Not that interesting but wanted to give everyone a heads up.
Category Archives: Issues regarding US persons abroad
Series of Lawrence Solomon National Post articles on support for Obama – They are interesting
Lawrence Solomon: Romney’s Israel card http://t.co/1uBStkJL – Fascinating insights into the character of @BarackObama – http://t.co/1KnAPj7r
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) July 28, 2012
He is writing a series – they are good. Here are the articles. Some of the comments are very interesting.
– How Obama lost the the left – June 22/12
– Obama’s Jewish financiers – July 7/12
– The lost tribe of Obama – July 13/12
– Losing the anti-Semite card – July 20/12
– Romney’s Israel card – July 28/12 – this is particularly interesting – provides lots of insight into Obama’s character.
Interesting there has been a lot of media attention to the issue of the IRS attacking U.S. citizens in Israel. Check out this interesting blog which seems to be come from Israel.
Solomon’s article of July 20 discusses the same issues in relation to the Liberal Party of Canada. In any case, it’s good to see that it’s not just U.S. citizens abroad who are disgusted with Obama.
Raiffeisen announces (again) that it is getting rid of American clients.
Another article about Swiss banks getting rid of clients (dual-nationals included). Interesting that Raiffeisen already announced this at the beginning of the year (following the acquisition of Wegelin). Many Raiffeisen clients are also “societaires” as the bank is a cooperative institution (similar to a credit union) and I wonder how the bank can exclude people who are not only clients, but shareholders.
http://www.lematin.ch/economie/argentfinances/raiffeisen-separe-clients-americains/story/10424823
I already wrote a response to the article, please everyone do so. Unfortunately there is a limit of 400 characters and you need to sign up somehow (with Facebook for example).
What astounds me is that no one seems to have yet sued or filed criminal charges for discrimination (at least that we have heard).
Banque Coop is also mentioned in this article for closing accounts as well. Oddly enough, their motto is “FAIR BANKING”.
A few years ago, Raiffeisen said that it would continue to offer services to Americans in limited circumstances. Also, the BCV (Banque Cantonale Vaudoise) got rid of clients resident in the US, but did not exclude keeping clients living in Switzerland:
http://archives.24heures.ch/actu/economie/bcv-lache-clients-etablis-sol-americain-2010-09-10
Fidelity Investments refuses to provide services to U.S. Persons abroad?
Fidelity InvestmentsFidelity Investments is an American multinational financial services corporation. It is one of the largest mutual fund and financial services groups in the world. It was founded in 1946 and serves North American investors.
In the following it can be seen that Fidelity Investments directs U.S. persons who do not live in America to its international investment site:
Open an AccountThis site is for U.S. residents with a valid U.S. address. Not a U.S. resident? visit our International Investment site.
At its international investment site, it informs U.S. persons that they are denied services at this site.
International Investment siteFidelity does not offer these products or services outside their intended countries or regions, and purchase orders from U.S. investors will not be accepted
As such, Fidelity Investments are available to everyone except for American citizens living abroad, it appears.
So, I called to inquire on the matter. First, I was told that they do not accept foreign addresses. Yet, when I explained that I was an American citizen who does not live in America and that I was denied services at the international site, I was informed that I can open up a US investment account from within the US using my foreign address, or I would have to do so via international snail mail. Sadly, in the year 2012 with all the latest and greatest tech gadgets and possibilities, everyone but American citizens living abroad can open up an account using the internet.
U.S. Tax Havens
Here is an article that I just came across which list the top U.S. based tax havens.
Becoming Canadian – Some Statistics
A few years ago, in another context, for another purpose, I did a piece of drudgery with the annual series publication Canadian Citizenship Statistics [0575-8033] 1952-1991. Unfortunately the issuance of that series terminated in 1991 just as an interesting trend seemed to be developing. Here is the overall of the results from that compilation effort. These numbers are for persons who immigrated to Canada and also had United States as “country of former allegiance.”
Some people I’ve met and talked to in the past year are still “US only” and not dual — here’s guessing, on the basis of the data below, that the great majority of US-born having non-Canadian parents are still US only and therefore subject to IRS enforcement within Canada, not least of which is Form 8938 new in 2011. It would be a lot of fun to see these same figures for 1992-2011 and forward.
Continue reading
Must see – Dan Mitchell explains why U.S. needs to move to territorial taxation for companies
Many of the same arguments can be applied to individuals. If I were Romney I would use the Obama fixation on his TAX returns to argue that TAX REFORM is the most important issue facing the country.
Question: Who would you trust with tax reform? Obama or Romney?
Must see – Dan Mitchell explains why the U.S. must move to territorial taxation for companies – http://t.co/IJEUIpXl – Understand the issues
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) July 21, 2012
More correspondence from the office of John Weston MP. “IRS is a budget issue” for the government of Canada. Get your voice heard before the deadline for 2013’s budget submissions.
‘As mentioned in our call (bubblebusin’s husband), IRS is a budget issue, given the large amount of funds potentially payable to the US Government by Canadians; the effect on many self-employed people and entrepreneurs of compliance with these rules; and the damage to bilateral trade and commerce should the Americans make FBAR compliance and issue relevant to trans-border activity.
You may want to make a Pre-2013 Budget Submission to the Finance Committee, if only to get the matter onto their agenda.
Finance Committee of the House of Commons: Deadline-Aug 3, 2012 for initial submission (elaboration may be provided thereafter)
Go to the Finance Cttee website-“Pre-Budget Consultations”. Complete the 5 questions, which, among other things, advise the Committee how the proposed project may advance the Conservative Government’s priorities of the promoting economic growth and jobs.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/CommitteeHome.aspx?Cmte=FINA&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1
Last year, the Finance Committee received over 400 submissions. Only 100 groups were invited to present. The proponents should clearly identify their interest in presenting their case to the Committee. A brief submission is more likely to be read than a long one. The deadline of Aug 3 is critical, even if more information has to be provided later-at least answer the 5 questions!
Should you proceed, John would back you up with a submission to the Minister of Finance in the Fall.’
If I am fortunate enough to have Mr Weston back me up with a submission made directly to the Minister of Finance, I would REALLY appreciate it if all Canadian Brockers help me craft something that best expresses our concerns.
Please use the link to the questions, and post here any comments that would be relevant to any of the questions.
What do you need for travel?
This question has been kicking around for several days so I sent a letter to the Halifax consulate:
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I understand that if I have a Certificate of Loss of Nationality I may have to present it when entering the United States.
1) Is it acceptable to present a notarized copy of it instead of the original?
2) If a copy is not acceptable is it possible to get official copies from you in case of damage to the original?
3) If official copies are available could you please tell me the cost and the procedure for obtaining such?
Sincerely,
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I got back this response:
Thank you for your e-mail.
Once a certificate of loss of nationality is approved by the Department, a copy is forwarded to the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (USCIS), Department of Justice and a copy of the certificate is also forwarded to the person approved for the Certificate of Loss. It is always suggested that you carry a copy of the certificate with you to help facilitate your entry into the U.S. and maintain your original in a safe place.
Should you lose or damage your original certificate only the Department of State can issue you a duplicate. You can contact the Department of State, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037, to obtain information and/or procedures on how to acquire a duplicate or replacement copy of Form DS-4083, Certificate of Loss of Nationality, DS-4083.
I hope you find this information useful.
Sincerely,
I think it’s a relief to know that a copy is sufficient for border crossing purposes – but now I think I’d carry my passport, a copy of the CLN *and* a copy of this email with me!
The evolution of Barack Obama: First you take the high road, then you take the low road, then you take the ditch!
Cross posted from RenounceUScitizenship
American Exceptionalism = Extreme Corruption
In other countries this sort of bribery takes place underneath bridges and with cash in brown envelopes. In America it is institutionalized and legal but it is the same thing: Cash to politicians in return for favorable treatment from the government.
The U.S. tax system is not simply corrupt, it is corrupt in a deceptive manner that has degraded the entire system of American government. Congress is able to funnel vast sums of money in perpetuity to its favored funders through the tax code without anyone realizing it.
Fareed Zakaria – America Needs a two page tax code Continue reading