Tag Archive for FATCA

Part 10 – Understanding “Exit Taxes”

The S. 877A “Exit Tax” and possible treaty relief under the Canada US Tax Treaty

Introduction – The Canada U.S. Tax Treaty Does Not Always Prevent Double Taxation

See: Part 9 – Understanding “Exit Taxes” – For #Americansabroad: US “citizenship taxation” is “death by a thousand cuts”, but the S. 877A Exit Tax is “death by the guillotine”.

When countries independently make major changes in tax law, double taxation can occur.

The following comment from 5thSwiss on the Isaac Brock Society site explains why and how double taxation can be a reality. It also underscores the dangers of a U.S. citizen leaving the United States. Read More

Written by | Posted in Exit Tax • FATCA • FBAR

Part 2 – Understanding “Exit Taxes”

Part 2 – Understanding “Exit Taxes” in a system of residence based taxation vs. Exit Taxes in a system of “citizenship (place of birth) taxation

Let’s begin with some politics …

In an interesting post Robert Wood writes:

Both Mayor Johnson and Senator Cruz are U.S. citizens. Both Mayor Johnson and Senator Cruz either have or are renouncing the citizenships of the countries where they were born. There will no tax consequences to Senator Cruz for renouncing Canadian citizenship. Mayor Johnson will probably be spared America’s draconian “Exit Tax” (assuming he was born a dual citizen) for renouncing U.S. citizenship. The “Exit Tax” Read More

Written by | Posted in Expatriate • FATCA

Trouble In Paradise

Former Congressman Barney Frank recently remarked that the financial reform law that partially bears his name is in a unique position, because “No program in American history could more clearly combine two elements: great success and absolute unpopularity.” While the jury is still out on the “great success” of Dodd-Frank, there is no doubt that everyone hates it.

Many Democrats, especially progressives like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, don’t think the law went far enough towards reigning in the big banks. There is even talk in some quarters about blowing the dust off the Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act, which might effectively break up Wall Street banks the way the government broke up Ma Bell a generation ago. Read More

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‘Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied’?

Wighead English jurist William Gladstone, the author of this famous quote, was obviously not a criminal defense lawyer. In many, if not most, cases, delay is a fundamental element of a successful defense, or even the lynchpin of the entire schmear. Over time, memories fade, evidence is lost (or at least becomes more difficult to find and use in court), witnesses relocate, and prosecutors lose interest in the case. All of these developments weigh in favor of criminal defendants.

To paraphrase Gordon Gekko: Delay is good. Delay is right; delay works. So, there were champagne corks popping all along Wall Street and into the uttermost parts of the earth when the IRS announced that it would delay certain FATCA bank withholding requirements until 2019. However, it remains to be seen whether the delay is a legitimate reprieve or Read More

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The Role of Residency In The Streamlined Procedures

As a U.S. expat, you may have heard about the latest and greatest IRS amnesty program available for delinquent U.S. taxpayers known as the “streamlined procedures.”  What you may not know is that if you continue to spend a significant time in the U.S. each year, your eligibility for the procedures and your ability to obtain penalty-free relief may be in jeopardy.

The key issue here is “residency,” which separates the friendlier “foreign offshore” procedures (available for taxpayers residing outside the U.S.) from the harsher “domestic offshore” procedures (available for taxpayers residing in the U.S.)

For instance, a domestic resident taxpayer that has failed to file a U.S. income tax return in any of the three most recent tax years cannot participate in the domestic offshore Read More

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Part 1 – “Facts Are Stubborn Things” – The Possible Effect of The US “Exit Tax” On Canadian Residents

Although this series originally began on “April Fools Day”, I assure that this is NOT a joke.

This post will demonstrate how the U.S. “Exit Tax” affects “middle class Canadians who  have U.S. citizenship and wish to relinquish it. You will see how the “Exit Tax” imposes punitive taxes on Canadian assets and on income earned in Canada. You will also see how some U.S. assets are (in effect) exempted from the “Exit Tax”. We will learn from the example of a “Middle Class Canadian” with an average house in Toronto, a pension plan from the University of Toronto and a low value RRSP who decides that he no longer wishes to be a U.S. citizen.

This person has lived in Canada most (or perhaps all) of his adult life. You will see that he has NO U.S. assets and Read More

Written by | Posted in Exit Tax • FATCA • FBAR

Internet Tax Summit – September 21, 2105 Comments – U.S. Citizens Living Abroad, Accidental Americans And Immigrants Coming To The U.S.

Comment:

Just because I was put in the position to have to relinquish my citizenship does not in the least mean I feel this issue is over for me. There are others sorely impacted as well. I don’t think I will ever truly accept this episode in my life as just. Life is unfair and we must accept that however, these days every time I see some heinous criminal back in the U.S. on my television the thought always goes through my mind “Yes, but that person is not going to be put in the position to have to give up their citizenship no matter what they have done.” It seems childish, I admit but, I hope others will forgive somewhat my resentment over it. I do laugh at myself for having such knee jerk reactions but, I’ll allow myself some of that for a long while to come.  Read More

Written by | Posted in Canada • FATCA • International • IRS • United States

Part 2: Why Justice Martineau’s Decision Has Handed @ADCSovereignty The Framework For Ultimate Victory – The Importance of “Staying The Course”

Introduction – what this post is about …

I attended the hearing in Vancouver, B.C. on August 4, 5 2015. At that time I wrote a group of posts (here and here) discussing my perception of the hearing. Those posts included expressions of my opinion that Justice Martineau was highly engaged, was working hard on understanding the issues, and was affording all parties a fair hearing. Although, disappointed with his decision (handed down on September 16, 2015), and not agreeing with his conclusions, I reaffirm my sentiments in the previous posts.

This post is more about the “system” than it is about Justice Martineau specifically. In a judicial system, it is possible for “reasonable people” to have “reasonable Read More

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Part 1: Justice Martineau Provides @ADCSovereignty The Only Thing Worse Than A Root Canal

This post is Part 1 of my thoughts on Justice Martineau’s decision.

I  left my root canal appointment this afternoon to a message announcing that Justice Martineau had rendered his decision. We did not win round 1. Notice that I did NOT say that the Government won round 1.

Here is the decision:

T-1736-14 decision sept-16-2015

Before, I comment specifically on the decision, I want to be clear on the following points: Read More

Written by | Posted in Canada • FATCA

EXPATRIATE DAY! – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

You Are Invited To Be Part of Internet History…
Join TaxConnections as we present incredible Tax Experts on Expatriate Day at the Internet Tax Summit on Monday, September 21, 2015 beginning at 7:30AM (PDT).

 

Listen to stories from Expatriates around the world and learn from these Tax Experts about what to do to stay compliant with U.S. Tax Laws. Learn about FBAR, FATCA, Amnesty or Quiet “Voluntary Disclosure” of Foreign Bank Accounts, Exit Taxes and so much more. Read More

Written by | Posted in Internet Tax Summit - 2015

How To Live Outside The United States In An FBAR And FATCA World

When in Rome, live as a Homelander” does, when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere.
Introduction:

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

Written by | Posted in FATCA • FBAR
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