliant. It’s the
   cost that of paying this fine person out my IT project
   manager’s salary (money earned entirely in my host country by
   the way). It is the complaints from my French husband who
   LOATHES the idea that his financial information is now in the
   hands of the American IRS. And finally it is having to listen
   to all the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” comments
   from folks who have never walked a mile in our shoes and know
   absolutely nothing about what we are going through.

   For all of you who think we should just get the hell out I want you to do
   something for me. Call your rep in the U.S. and tell them that
   you are OK with letting us go. In fact, you INSIST on it and to
   hasten our departure you want all the fees and paperwork waived
   for us. All we “traitors” have to do is walk over and dump our
   passports on the door of the local US embassy. Does that work
   for you folks? Sure works for me.”

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Victoria_Marie_Ferauge/american-expat-taxpayers-would-rather-ditch-citizenship-than-face-new-irs-rules_n_2094559_204762323.html

   calgary411

   November 10, 2012 at 11:52 am

   Huffington Post:

   Most comments are removed because of an attack or insult on another user or public figure.

   So, why? Victoria’s use of the word “idiot” is the only thing I can see from where I’m reading her comment — and, of course, that is the truth. She is being shut up and we are being shut up.

   Why doesn’t Huffington Post have a dialogue on exactly what Victoria asks homelanders to do if they are offended by the expat “traitors” — are these ever the same persons who will contact their government representatives for anything?

   swisspinoy

   November 10, 2012 at 12:54 pm

   *Good question. I’ve been calling stateside Americans “‘fair share’ rejecting tax cheats” for not financing unemployment benefits for Americans living abroad, and they didn’t delete that, even though it could appear as an inappropriate generalization which could be seen worse as “idiot”. Yet, i suppose that often it is the individual word which gets the red flag, not the combination of less controversial words.

   And, thanks swisspinoy, for capturing Victoria’s comment!

3. It appears Huff post is happy to extend the glass ceiling into their comment section. Disappointing, when Victoria is one of our more restrained!

4. Huff Post is a pretty touchy place–I read their comment policy–though others seem to be able to insult expats with impunity.  I don’t feel at all safe there:  it’s not a “safe place” as a far as I’m concerned, when people can call me a selfish tax cheat leech avoiding my fair share.  ExpatAmi is correct to call other commenters at that HuffPost article:  “unconditional hatred expressed against innocent Americans”.

   But what do you expect folks?  Americans can’t handle the truth.  If they could, they wouldn’t have the problems that they have.  But because they don’t listen to the truth tellers like Ron Paul, they will experience tremendous suffering when they can’t afford food and the store shelves at Walmart are empty because the greenback has lost its buying power:  http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-10/foodstamps-surge-most-one-year-new-all-time-record-delayed-release

5. @petros

   For those who would like to wish Americans abroad ‘good riddance’, it is the victim who is often blamed for his own misfortune because those doing the blaming believe that the victim must have done something really bad to have something so bad happen to him. The only thing many Americans abroad can be blamed for is the belief that they are free to pursue their dreams.

6. The Huffington Post deletion of Victoria exemplifies why usxcanada often rails against repression and shuns much of the mainstream. (So funny to see all those hopes still sprouting for coverage of Brock issues.) Rein it in, try to sound moderate, tone down that inflammatory language, maybe they’ll pay attention? Maybe you can sneak an acceptable “message” past the gatekeepers? Phooey. If the content is solid, and offends, the rest is neither here nor there. Their civility is your servility.

7. interesting that f’em and good riddance are acceptable, even when you flag them as abusive.  I’ll try writing the same back

8. The whole thing is an exercise in frustration. Most of them can’t even read, cannot focus on what the main point was in the first place. I try because what else is there besides the likely pointless endeavor of writing politicians and so on but I think usx is right.

   I tweeted the article last nite but didn’t think to comment because it was late. I missed  Victoria’s excellent comment. Deleting that reminds me of what we went thru on the ExpatForum.

9. @nobledreamer,

   I’ve been trying a few comments on the Huff Post article. The mentality of most commenters is disheartening. I don’t take it personally, but a lot of people really have a hate on for US Persons outisde the US.

   I’m going to try to go have a look at http://thefranco-americanflophouse.blogspot.ca/ to see how Victoria is doing. I’ve not had success in putting comments there.

   Victoria, we love you!!

10. @Swiss Pinoy

    Am getting quite a kick out of the fact that nobody understands what you mean about financing unemployment benefits for Americans abroad. I think they see “fair share” and they just go at it from the only end they understand – theirs.  😉

11. *Just went over and left a few nuclear-insults on a few of the more stupid idiots that were commenting (smwsurv for one).  As I said, “sure hope he didn’t serve in the armed forces.  or he would have been extremely lucky to get out of his service without blowing his head off with his service rifle while attempting to clean it”.  Wonder how long it’ll take for the Liberal moderator to ban my @$$.  ~evil grin~

12. Just saw Victoria’s comment. I can’t possibly see how that is offensive. It’s only speaking the truth!! Most of the people on there aren’t even familiar with real IRS rules. They just run their mouths when they are totally unaware of the facts.

    To me, I just chalk it up as a reminder as to why I left the US in the first place. I have never felt like I belong there. Americans like to put something into their heads. After that, if any-possible-thing challenges, or shows one millimeter of difference from their original idea, it’s considered bad and gets attacked. Politicians must love these people because they are so easily influenced, very loyal, and they never try to verify if what they “believe” is actually correct.

13. Huff Post first had a picture of Denise Richie tagged to the article and now it’s changed to a picture of some US passports. I don’t know if this is significant.

14. I see that Julian Hudson is still striking ninja blows over there 🙂

15. @bubblebustin…

    Yes, him and many others.  I also see that Victoria has another comment up.  I have put up my share also as FBAR_Compliant.    Actually some good education going on, but the effectiveness is unknown other than it does allow some frustration release!  🙂

16. @Just me

    Approaching 1K comments it’s hard to find everything. Can you copy Victoria’s here? She’s beautiful when she’s angry, I’d hate to miss it.

17. Agreed. I’m in there right now and looking.

    I am also going to take the liberty of your earlier comment about ACA, Just Me. I hope you don’t mind.

18. @calgary411… Go for it.

    @bubblebustin…  I see now I was looking at an older comment.  I discovered it, looking at her profile… I assume you will be able to see this..

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Victoria_Marie_Ferauge?action=profile

    got to run.. 🙂  Keep up the good fight. 

19. the more hits they get the more they get paid

20. @Mark,

    Regardless, it looks like we are making inroads there per this comment at

    NR
    huffpostlive.com

    x
    nancy.redd@huffingtonpost.com

    Submitted on 2012/11/12 at 2:29 pm

    Hi! We would love for you to join us for a HuffPost Live conversation on expats TOMORROW (Tuesday) around 7pm EST via webcam- if you can join please email me with your phone number! Hope to hear from you and thanks so much.

    And, we should somehow let NPR know this and latest information from Just Me on IGAs (ACA). I’m going to send them something. Thanks again, for your difference there.

    Actually, we are having more mileage with the US press than the Canadian media (very disappointingly).

21. At site administrators: don’t know if @Petros is following today. Saw this on the Petros thread https://isaacbrocksociety.ca/petros/comment-page-1/#comment-88981

22. strike ” regardless”
    insert “therefore”

    cash is king (for another month, at least, until the bubble bursts)

23. Dear calgary411,

    Thank you for contacting NPR’s Talk of the Nation.

    We are grateful for your comments to NPR News. Your message has been received and your thoughts will be taken into consideration by the Talk of the Nation staff.

    NPR is always delighted to hear from listeners. Should you require additional assistance or have a question, please reply to this e-mail using the link below and we will do our best to assist you.

    Thank you for listening to Talk of the Nation and for your continued support of public broadcasting. For the latest news and information, visit NPR.org.

    Sincerely,
    Talk of the Nation

    _______________________________________________________

    I understand that there will be a segment regarding FATCA on Talk of the Nation. I want to thank you so much for researching and presenting this subject to the good “thinking” people within the USA.

    I think expats have done some educating on Huffington Post through this latest post — and COMMENTS (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/american-expat-taxpayers-would-rather-ditch-citizenship-than-face-new-irs-rules_n_2094559.html). It shows a lot of the story US expats are trying to convey and the non-intelligent knee-jerk name calling — TRAITOR, TAX EVADER, DON’T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU ON YOUR WAY OUT, BYE, etc. Some commenters do listen and I hope are seeing our concerns with this ill-thought-out legislation (buried in other legislation, BTW).

    Below is good current information on the Intergovernmental Agreements that are now being negotiated with other countries — can you imagine the cost of such for the US — providing the same financial information the US asks for for their US expats abroad to other countries on US residents from those countries. The complexity and expense for the US would be horrendous — can the US economy afford this?. Countries have KYC and AML regulations that can be improved upon. And, actually, the “tax evaders” for the most part reside within the shores of the US, not abroad. (Check the IRS info for this.) This issue and FATCA is adversely hurting a lot of middle class individuals, families, tax-paying contributors to their other-country societies. We have no alternative but to renounce as countries close bank accounts, won’t grant mortgages, etc. to US citizens abroad. The US considers our normal bank accounts “foreign” — they are not foreign to us; we need them for our day-to-day living, feeding our families, paying our rent or mortgage payments / no different than any US citizen within the shores of the US. It affects many “Accidental Americans” that don’t even know they are considered US citizens — they may have never set foot into the US nor received any kind of benefit from the US. Unintended consequences that are life changing. t very adversely affects green-card holders, the immigrants to the US who have not been given adequate information on their tax requirements within the US, one of which they had better not be sending any money to an account left behind to help their families. They are, I think, entrapped by the US IRS. Where is the sanity?

    American Citizens Abroad, as now put up a link speaking to the IGA issue.

    In it, they say this…

    Here is the link http://americansabroad.org/issues/fatca/resistance-to-agreements-on-fatca/ ….

    Nevertheless, the IGAs add a new element of complexity into FATCA compliance and carry an enormous burden for the international world of finance. To understand what is at stake with the IGAs, ACA recommends reading a well-informed letter written by a New Zealander http://americansabroad.org/download_file/view/266/354/ to the Australian government warning against the dangers of entering into an IGA with the United States.

    Voices in the United States are also denouncing FATCA and the IGA agreements, including US Congressmen and Senators, the Florida banking association, the Center for Prosperity and Freedom and a new website focused on repealing FATCA, http://www.repealfatca.com http://www.repealfatca.com/ , headed up by James Jatras, principal of Squire Sanders Public Advocacy, a Washington-based government relations firm.

    These voices anticipate the negative impact of the FATCA on the United States through reduced foreign investment in the United States and heavy administrative costs for US financial institutions, responsible for identifying FATCA complying and non-complying foreign financial institutions correctly, withholding taxes if necessary and, more significantly, identifying foreign owned client accounts in the United States if reciprocity is required due to the IGA. While financial institutions in each foreign country are only concerned about reporting on American clients, US financial institutions will have to identify and deal with foreign owned accounts of citizens from countries all around the world. Political pressure is building.

    You’ll never know how important this is that you do a fair story on this.

24. Hi, badger.

    Petros is dealing with this!! I think it’s a great opportunity. Much better than the Canadian media!

25. Thanks @calgary, just thought it might get buried in the thread.

    Also, want to say how wonderful your NPR submission is (above). I would like to use some of your points/phrasing if you don’t mind me borrowing. And embedding those links in is very effective. Wish they would also read the International section of the Taxpayer Advocate’s last report to Congress, and also see that International taxpayer issues are a priority for 2013 – as a result of the unfairness we’re facing in treatment by the IRS.