Edward Snowden: Permanent Record • Hacker News Board

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#21

Post by wil421 » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:50 PM UTC

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

Why does it matter? My brother in law lived in Costa Rica for 10+ years. He never had to pay a single bit of tax. I know a few people in Europe with higher salaries and they have never paid a cent either.

I’ve yet to meet anyone who lived overseas and had to pay the IRS.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#22

Post by efdee » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:52 PM UTC

jonahbenton wrote: post #20

hdfbdtbcdg wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you implying?

Sources and uses of funds are a much more reliable indicator of who someone is, who their friends are, and what they believe than the stories they publicly vocalize to themselves and others.

What are you implying, really?

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#23

Post by ummwhat » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:52 PM UTC

teddyuk wrote: post #17

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

Can you give up your american passport and then stop or do you have to do it for the rest of your life?

It costs over a grand to quit the club known as "citizenship" you're going to want citizenship in wherever you reside first when you give up US citizenship (you could choose to be stateless, but that makes more problems than it solves). Doing this does not absolve you of existing debts in the eyes of the IRS. And finally, you'll be interviewed at the consulate and if your stated reason for giving up citizenship is "the overseas tax thing", you'll be denied a visa if you ever want to visit the US again.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#24

Post by microcolonel » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:57 PM UTC

matt_morgan wrote: post #19

Or how about from a library. https://www.worldcat.org/search?qt=worldcat_org_all&q=edward...

Given that there are like... seven copies in U.S. libraries, I think that's probably terrible advice.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#25

Post by yardie » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 12:59 PM UTC

teddyuk wrote: post #17

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

Can you give up your american passport and then stop or do you have to do it for the rest of your life?

You can renounce citizenship. There is a large multithousands dollar "fee" to do so. And if they find out you did so to avoid paying taxes (ex. renouncing citizenship and then turn around to cash out some Bitcoin) they can still go after you for taxes.

Most citizens never hit the threshold to actually pay except if you file from a known tax haven. Income up to $115k is untaxed and any other taxes you do pay are deductible.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#26

Post by gwd » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:01 PM UTC

wil421 wrote: post #21

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

Why does it matter? My brother in law lived in Costa Rica for 10+ years. He never had to pay a single bit of tax. I know a few people in Europe with higher salaries and they have never paid a cent either. I’ve yet to meet anyone who lived overseas and had to pay the IRS.

> He never had to pay a single bit of tax. I know a few people in Europe with higher salaries and they have never paid a cent either.

He didn't say pay taxes; he said file taxes. Every year I have to tell the US government how much I made, and then explain why I don't owe them any money (i.e., already paid tax on it to the UK). It's a stressful hassle even if you don't end up owing anything.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#27

Post by sigzero » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:01 PM UTC

efdee wrote: post #22

jonahbenton wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sources and uses of funds are a much more reliable indicator of who someone is, who their friends are, and what they believe than the stories they publicly vocalize to themselves and others.

What are you implying, really?

That he is indeed a traitor maybe?

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#28

Post by microcolonel » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:02 PM UTC

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

Yeah, it is a bit annoying, and I can imagine it is beyond a bit annoying if you are making income somewhere that doesn't have a treaty with the U.S.

I thankfully don't get double-taxed here in Canada, but I'm pretty sure it's possible to have a marginal tax rate greater than 100% between U.S. Federal income taxes and some other systems.

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#29

Post by rahimnathwani » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:02 PM UTC

apercu wrote: post #12

US expatriates are the only expats in the world that have to file annual taxes (and report foreign bank accounts). It's ridiculous for most of us (99% are not tax exiles or tax evaders, we just left the USA for our own reasons). I wonder if Snowden files taxes?

That's not true. Several other countries require that their citizens file annual tax returns, and tax them on their worldwide income.

Why is it ridiculous?

And what makes you so sure that less than 1% of US citizens living outside the US evade tax?

Re: Edward Snowden: Permanent Record

#30

Post by jonathanstrange » Wed, Sep 11, 2019, 1:02 PM UTC

efdee wrote: post #22

jonahbenton wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sources and uses of funds are a much more reliable indicator of who someone is, who their friends are, and what they believe than the stories they publicly vocalize to themselves and others.

What are you implying, really?

It doesn't matter what he says anyway. You'd need to see his bank account to get the real picture.