National Taxpayer Advocate – Pushes for Positive Changes for Americans Abroad

The law requires the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) to submit two annual reports to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance, without any prior review or comment from the Internal Revenue Service. The NTA Report for FY 2025 was just issued and includes various NTA advocacy objectives. Two of the … Continue reading National Taxpayer Advocate – Pushes for Positive Changes for Americans Abroad →

IRS “Direct File” Will Become a Permanent Option – But Not for Americans Overseas

The IRS announced on Thursday May 30, it will make Direct File a permanent option for filing federal tax returns starting in the 2025 tax season. Taxpayers who can fit within the Direct File eligibility parameters will be able to file their federal tax return for free, directly with the IRS! No middleman, no TurboTax, … Continue reading IRS “Direct File” Will Become a Permanent Option – But Not for Americans Overseas →

Moving Overseas? 6 U.S. Tax Tips For Expats And Digital Nomads

Imagine the freedom of working from anywhere in the world, with just an internet connection and a trusty laptop. For many Americans, this dream is becoming a reality as the allure of lower taxes, improved quality of life, and better weather beckons. Before embarking on a global adventure, it's essential to understand the intricate U.S. … Continue reading Moving Overseas? 6 U.S. Tax Tips For Expats And Digital Nomads →

Another Breaking! Farhy Overruled – A Big Loss for Overseas Americans

I have written earlier on the case of Farhy v. Commissioner. There the Tax Court held that the IRS does not have the authority to assess and collect penalties asserted under Internal Revenue Code Section 6038(b). In the Farhy case, the assessed penalties were imposed for failure to file Form 5471, the IRS form required … Continue reading Another Breaking! Farhy Overruled – A Big Loss for Overseas Americans →

Insights For Foreigners: Navigating The U.S. Tax Maze Before Residency

As some of my readers know, I am now a contributor writing on Forbes. My coverage area is US international tax law for overseas Americans and foreigners. My article is copied below. It first appeared on Forbes April 14, 2024 here. Don't miss out on my informative and easy-to-understand US tax content - Follow me … Continue reading Insights For Foreigners: Navigating The U.S. Tax Maze Before Residency →

Taxpayer Wins Again on 5471 Penalty – IRS Cannot Assess

In a holding by the US Tax Court on April 8, 2024, the case of Raju J. Mukhi v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue brought into sharp focus the principle of stare decisis and its implications for tax law. The Tax Court rejected the IRS’ assessment of penalties under Section 6038(b), for failure to file Form … Continue reading Taxpayer Wins Again on 5471 Penalty – IRS Cannot Assess →

Billionaires Income Tax On the Way & Covered Expats are Hit Hardest of All

If you or your clients are really (really) wealthy (more than $100 million in annual income or more than $1 billion in assets) and thinking about expatriation (relinquishing US citizenship or a green card as a long-term resident), the time is now. Even if not super wealthy, the newly proposed Billionaires Income Tax should serve … Continue reading Billionaires Income Tax On the Way & Covered Expats are Hit Hardest of All →

Is the US Tax Court Swiss? Taxpayer Loses When Petition Filed 11 Seconds Late

I’ve been married to a Swiss for almost 40 years. I know the critical importance of timeliness. When you say “I’ll be ready in 5 minutes”, believe me, that Swiss watch is ticking. And, so it is with the Tax Court and filing a Tax Court petition in response to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) … Continue reading Is the US Tax Court Swiss? Taxpayer Loses When Petition Filed 11 Seconds Late →

TikTok’s (Wrong) Tax Advice and How the Trust Tax Rules Really Work

My earlier post describing TikTok tax advice as to the magical workings of the “Non-Grantor Irrevocable Complex Discretionary Spendthrift Trust” (NGICDST) proved highly popular. The NGICDST is being marketed heavily on social media platforms and certain business websites. After the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) discovered the promotional material, the agency shut down any notion that … Continue reading TikTok’s (Wrong) Tax Advice and How the Trust Tax Rules Really Work →

Beware TikTok Tax Advice – IRS Tanks a Trust Scheme

This will be a very short post with a few simple lessons I have shared before: Fast tax advice, is like fast fashion. A waste! It's all too often a big mistake with serious repercussions. If something sounds too good to be true, it is. So, if you have not heard of it yet, today’s … Continue reading Beware TikTok Tax Advice – IRS Tanks a Trust Scheme →