Forms W-8BEN and W-9: Which to Use, When, and Why Many Get It Wrong

It is crucial to understand the differences between Form W-8BEN and Form W-9 when receiving payments from U.S. sources. This is especially so if the taxpayer operates, invests, or maintains financial accounts overseas. Many taxpayers get this wrong, often to their detriment. This article provides the guidance needed to understand which form is required and … Continue reading Forms W-8BEN and W-9: Which to Use, When, and Why Many Get It Wrong →

USCIS Update: Citizenship, Denaturalization, Tax Compliance, Moral Character

In recent months, several seemingly unrelated developments in U.S. law and policy have begun to converge in a way that should capture the attention of tax professionals, immigration lawyers, and globally mobile individuals. On one front, the Department of Justice continues to press denaturalization cases against U.S. citizens who obtained their status by fraud or … Continue reading USCIS Update: Citizenship, Denaturalization, Tax Compliance, Moral Character →

U.S. Tax Rules: IRAs After Giving Up Citizenship Or Green Card

Imagine over the years that you’ve built a nest egg in a U.S. Individual Retirement Account, Roth IRA, or Simplified Employee Pension IRA. This is a common scenario for many U.S. citizens and green card holders while working in the United States. In a scenario that is becoming increasingly more common, imagine that after years … Continue reading U.S. Tax Rules: IRAs After Giving Up Citizenship Or Green Card →

Denaturalized Citizens Forced To Exit, Can’t Escape Exit Tax

In the heart of America’s immigration debate, a lesser-known but seismic issue is emerging. The intersection of denaturalization and the expatriation tax regime is an explosive topic that has not yet been explored. If the expatriation regime applies to a denaturalized citizen, it imposes an exit tax through a deemed sale of worldwide assets as … Continue reading Denaturalized Citizens Forced To Exit, Can’t Escape Exit Tax →

PODCAST! Crash Course Info! Renouncing US Citizenship / Relinquishing Green Card – Beware The Exit Tax and More

A very informative podcast - I would say it's a crash course on the US #expatriation regime including the recently issued final IRS regs on the Sec. 2801 transfer tax, lots of tax tips including gifting issues to get below USD 2 million threshold, what NOT TO DO if CBP wants you to sign I-407 … Continue reading PODCAST! Crash Course Info! Renouncing US Citizenship / Relinquishing Green Card – Beware The Exit Tax and More →

Giving Up Citizenship Or Green Card: Harsh Tax On Social Security

A portion of an individual’s U.S. Social Security retirement, survivors, or disability benefits may be subject to U.S. income tax, regardless if the individual is a U.S. or non-U.S. person. Before delving into the details about tax on Social Security, it is helpful to understand the different nomenclature when it comes to certain benefits. Social … Continue reading Giving Up Citizenship Or Green Card: Harsh Tax On Social Security →

40% Transfer Tax: IRS Final Say On Foreign Gifts, Bequests From “Covered Expatriates”

Seventeen years after Congress enacted IRC Section 2801, the IRS (finally) released final regulations implementing the law on January 10, 2025. It’s been a long wait. The regulations clarify (to a certain extent) the tax implications for U.S. persons receiving certain gifts and bequests from former U.S. citizens and long-term resident green card holders. At its … Continue reading 40% Transfer Tax: IRS Final Say On Foreign Gifts, Bequests From “Covered Expatriates” →

Breaking! Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad May Become Reality

Representative Darin LaHood just introduced on December 18 the Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad Act, aiming to modernize the US tax system for Americans living overseas. This proposal seeks to shift from the current citizenship-based taxation—which taxes US citizens on their worldwide income regardless of residence—to a residency-based system. The existing US tax framework has … Continue reading Breaking! Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad May Become Reality →

Surrender Green Card At The Border: Form I-407, U.S. Tax Expatriation

U.S. immigration law assumes that a person admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) will live there permanently. Remaining outside the United States for an extended period, may possibly result in a loss of LPR status. Long periods spent outside of America can result in problems upon re-entry at the … Continue reading Surrender Green Card At The Border: Form I-407, U.S. Tax Expatriation →

Green Card Holder Works Abroad: Tricky U.S. Tax And Immigration Issues

Navigating the intricacies of U.S. tax laws can be challenging, especially for green card holders living abroad. Green card holders have concerns that remaining outside the United States for too long may result in loss of the green card. One area that often causes confusion for green card holders is the “foreign earned income exclusion,” … Continue reading Green Card Holder Works Abroad: Tricky U.S. Tax And Immigration Issues →