TaxConnections Picture - Dollar In OceanU.S. citizens and residents are taxed on their income from all sources worldwide. Worldwide taxation by the U.S. does not disarm the taxing power of other countries. Americans pursuing income outside of the U.S. are bound to encounter tax collectors asserting their own national claims. The world is awash in possibilities of double taxation. Below is a hypothetical illustrating international double taxation and its main cause: inconsistent sourcing rules in different countries imposing overlapping taxes.

A CONTRACT IN YEMEN

John is a lawyer who practices in NYC. One day, he gets a call from Ali, a client in Yemen. Ali asks John to do some research on a question and to send his findings in the form of a memorandum. John goes ahead and does the work, consisting of some research and some writing, which takes twenty hours of his time.

John’s final product is a memorandum, which he sends to Ali, along with a bill for $ 4,000 reflecting his hourly rate of $ 200. A check for $ 4,000 arrives by return mail and John gives the matter little further thought.

At the end of the year, John receives an official-looking letter from the Treasury of Yemen, adorned with a seal and crests, asking him to pay $ 2,000 in income tax to the Yemeni Treasury with respect to his $4,000 of Yemen-source income. The letter explains that the rate of Yemeni income tax on the Yemen-source income of foreigners from professional services is 50%. Read More