- Jane Bruno’s letter to the Treasury Department about Form 8938
- URGENT: Tell the IRS what you think of their new financial report form!
- Living Abroad: What Do You Know?
- Higher Passport and Consular Fees
- How New US Banking Laws Threaten Overseas Americans
- Banks blasted for fee smokescreens
- States Move to Allow Overseas and Military Voters to Cast Ballots by Internet
- More American Expatriates Give Up Citizenship
- U.S. Expat Taxes Drive Americans to Give Up Citizenship
- What the Health Care Overhaul Means for Americans Abroad
- Internet Voting, Still in Beta
- Medicare Savings: Is the Answer in Mexico?
AARO - Association of Americans Resident Overseas
Overseas Americans Week 2013
An AARO delegation consisting of President Lucy Laederich, Vice President Ellen Lebelle, and John Fredenberger and Tim Ramier from the tax team spent the week of February 11 in Washington for the annual round of meetings with staffers on the Hill and with key agencies. They were joined by representatives of ACA and FAWCO.
This year the focus was on FATCA and other US tax-related issues many of our members are grappling with. The delegates also urged support for Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act (see Latest News below) and for the Voter Empowerment Act. All the legislators contacted by the three groups were encouraged to join the Americans Abroad Caucus, which we hope will become a strong voice speaking for us in the House of Representatives.
See the full list of "overall goals" and position papers by clicking on the right-hand side of the AARO home page and "watch this space" for a report soon after OAW.
Study shows improvements in the overseas voting process
According to the 2012 post-election survey conducted by the Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF), the overseas voting process was clearly improved in the first full federal election since passage of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act of 2009.
An article by Brian Knowlton in the New York Times shows that while a little over 20% of UOCAVA* voters were still unable to vote due to ballots that were late or not received, increased use of technology by both voters and elections officials did make the difference for many voters. More than half, for example, received their blank ballot electronically. Ironically, it was technicological glitches that thwarted some voters but election officials, vendors and those who provide voters with voting materials have a little time to fix those before the next test in 2014…
Click here to see the full NYT article by Brian Knowlton.
* UOCAVA: Uniformed and Overseas Civilians Absentee Voting Act
6.32 Million Americans Abroad Map
More than 6.32 million Americans (excluding military) live in 160-plus countries.
Read more...
- AARO is a volunteer, non-partisan service organization representing the interests of more than 6.32 million U.S. citizens living and working abroad. Its mission is to ensure that Americans resident overseas are guaranteed the same rights and privileges as their counterparts in the U.S.
- AARO updates its members on vital issues such as taxation, citizenship, voting rights and Social Security through its quarterly newsletter, bimonthly e-mail bulletins, periodic seminars and other events. It also conducts ongoing advocacy efforts in Washington.
- AARO offers a reasonably priced health insurance plan to members who are U.S. citizens living overseas.
- Learn more about AARO, listen to a World Radio Paris interview.
Why I joined AARO
AARO has members in 38 countries and we're growing every day!
Watch video clips from Americans living abroad who support AARO by their membership.
Want to join us?
Visit our How To Join page.
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Debate Corner
A Few Ideas for Resolving the American Diaspora Tax War
The following proposals are published, with permission, from The Franco-American Flophouse (thefranco-americanflophouse.blogspot.com).
There is a lively discussion going on over at Mother Jones in response to their article, Rand Paul Wants to Loosen Laws on Offshore Tax Evasion. The article refers to a bill sponsored by Senator Rand Paul to repeal FATCA.
You can learn more about Paul's effort at Overseas Exile and Repeal FATCA. The latter is reporting that Paul's bill has been endorsed by the U.S. Credit Union National Association.
In one comment a FATCA supporter asked a very good question, "So if you folks hate FATCA, what is your counter-proposal?"