Part 6 – “Surely, expatriation is NOT worse than death! The two million asset test should be raised to the Estate Tax limitation – approximately five million dollars – It’s Time”

Introduction

Many Americans abroad have had their lives turned upside down by the combination of FATCA and the enforcement of U.S. “place of birth” taxation. Those who are “long term” residents abroad find themselves caught between a “rock and a hard place”.

On the one hand they can’t afford the costs and complexity of filing U.S. tax returns.

On the other hand, many “middle class” Americans abroad cannot relinquish their U.S. citizenship (freeing themselves from the complexity of U.S. tax laws and the IRS) without Read More

“The “Exit Tax” in action – Five actual scenarios with 5 actual completed U.S. tax returns.”

In order to see the graphic and brutal confiscatory effects of the U.S. Exit Tax in action I asked a licensed U.S. CPA who specializes in International Tax to consider the following scenario:

Relinquishment date: A person who renounced U.S. citizenship on November 1, 2014.

Profile: He was a “middle class” person who was completely tax compliant in his country of residence. He was a saver and investor. He had worked hard for this money. Read More

In a well researched post, “Eric” at the Isaac Brock Society writes about updates to the U.S. FAM “Foreign Affairs Manual” on RENUNCIATION (not relinquishment) procedures. The revised procedures are here:

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It appears that  “two interviews” will be required, but that only the second interview (actual renunciation”) must be in person.

On balance, it’s clear that the State Department is directing it’s attention to the question of whether the would be “renunciant” really does intend to relinquish U.S. citizenship (after going through all the work of tax compliance, paying the fees, etc.). Read More