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
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
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”
My article copied below, first appeared on Forbes May 11, 2024 – link here. It provides some important tax tips for those in a US/non-US citizen mixed marriage! Follow me on Forbes for easy to understand US international tax coverage. I’d loved to be your “go-to” person when it comes to US tax issues impacting Americans … Continue reading No U.S. Tax Honeymoon When Americans Marry Non-U.S. Citizens
On Wednesday I presented a webinar for the Financial Planning Association’s July International & Cross-Border Planning Knowledge Circle. My webinar highlighted numerous US tax issues when safeguarding the finances of the elderly (or other vulnerable individuals), whether Stateside or overseas. You can listen to the entire webinar here. The Case of the Wicked Stepdaughter A … Continue reading US Tax Issues Abound: A Global Look at Protecting Vulnerable Persons from Financial Fraud (The Case of the Wicked Stepdaughter)
Last week I blogged about how the US tax system can create serious tax problems for the international couple when one is a US person and the other is not. In order to keep things simple, it is often advised that the couple hold assets separately to avoid nasty US tax complications. However, in some … Continue reading The Perfect Storm – US Tax, Community Property & the Mobile International Couple
Foreigner asks: “Can I breathe American air without being subject to US tax?” The answer to that question is a big, fat MAYBE. For starters, it depends how long you were in the US breathing that air. While the question might sound funny, there is absolute truth in the answer. It amazes me how many … Continue reading Breathing American Air – Hazardous to your Wealth? (Part I)
Certain provisions in the United States Internal Revenue Code (Code) are tied to inflation to prevent rising prices from resulting in higher taxes. Annual inflation adjustments have been part of the tax rules for well over 2 decades. These formulas set by Congress help prevent inflation from nudging taxpayers into higher tax brackets and increasing … Continue reading US Tax Inflation Adjustments for 2023 – Impact on the International Family
My earlier blog post discussed some of the complications that arise when certain individuals wish to renounce their US citizenship. The would-be renunciant must give up US citizenship “voluntarily” and with the requisite “intention” in order to meet the legal requirements for an effective renunciation. This can be a difficult hurdle to surmount in the … Continue reading US Citizenship: Do You Really Want It? Brave New World – Assisted Reproductive Technology / Surrogacy / Same-sex Marriage
Meet the Zuhovitzky’s, the quintessential international couple: Jonathan (a naturalized US citizen and Israeli citizen living in Germany) and Esther (an Austrian and Israeli citizen who was never a US citizen or resident). I blogged about them and the IRS’ aggressive stance on asserting so-called FBAR penalties against Jonathan for having a power of attorney … Continue reading FBAR Traps: International Couples, Powers of Attorney
Virginia - US TAX TALK 