Make sure your US social security number isn’t in the wind.

The IRS suggest care with this key number. Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job, the IRS says. Also show it to your financial institution for tax reporting purposes.

But in general, the IRS says you shouldn’t carry your Social Security card with you. For that matter, don’t carry other documents that display your number either. If your Social Security number is stolen, the IRS warns that someone else may use it to get a job. The unwitting employer may report the income to the IRS under your purloined Social Security number.

The IRS will assume when it sees that income reported to your number that you failed to report all your income on your tax return. Trouble will ensue. If you end up in this pickle, you can explain the fraud to the IRS and get our record updated. But you don’t want to go through this if you can help it. Be careful out there.

It has been my observation when in the US, people generally write a check more readily than using a debit card for such mundane purchases as groceries, etc., and it is common practice that their US social security number is inlcuded on their check. Boggles the mind.

AARO (Association of Americans Resident Overseas) and FAWCO (Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas) have an idea for how we can make the most of our summer vacations.

For those of you who are U.S. voters why not stop by and see your local Congresspersons while you’re in town?   Think about it – haven’t we all dreamed of letting them know how we feel?  Here’s your chance.

AARO has some suggestions for how to set up the meeting and topics for discussion (though I’m positive that folks here already have that covered, right?)  They also include a link to the Overseas Vote Foundation’s fact sheets for each state.

I’m giving it a try.  Asking for a meeting was easy since my reps have an automatic meeting request system on their sites. Thus far I have received one answer saying they will try to set up a meeting with my rep in person.

Some other ideas while you happen to be strolling around town:

1.  Talk to local media.  Ask them to reprint Colleen Graffy’s article so it gets the widest possible distribution. Point them to whatever site or organization you belong to that’s fighting FATCA/CBT.

2.  Offer to provide more information to a reporter and accept any and all interview requests.  Say that you can attest personally to the accuracy of Graffy’s article and give them a local angle.

3.  Write up your experience and see if the local paper will print it.

Love to hear other ideas as well.

Will this do any good?  No idea but I think it’s worth trying.  My feeling is that it’s a win-win for us.  If our reps are willing to talk to us then we win a chance to let them know how we feel up front and in person.  If they won’t talk to us, then we have more ammunition for our argument that we are poorly represented AND we have a story for the local media.

But what I like the most about it is that it gives each and everyone one of us an opportunity to advocate and lobby for ourselves.  Be persistent mosquitos, folks, and perhaps together we can unleash the perfect swarm.

Commentary on Precious Metals Prepared for CoinWeek.com …..

A number of financial advisors who are concerned about the coming financial crises in America have recommended transferring some assets beyond the borders of the United States.  For prudent wealth management, it is an option worth consideration.

More at CoinWeek.com

In the past, one used to seek to win friends and influence people.  Such was even updated for the digital age.  Yet, now times are changing, as explained in this excellently written article:

How to Lose Friends, Citizens and Influence

The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act seeks to co-opt foreign banks as long-arm enforcement agencies of the IRS.

The Wall Street Journal

I am going to follow the lead of Blaze from Maple Sandbox.

Blaze has congratulated Finance Minister Flaherty, by email, with copies to Kevin Shoom and others:

Congratulations on continuing as Canada’s Finance Minister.

I hope Canadian citizens and residents who were born in the United States can continue to count on you to ensure our rights under Canada’s banking, privacy and human rights laws are protected. I hope we can continue to count on you to ensure we have the same rights as all other Canadian citizens and residents to manage our finances with confidence and in privacy with our financial institutions without interference from a foreign government. I hope we can count on you to ensure we are not second class citizens in our country of choice. I hope we can continue to count on you to ensure Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to all Canadians, regardless of their national origin or place of birth.

Please tell US they can’t FATCA Canada or Canadian citizens and residents. Please do it now.

Every Canadian here at Isaac Brock should think about doing the same. Can we even imagine educating a new Canadian Finance Minister on FATCA?

http://www.northwoodfamilyoffice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Canadian_Citizenship.pdf

Wealthy global families are becoming increasingly aware of their need for a well

thought-out citizenship and residency strategy to protect their wealth and to

safeguard their freedom of movement. In the uncertain world facing us today,

prudent families understand the importance of keeping their options open and

having multiple passport choices. Canada provides a safe and surprisingly tax efficient

alternative to many of the more well-known citizenships that the

wealthy can consider acquiring. Canada also has a world-class professional

services and financial infrastructure, making it an ideal location for their family

office, particularly in the new ‘post-bank secrecy’ world.