Many Americans own property in the U.S. when they move abroad, and so are faced with the question of whether to sell or rent it.
How to answer this question often depends on whether they are moving abroad temporarily or permanently: if they are moving overseas temporarily, if may make more sense to rent it, while if they are moving abroad permanently, they may prefer to sell up and use the proceeds to buy a home abroad. Read More
American Expat parents can potentially take advantage of not just one but three U.S. Child Tax Credits, depending on their circumstances: the Child Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit. In this article we outline when and how all three can be used, and what conditions need to be fulfilled to claim them. Read More
It’s tax reform season and Senator Orrin Hatch wants to hear from you (again).
As reported on the Isaac Brock Society and other digital resources for those impacted by U.S. taxes, you have until July 17, 2017 to tell Senator Hatch what you think needs to be changed in the Internal Revenue Code. After great deliberation, it occurred to me that people who either are (or are accused of being) U.S. citizens or Green Card holders living outside the United States, might want the USA to stop taxing them. After all, they already pay taxes to the countries where they reside. This is your opportunity to “Let your voices be heard” (well maybe). Read More
IRS form 5472 is a U.S. filing requirement that affects some Americans living abroad who own or part-own corporations.
Form 5472 must be filed by U.S.-registered corporations that are 25% or more owned by a foreigner, and foreign corporations that trade in the U.S., that make any ‘reportable transactions’ during the filing period. A ‘reportable transaction’ typically means that they have received or transferred any money or assets. Read More
The importance of income tax treaties should not be underestimated when considering the U.S. tax implications of living abroad. U.S. and foreign tax laws often fall short of ensuring that U.S. expats are on equal tax footing with their non-expat counterparts. In such case, a relevant tax treaty may be available to pick up the slack. Read More
The purpose of this post is to explore how inflation results in the facilitation of enhanced penalty collection in America today.
What is inflation? “Inflation is defined as a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services in a county, and is measured as an annual percentage change. Under conditions of inflation, the prices of things rise over time. Put differently, as inflation rises, every dollar you own buys a smaller percentage of a good or service. When prices rise, and alternatively when the value of money falls you have inflation.” Read More
The U.S. tax system is different to every other developed country’s, in that America taxes based on citizenship rather than on residence. That means that whereas most countries only tax residents (and non-residents who have income arising in the country), the U.S. taxes all U.S. citizens wherever in the world they live. Read More
Americans living abroad are still required to file U.S. taxes. The U.S. is the only country that requires its expats to file. It is because the U.S. taxes based on citizenship rather than on residence. Read More
An interesting read by the Telegraph that walks an Accidental American through the process of renunciation of American citizenship to avoid paying a life time of US taxes, penalties, interest, and potentially criminal offences for non-filing. Read it here. Excerpts below:
When in Rome, live as a Homelander” does, when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere.
Americans abroad are constantly told that they should “come clean”. They should file their U.S. taxes. This assumes that they are somehow “unclean” or perhaps “dirty”. The life of an “American abroad” is about three things:
1. “Thinking Clean” – The importance of “thinking clean” while living abroad. Read More
It was recently reported in the press that the Social Security Administration was collecting old debts of many deceased persons by intercepting the tax refunds of their children. After much unwanted publicity, the Social Security Administration announced it would stop doing this with regard to debts that were over ten years old. What implications does this case raise for tax noncompliant expatriates?
The case of the Social Security Administration is quite alarming and raises serious concerns for persons with unpaid US tax liabilities. It is widely reported and recognized that there has been a vast increase in expatriations. I suspect that some expatriations will involve taxpayers who were not fully tax compliant and I foresee that this area is ripe for IRS audit and controversy. Read More
When it comes to considering gross income for tax purposes, Section 121 of the US Internal Revenue Code allows for the exclusion of up to $250,000 in gains arising from the sale of a “principal residence.” The exclusion should apply whether the property is in the US or a foreign country. In the case of married couples filing a joint return, up to $500,000 may be excluded. The tax law is very specific in how it defines a “principal residence”, and in the “ownership” and “use” requirements that form part of the definition for utilizing this exclusion.
In order for a property to qualify as a principal residence, the residence must have been owned and occupied by the taxpayer for a minimum of 2 years (specifically, 730 days) Read More
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