This is a very interesting article. Here is a “Gift Link” so that readers can access it.
It is very clear that the community of Americans Abroad has utterly failed to educate resident Americans and the U.S. government about “America’s Dirty Little Secret” – Citizenship Taxation. It is beyond my comprehension that an article that was the result of this amount of incredible research could have omitted mention that U.S. citizens are not free to leave the United States and integrate their lives into a new country and tax system.
I will be adding to this post in the next day or so. But, the article is a clear opportunity to comment on the WSJ site (and comment here if you are so inclined).
Perhaps there is no mention of citizenship taxation because Americans do in fact see themselves as nothing but tax subjects?
A few days ago I read an article where, in his “war” against illegal immigrants, Trump wants banks in the US to start asking for proof of citizenship or legal status. I think if any civil rights groups then sue the administration over such a rule, we ought to point out they’re being hypocritical if they don’t fight for banks OUTSIDE the US to stop asking about specifically US citizenship (which non-US banks have been coerced to do under FATCA).
The article does fleetingly mention the US extra-territorial taxation issue:
“The U.S. government has a monthslong backlog of Americans asking to renounce their citizenship, either to secure a foreign passport or to avoid taxation of their earnings abroad. In 2024, requests jumped 48% and likely outpaced that in 2025, immigration firms say.”
Because most US citizens don’t have a clue about CBT until they actually leave I’m sure many thousands will be having their individual OMG moments and starting the same journey many on this forum have already experienced. Hopefully they will find Brock and it will be continue to be the resource they need to successfully navigate these dangerous waters.
Not paying WSJ to edit for them.
I’m in AU, and working in consumer-fronting jobs in my life here, I can tell right now that NO American I alerted to FATCA even heard about it!