Category Archives: Issues regarding US persons abroad
Canada’s tax on being American! Why not!
Homelander feels discriminated against in CA! “Nationality-based taxes are among the worst kinds of protectionism.” https://t.co/eeEolALkUj
— U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) September 13, 2017
The above tweet references the following comment by Muzzlednomore;
The full text of this Wall Street Journal article was sent to me by someone who reads here but does not post. It demands some response from this community! It’s written by an American who is (rightly, in my opinion) upset by Vancouver’s real estate tax on foreign ownership.
Amongst the article’s notable quotes is: “Nationality-based taxes are among the worst kinds of protectionism.” Instead of ranting solely against a Canadian tax of this nature it would have been marvelous if the author had acknowledged the nationality-based tax imposed by her own government against all its sons and daughters – including her! – who no longer live within its borders. Perhaps the author is unaware. Perhaps Brockers would like to enlighten her.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadas-tax-on-being-american-1505171378 I haven’t copied the full text of the article here for copyright reasons. I hope a non-paywall version becomes available
As per Muzzlednomore’s request:
Here is a link to the article, enjoy and if you can comment …
Call to Action from Republicans Overseas
Posted by Barbara on the Media thread. Cross-posted from there.
UPDATE: Emailed letters will be delivered to the White House on OCTOBER 2. Deadline for sending emails is SEPTEMBER 30!!!
Write your letters, people!!
——————————————————–
YOU MUST ACT NOW!! NO EXCUSES!! PLEASE SHARE WITH ALL FELLOW AMERICANS OVERSEAS (regardless of party affiliation or non-affiliation) & ACCIDENTAL AMERICANS!! If you do nothing, nothing will change!!
We need your help. The Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee are working on tax reform, and we need to get overseas Americans’ voices heard. We have not had tax reform for 31 years, and if we miss our window now, we will not see another chance for 20 more years.
At the initiative of Republicans Overseas, the RNC recently adopted a White House approved resolution supporting the change from citizenship based taxation (CBT) to residence based taxation via RO’s proposed Territorial Taxation for Individuals (TTFI). We have champions and sponsors in both the House and the Senate. We have found tax loopholes that TTFI would close, thereby making TTFI revenue positive. The ingredients for success are lined up–but we’re missing one: the massed voices of ordinary overseas Americans.
What we need now is for our representatives to hear from as many overseas Americans as we can gather. We believe that the vast majority of overseas Americans support the inclusion of TTFI to the tax reform package, and we need to hear from thousands of them. We want to collect as many letters supporting TTFI and tax reform as we possibly can, which Solomon Yue will then present to the White House.
Can you please support our initiative by writing a letter to President Trump and copying your Congressman and Senator.
Here’s how it will work:
1) RO is providing a letter template along with an example which can be found here:
https://republicansoverseas.com/territorial-taxation-individuals/#sample-letters
We urge letter writers to share their own short stories, but also to link their letters to the themes outlined by the White House in their press release on tax reform by focusing on two points: \
(a) TTFI reduces the cost of hiring Americans working overseas, increases U.S. exports, and creates more American jobs within the U.S., and (b) it reduces tax preparation costs for overseas Americans. The sample letter already does this, but it is important to reiterate that we need to reinforce the White House’s points and link those points to individual situations.
2) The letters should be emailed to taxreform@republicansoverseas.com and copied to their local representative and Senators. Links to government databases providing this information can be found at
https://republicansoverseas.com/territorial-taxation-individuals/#contact-congress
3) Solomon Yue will print out the letters and take the physical package to the White House. Clearly, the more the better!
Thank you for your support! If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Kym Kettler-Paddock at kym.kettler-paddock@republicansoverseas.com.
Regards,
Michael DeSombre
Worldwide President, Republicans Overseas
*Tax Reform* — ‘Republicans Overseas’ and ‘Democrats Abroad’ now agree — “…Residency Based Taxation, as a replacement for the current U.S. system of Citizenship Based Taxation”
From George (Original George)
…
Could someone create a post on BOTH of these positions because it would be sure handy that we now have ammunition to write Reps and Senators REGARDLESS of Party!!!
This is very very important because BOTH parties Overseas have now converged on a common position.
WE will be attacked by do gooders in the homeland but now we have a shield from DA that must be used.
…
@Biscuit had a great llink to what Republicans Overseas is urging…
It seems that the RNC has passed a resolution calling for FATCA repeal and change to territorial taxation for individuals. Text is here:
https://republicansoverseas.com/rnc-approves-resolution-supporting-territorial-taxation-individuals/
Democrats Abroad is now speaking from the same song sheet;
Will There or Won’t There be Tax Reform by the End of 2017?
I wrote this introduction for a program to be presented to tax professionals outside of North America back in March 2017. It was only meant as a general guide for those who might have been completely unaware of our grassroots movement as well as several attempts made by Congress to study our situation. It was not meant to be a complete discussion of the entire history of all our efforts but simply to inform them that we exist. To stimulate them to be more than paper-pushers and blind parrots for the IRS.
I still have a hard time believing effective tax reform for our dilemma will happen. Partially because awareness is not “new.” Since Dave Camp and the W&M call for submissions 4 years ago, there have been no less than 9 different studies, drafts etc and up to now, no real progress, no change. In addition, the general dysfunction of Congress (they can’t get health reform right) and the Trump Administration continues. It is now nearly September. There will be a huge effort needed to deal with Hurricane Harvey.
Will we or won’t we see tax reform?
Can this situation be tolerated as is for years to come?
What do YOU think?
With sadness and gratitude, we announce that Ginny Hillis (Canadian Ginny) has withdrawn as a plaintiff
August 24, 2017
UPDATE for Canadian FATCA IGA Lawsuit in Federal Court: Plaintiff Change
This update is to let you know that for health reasons, Ginny, one of our three Plaintiffs, has withdrawn as a Plaintiff in our Canadian FATCA IGA legislation lawsuit.
We are so grateful to Ginny for having been being a part of our team for so many reasons. Her good humour, wit, and wise counsel based upon her experience as an attorney has helped us get through many difficult days during the litigation. She was one of the very few who never had any doubts whatsoever about taking on the personal risk and hardships of being a Plaintiff in a lawsuit against the power of her own government. She provided a service not only to us, but to the entire community worldwide harmed by compliance of their own countries with the foreign FATCA law.
Plaintiffs Gwen and Kazia, the ADCS Board, and our supporters are indebted to Ginny for the sacrifices she and her family have made and we all wish her the very best.
Dewees 3: Lessons about the “Oh My God Moment” and dealing with the problems of U.S. citizenship
cross posted from citizenshipsolutions

As I write this post, my mind goes back to one of my very first posts about U.S. compliance issues. This post was called “What you should consider before contacting a lawyer“. Since that time I have written hundreds of post describing the problems faced by Americans abroad.
More recently …
In Dewees 1, I explained the importance of the Canada U.S. tax treaty and how it provides “some protection” to Canadian citizens from U.S. tax debts.
In Dewees 2, I explained some of the characteristics of the OVDP program and how Mr. Dewees got caught in it.
In Dewees 3 (this post), I am suggesting some possible lessons that can be learned from the story of Donald Dewees.
Ten thoughts on U.S. taxation, non-compliance, Americans Abroad and the U.S. taxation of Americans abroad
Next Stop: the U.S. Supreme Court!
Last week a U.S. appeals court confirmed an earlier judgment that the plaintiffs “lack standing” in their case against FATCA. I thought this news deserved its own post.
In response, Republicans Overseas has declared its firm intentions to prosecute this matter all the way to the Supreme court.
Dewees 2: Why did he participate in the 2009 #OVDP Horror Show?
cross posted from citizenship solutions
In an earlier post I explained why the Canada Revenue Agency assisted the IRS in collecting a $133,000 U.S. dollar penalty on a Canadian resident. The bottom line was that he was presumably NOT a Canadian citizen and therefore did NOT have the benefits of the tax treaty. This post is to explain where the penalty came from in the first place.
Will you walk into my parlour?’ – #Americansabroad and IRS “amnesty” offers in the 2009 #OVDP
It has been widely reported that a U.S. citizen residing in Toronto, Canada since 1971, paid a $133,000 U.S. dollar penalty for failing to file IRS forms disclosing that he was running a business through a Canadian corporation.
How did this fly get caught in the spider’s web?
The Spider and the Fly is a poem by Mary Howitt (1799–1888), published in 1829. The first line of the poem is “‘Will you walk into my parlour?’ said the Spider to the Fly.” The story tells of a cunning Spider who ensnares a naïve Fly through the use of seduction and flattery.
The poem is a cautionary tale against those who use flattery and charm to disguise their true evil intentions.
The Spider and the Fly: Some things never change … https://t.co/GvSvoO7sO5 pic.twitter.com/fZC8pPZGuL
— Citizenship Lawyer (@ExpatriationLaw) August 13, 2017
More here
Citizenship showdown coming: Has Australia ceded control of its sovereignty to foreign countries?
cross-posted from
citizenship solutions
UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2017
Look at this potential list of dual Australian politicians (courtesy of Karen Alpert)
Barnaby Joyce is a Kiwi, New Zealand confirms https://t.co/PY5Y9Ps3Ng via @ABCNews – Australia should just refuse to recognize him as a KIWI
— John Richardson – Counsellor for US persons abroad (@ExpatriationLaw) August 14, 2017
Shades of
Larissa Waters …
Oh My God! Think of it:
My sources in Australia tell me …
This time it’s the –
Deputy Prime Minister
– and the first member of the lower house to be tainted by dual citizenship. This is significant. With the Senate they usually go to the next person on that party’s ticket from the last Senate election. With the House of Reps they have to have a by-election – and Turnbull’s government is hanging on by a single vote. So, if the High Court rules that Barnaby Joyce must vacate his seat, it could topple the government!
And I thought that Politics in Canada was dirty. And we all revel in the daily stench of the toxic partisanship in the USA. But, hey at least these two countries do NOT have constitutional provisions that (as they have been interpreted) allow other countries to interfere in who the elected representatives are! (We let them interfere in covert ways – think “From Russia With Love” ….)
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