This was harder to find than I thought it would be. I can’t see any potential complications for my kids. When my wife applies, she’ll just say my non-US nationality. Notice the 3-4th to the last question from the bottom. Sigh.
New Calls for Total Tax Code Overhaul
There are two recent articles that are calling attention to the need for tax code “rebuilding” or “trimming” or “pruning” or “you pick a term”. One in the Financial Times and one at the Wallstreet Journal. Is this the beginning of a chorus for real tax code change that could include a move to a Territorial system?… dah, I don’t think so either, but something to keep ones eye on.
I have tweeted references to them here…
Swiss-French TV article about WikiLeaks and US Intelligence company
Sorry I don’t have time to comment on this one, so for those of you at Isaac who understand French, you might want to read:
Who is a US Citizen?
This post from Andy Sundberg is on: THE EVOLUTION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP LEGISLATION SINCE THE FIRST CONGRESS IN 1789
This is the 5th in a series of posts from Andy Sundberg, Fellow and Secretary of the Overseas American Academy, where he discusses US citizenship taxation and related matters.
1998 Treasury/IRS Report on US Citizens abroad and expatriation
Hi, I found an interesting report from the 1990s the US Treasury did that deal with many of the issues being discussed here. For everyone’s reading pleasure I posted a link below.
http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Documents/tax598.pdf
Additional 1993 Report
http://archive.gao.gov/t2pbat6/149177.pdf
What is interesting is neither of these reports mention FBAR
Blimey! IRS Computers Dun British Lord for $13 Million
Blimey! IRS Computers Dun British Lord for $13 Million
The IRS are even after British Lords. But it looks like the IRS will just have to throw its moneyed, titled catch (and his millions) back. Russell states in a lawsuit filed last month in the U.S. Tax Court that he “is not and never has been a U.S. citizen or resident alien subject to U.S. income tax.”
Lucky Lord Russell–He can afford a lawsuit. I don’t know if his American wife is compliant.
(Someone else posted this Forbes article elsewhere, but I thought this deserved its own thread.)
The Perceptions of an Overseas U.S. Voter
I threw this up on the Flophouse the other day. I went through the fine wizard at the Overseas Vote Foundation and ordered my absentee ballot and a few days ago I got my voter registration card from King County Elections. That done I now need to think about how I’m going to vote. My first order of business was really trying to understand where homeland voters are coming from. Laws in the homeland are not made in a vacuum. Second order of business was going to the websites of my representatives and seeing what they had to say. It was quite a shock to realize that overseas voters are not even on their radar – even in a state that has a lot of registered overseas voters. I was left with the feeling that I’m in a terrible trap here. OK, I have a vote but I don’t feel like I have a voice or effective representation. Really frustrating. Anyway, here is what I wrote. Your mileage may vary. I’m sure there are a few things in here that some of you will disagree with. Please feel free to comment or criticize. I don’t have a lot invested in being right – on the contrary it’s when you’re wrong that you actually learn something. 🙂
What are taxes?
This quote comes from David Ricardo’s book, On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation (Chapter 8 On Taxes):
Taxes are a portion of the produce of the land and labour of a country, placed at the disposal of the government; and are always ultimately paid, either from the capital, or from the revenue of the country.
Notable quotations about freedom and justice: Open Thread
Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.
Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
Not OVDI, says Michael J. Miller, with regard to an offshore account scenario
Tax lawyer Michael J. Miller offers a scenario in a comment: A recent immigrant to the United States, Tom, had an offshore account with $1,000,000–the best manner to going forward is not OVDI!