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American Citizens Abroad takes on the fight for USA expat tax fairness
| Published: | 10 Sep at 6 PM |
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American expats living overseas are urging their compatriots to join the fight for tax fairness.
The non-profit American Citizens Abroad support group are urging all affected USA expats to join them in a campaign aimed at fighting the onerous tax compliance burdens incurred by all US citizens living outside the home country. The campaign is making use of an online appeal which guarantees the delivery of all messages received straight to Congressional offices as well as to the House Ways and Means Committee responsible for tax legislation hearings. Respondents to the appeal can add their own comments as well as their messages to both recipient organisations.
ACA chairperson Jonathan Lachowitz told the media the campaign represents exactly the same issue fought for by the country’s founding fathers – fairness as applied to tax measures. US citizens living overseas, he added, want and need the same consideration. The delivery method for replies, he said, sends comments directly to those in government working to support the cause at representative level and will be used in all future campaigns.
In addition, it’s also likely to highlight the plight of ‘accidental Americans’, those born in the USA but leaving with their parents as babies or very young children. Many haven’t been aware until recently that FATCA and other tax laws affect them as if they’d been living in the USA since birth. Last month, UK banks warned they might be forced to close up to 40,000 accounts belonging to British citizens also entitled to USA citizenship by birth due to difficulties with FATCA’s sweeping fines systems on financial institutions which don’t or won’t comply with its reporting rules.
The non-profit American Citizens Abroad support group are urging all affected USA expats to join them in a campaign aimed at fighting the onerous tax compliance burdens incurred by all US citizens living outside the home country. The campaign is making use of an online appeal which guarantees the delivery of all messages received straight to Congressional offices as well as to the House Ways and Means Committee responsible for tax legislation hearings. Respondents to the appeal can add their own comments as well as their messages to both recipient organisations.
ACA chairperson Jonathan Lachowitz told the media the campaign represents exactly the same issue fought for by the country’s founding fathers – fairness as applied to tax measures. US citizens living overseas, he added, want and need the same consideration. The delivery method for replies, he said, sends comments directly to those in government working to support the cause at representative level and will be used in all future campaigns.
In addition, it’s also likely to highlight the plight of ‘accidental Americans’, those born in the USA but leaving with their parents as babies or very young children. Many haven’t been aware until recently that FATCA and other tax laws affect them as if they’d been living in the USA since birth. Last month, UK banks warned they might be forced to close up to 40,000 accounts belonging to British citizens also entitled to USA citizenship by birth due to difficulties with FATCA’s sweeping fines systems on financial institutions which don’t or won’t comply with its reporting rules.
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