From time to time I have turned my mind to the question of what is “patriotism”. “Patriotism” is NOT blind loyalty to a government. “Patriotism” is NOT blind obedience to a government. ”Patriotism” is NOT the mindless retention of U.S. citizenship.
#americansabroad who become citizens of another country before 1986 should read the following isaacbrocksociety.ca/2012/01/07/dom… before taxing yourself—
U.S. Citizen Abroad (@USCitizenAbroad) October 07, 2012
Or for those who are not twitter literate:
@Puntlich11
Thank you for your well reasoned and articulate comment on this issue.
Much appreciated. You are absolutely right that very lawyers understand this issue. The reason is simple: the cases that you refer to and the context in which they arose were a long time ago. To really understand this area of law, one must almost grow up with it. But the main message that people need to take from your comment is:
“To clarify: If indeed your US nationality was forfeit upon naturalisation in Canada and if it was restored (retroactively but
conditionally) by Supreme Court decision then that restoration was subject (under international law acceded in by the USG) to your consent. You probably gave that assent by applying for a new passport. You should have had legal counsel. Unfortunately there aren’t many lawyers competent in this arcane area to which I have devoted much of my life.”
The purpose of this post is to make three important points.
1. The U.S. has so many laws that it is impossible to know whether you are in compliance with the law
2. It takes less and less (in terms of guilty intent and knowledge) to be convicted of the crime of violating one of these laws.
3. The combined effect of “1″ and “2″ is that the U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration in the world.
I will discuss each point separately. Continue reading
“Get out while the getting is semi-good. Don’t wait for more time. More time means more laws.”
- Phil Hodgen – “Why people expatriate”
Anybody who reads this blog is surely familiar with Phil Hodgen’s blog. Mr. Hodgen is California based tax lawyer who appears to have moved firmly into the practice of “Expatriation Law” – AKA helping people to renounce U.S. citizenship or get rid of that green card. Mr. Hodgen’s latest blog post about “Why people expatriate” is proof that good things can come from long flights. Speaking of “good things”: one commentator wrote that:
This the best, even-handed analysis I’ve seen of the pros and cons of a US citizen bailing out. It should be required reading for every congressman and senator in the US — as well as the president.
Sadly, it’s clear that Phil has little hope for an improvement. As he points out, it is the citizenship-based taxation that is the root of all this evil, and he sees very little chance of that ever changing.
When great powers begin their decline into eventual irrelevancy, it is rarely just one thing that historians finger as a root cause. But for the US, this may well be it.
In any case: Continue reading
Great video – should be become required viewing for the Levins of the world!
A U.S. citizen trying to live outside the U.S. tries to reason with a “Homelander” (who sleeps outside the U.S. but lives in the U.S.)
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It is not a good time to be a U.S. citizen. The fact of U.S. citizenship imposes a disability on a person that disadvantages him in the game of life.
U.S. citizens living abroad are, as a defensive measure, being forced to renounce U.S. citizenship. U.S. citizens living outside the U.S. are subjected to the agony of U.S. citizenship on a daily basis. The cost of U.S. tax compliance has meant that (with the exception of the wealthy) U.S. citizenship has been priced out of the market. Furthermore, U.S. citizens living abroad must choose between having a life and having U.S. citizenship. In the words of one commentator:
These days, Americans cannot live decently overseas without renouncing. And that’s not just the high-rollers who are doing it to save taxes. Indeed, as a low-roller, I will pay more in taxes in the UK than I ever would in the US. However, with the onerous reporting the US demands of foreign banks regarding US depositors, it is getting impossible to do such simple things as open a savings account if one is an expat. Loans, credit cards? Forget it. When we needed a mortgage a year and a half ago, the only way we got it was to leave me out of it BECAUSE my being a Yank would have made the bank jump through expensive IRS hoops it didn’t care to encounter. And it’s getting worse. But that’s another story.
This one is about my renunciation of my US citizenship, something no other citizen of any other nation except Eritrea has to do to live and work peaceably in any other country that will have them. Continue reading
You can pay the Exit Tax NOW, or the Estate Tax LATER!
Sir John Templeton was one of the world’s greatest investors. In 1955 he founded the Templeton Growth Fund in Toronto, Canada. Of course, it is now a PFIC. and PFICs are “tax cancer” for U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens who invest in it will be severely punished. A good explanation of how PFICs work is here. (If you are U.S. citizen you should consider selling all non-U.S. mutual funds.) In 1969, John Templeton renounced his U.S. citizenship and moved to the Bahamas. In so doing, he avoided the U.S. estate tax. Furthermore, at the time that he renounced, the U.S. did not have an “Exit Tax”. Continue reading
Great analysis!
Brilliant Dan Mitchell article on Facebook founder's renunciation of U.S. citizenship. Don't forget #FBAR and #FATCA danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/fac…—
Renounce U.S. Citz (@renounceus) May 11, 2012
A second lawyer notes that expatriation is on the rise. #FBAR #FATCA hodgen.com/another-expatr…—
Renounce U.S. Citz (@renounceus) April 12, 2012
Another U.S. person living outside the U.S. expatriates. Choose between having a life and being a U.S. person! hodgen.com/another-expatr… #FATCA—
Renounce U.S. Citz (@renounceus) April 12, 2012
US citizen renounces, rejoices, receives CLN (Certificate of loss of nationality) Could it be because of #FBAR #FATCA isaacbrocksociety.com/2012/04/10/my-…—
Renounce U.S. Citz (@renounceus) April 12, 2012
An interesting post appeared today on Phil Hodgen’s blog. It appears that expatriation is on the rise. (Who could have known?) Note that the reasons have nothing to do with the payment of tax. They have everything to do with the the inability to live a normal productive life as a U.S. person living outside the United States.
What follows is an excerpt from his post: Continue reading
“The Border Fence Can Be Used To Keep Us In” – September 7, 211
Interestingly, he also talks about “capital controls”. FATCA – the new Berlin Wall – is a form of capital control.
This video generated many comments. Most people think that Ron Paul is out of his mind? One comment said:
“Ron Prescience for president!” Continue reading
U.S. citizens cry out in agony! But, the U.S. government “Silence is Deafening“
The cries are getting louder and louder! Inside the U.S. only Taxpayer Advocate seems to be listening. Outside the United States, American Citizens Abroad continues to soldier on. In Canada, the home of (probably) the largest number of U.S. citizens (many of who are also Canadian citizens) the Government of Canada is listening. Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, has been consistent in his position that FATCA is intrusive and unnecessary and the Canada will not collect FBAR penalties. He has been consistent with the sentiments expressed in his public letter of September 16, 2011. U.S. citizens in Canada are in a far better position than U.S. citizens in other countries. Furthermore, Mr. Flaherty has been responsive to citizen’s concerns, recognizing that Canadians are desperate for help. The evidence is building. The IRS Jihad against U.S. citizens abroad is intentional murder. Many U.S. citizens are renouncing U.S. citizenship to protect themselves from the U.S. government. Take the above poll which is from a previous post describing how renunciations of U.S. citizenship are soaring under Obama. Consider the following wisdom from a U.S. citizen living in France. Continue reading
