Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D. — US tax matters affecting international clients
Each year, thousands of children are born overseas to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-U.S. parent. Under U.S. immigration law, many of these children are U.S. citizens from birth, provided the American parent satisfies a relatively simple test: at least five years of physical presence in the United States, with two of those years … Continue reading Unregistered U.S. Citizenship: Hidden Risks For American Born Abroad
Many children born overseas to a U.S. parent are U.S. citizens from birth. This is so even if the parents never registered the birth at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy, or applied for a U.S. passport for the child. Some parents view this as a way to keep the child outside the U.S. tax system, … Continue reading Born Abroad, American by Law: Should You Register Your Child?
When love crosses borders, tax complexity often follows. I know this from first-hand experience having married a Swiss national almost 4 decades ago. When U.S. citizens marry foreign nationals who are not U.S. tax residents a host of U.S. tax rules can upend marital bliss by causing tax compliance complexities that are often difficult to … Continue reading A Complicated U.S. Tax Life: Foreign Spouses And Community Property
Hello subscribers, global go-getters, expats, and anyone navigating the maze of US taxes abroad! I've got some exciting updates that'll make your financial life smoother and your dreams of living overseas a whole lot less taxing. First, I just rolled out a complete refresh of my flagship US Tax Primer for American Expatriates Worldwide and … Continue reading Exciting Update: Revamped US Tax Primer for Expats & Global Citizens + Must-Watch YouTube Interviews!
Nearly a year ago, in the waning days of the 118th Congress, Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL) introduced a groundbreaking piece of legislation that sent ripples through the expatriate community and the international tax world: the Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad Act (H.R. 10468). As I detailed in my earlier Forbes article, this bill represented a bold step … Continue reading Former IRS Leaders Endorse Residency-Based Tax For Americans Abroad
On September 19, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas upended IRS FBAR enforcement in United States v. Sagoo (No. 4:24-cv-01159, N.D. Tex. 2025). Sharnjeet Sagoo, a U.S. taxpayer with international ties, faced over $1 million in penalties for alleged willful failures of the Bank Secrecy Act requirement to report foreign … Continue reading The Sagoo Case: FBAR’s Reckoning In A Globalized World
Learn all about FBAR and expand services to your clients with confidence. Maybe even land Pope Leo XIV as a new client since his Holiness probably has to file FinCEN Form 114 for the Vatican Bank's accounts. Understand your own compliance risks and what to do if you are not compliant. This is the FBAR … Continue reading WEBINAR – Back By Popular Demand FBAR, FBAR, FBAR!
Yesterday, the world welcomed Pope Leo XIV, a U.S. citizen, as the newly elected Pope, marking a historic moment for the Catholic Church. But amid the papal fanfare, a quirky tax question arises: could His Holiness need to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) for the Vatican Bank’s accounts? It’s a … Continue reading Does Pope Leo XIV Have to File an FBAR? U.S. Citizenship and God’s Bank
A recent decision reminds taxpayers and the tax compliance community of the importance of filing the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in United States v. Hendler, 23 Civ. 3280 (Sept. 17, 2024) has clarified the enduring nature of penalties tied to FBAR. … Continue reading The Hendler Case: FBAR Penalties Survive Beyond Death
As the April 15 tax filing deadline approaches, U.S. persons with foreign financial accounts must be aware of their obligation to file the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, commonly called the “FBAR”. The filing deadline is April 15, the same due date as one’s U.S. income tax return, but there is an automatic … Continue reading FBAR Due Date: Triggers And Key Compliance Rules For U.S. Taxpayers
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