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Why I gave up my US passport

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#61

Post by Jayschwa »

bandushrew wrote: post #57
NamTaf wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What benefit from paying income taxes, exactly? You're not living there, so you don't benefit from any of the social services that income tax funds. Just about every other country I can think of does not tax citizens abroad who do not earn money on their native soil. What makes you think the US system is right and all the others are wrong?

and yet you do not want to give up your citizenship, so clearly you feel you are benefiting from some of the social benefits that your income tax funds.

People probably hesitate because it'd be such a pain in the butt to get the citizenship back.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#62

Post by chrsstrm »

NamTaf wrote: post #54
pekk wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Be honest: it's not really about your perception of arrogance in a tax policy. It's really about the money. You think you are entitled to the privileges of US citizenship but somehow exempt from its legal obligations.

What benefit from paying income taxes, exactly? You're not living there, so you don't benefit from any of the social services that income tax funds. Just about every other country I can think of does not tax citizens abroad who do not earn money on their native soil. What makes you think the US system is right and all the others are wrong?

It's a pretty flimsy metaphor, but just because I go on long trips and stay in hotels, doesn't mean I'm not obligated to pay rent on my apartment back home. My status as tenant is recognized through my contribution of my monthly rent. Without it, I have no standing. My decision to live elsewhere, either in the short term or longer, means I either have to deal with paying double housing or give up my apartment.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#63

Post by philiphodgen »

rrouse wrote: post #9
steven2012 wrote: post #5

If a US-born citizen (as opposed to naturalized US citizen) renounces their citizenship, can they claim it again afterwards? Or is it forever gone?

The State department website on it says that the renunciation is final unless it meets certain guidelines, which basically means that if you did it at age 18+, you're going to have to go through the immigration process just like every other non American. http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_776.html

That's correct. Once you have renounced U.S. citizenship you are like all the other billions of people on the planet--if you qualify to re-enter the USA and apply for citizenship, you can do so.

The tax rules for giving up citizenship have specific provisions fully expecting people to give up citizenship twice. :-)

Disclaimer: I am a lawyer, and I do lots and lots of expatriation cases.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#65

Post by RDeckard »

bandushrew wrote: post #57
NamTaf wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What benefit from paying income taxes, exactly? You're not living there, so you don't benefit from any of the social services that income tax funds. Just about every other country I can think of does not tax citizens abroad who do not earn money on their native soil. What makes you think the US system is right and all the others are wrong?

and yet you do not want to give up your citizenship, so clearly you feel you are benefiting from some of the social benefits that your income tax funds.

Like not having to deal with border officers on a power-trip at the airport!

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#66

Post by bdamm »

rrouse wrote: post #9
steven2012 wrote: post #5

If a US-born citizen (as opposed to naturalized US citizen) renounces their citizenship, can they claim it again afterwards? Or is it forever gone?

The State department website on it says that the renunciation is final unless it meets certain guidelines, which basically means that if you did it at age 18+, you're going to have to go through the immigration process just like every other non American. http://travel.state.gov/law/citizenship/citizenship_776.html

Presumably rules regarding American parents transmitting citizenship could come into play.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#67

Post by halostatue »

bandushrew wrote: post #57
NamTaf wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What benefit from paying income taxes, exactly? You're not living there, so you don't benefit from any of the social services that income tax funds. Just about every other country I can think of does not tax citizens abroad who do not earn money on their native soil. What makes you think the US system is right and all the others are wrong?

and yet you do not want to give up your citizenship, so clearly you feel you are benefiting from some of the social benefits that your income tax funds.

My sole benefit is that my parents have not died, and I don’t want some hopped-up border bureaucrat to be able to tell me that I can’t visit them (or my brother) for five years because his coffee was too hot.

Remember how much arbitrary and non-appealable power U.S. border guards have over visitors.

I get nothing else from my U.S. passport, because the only country I use that passport for is…the U.S.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#68

Post by halostatue »

bowyakka wrote: post #45
LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #6

Some of the stuff the people in the article write is just plain stupid. If I could get US citizenship for my newly born daughter (born in Poland) after being in the US total just 5 years, why she couldn't get it done, is beyond me. People who have lived in EU complaining about US burocracy and pointing it as a reason for giving up on an US citizenship are beyond me too. US taxation system is a walk in a park compared…

What part of the US tax system is easy compared to the EU, seriously because I come from the UK and being in the US is the first time in my life I have had to even file a tax return. The US system seems to guarantee you need an accountant.

Yeah. The Canadian tax system is simple enough that I could do it on paper. I mostly use an on-line system because it helps me balance the deductions my wife and I have for best tax benefits.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#69

Post by bentoner »

jacalata wrote: post #39
clueless123 wrote: post #20

I wonder what is going to happen to all those US citizens living abroad with the new health insurance requirements.. Will they be forced to pay even they can't benefit from the services ? ( Specially if they are already covered by their host country healthcare system. )

US citizens who live abroad for 330 days in a calendar year are exempt: see question 12 at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individu...

That's really harsh. Someone living abroad could easily spend > 35 days/year in the US on business or visiting family.

Re: Why I gave up my US passport

#70

Post by mabhatter »

jmreardon wrote: post #11
nly wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Happen-stance of birth? What are the rules there about citizenship by birth? In the UK one of your parents has to be a citizen, or have been "legally settled" (allowed to stay indefinitely).

With the exception of children of foreign diplomats, if you are born in the USA, you have citizenship. Who your parents are is irrelevant.

This is the core of our immigrant problem with Mexico. If they get momma over the border to have her baby she's set... Because the baby is a US citizen so his/her parent gets a pass to be In the country.
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