How the IRS beat up the Constitution
As a US citizen or permanent resident, you are forgiven for the belief you have the right to remain silent. “Pleading the fifth” (amendment), is such common chorus in American culture, it's near cliché by now.
Judge Rules FBI Can Hack Your Email (Here’s How You Can Stop Them)
What’s the biggest threat to our civil liberties? Is it a Congress hellbent on closing all loopholes left to US citizens grasping for privacy?
The Taxman Can’t Do Math
Last month, lawmakers in Massachusetts approved a constitutional amendment that will lead to the departure of many of the state’s wealthiest and most productive citizens.
Orwell Could Never Have Predicted This
I love technology. I can’t imagine life without modern conveniences like telephones, email, and the internet. Not to mention running water, air conditioning, and automobiles.
Giving Up U.S. Citizenship: The Real Numbers are Much Higher
Expatriation – deliberately giving up your US citizenship and passport – is admittedly a touchy topic. Congressman Sam Gibbons (D-FL), referring to expatriates, spoke of “the despicable act of renouncing allegiance to the United States.â€
Visa and Passport Fraud “Red Flags”
It was the perfect pitch for 1,076 young foreigners who had just graduated from a US university but didn’t want to return home. They could continue their studies at the University of Northern New Jersey without bothering to attend class, take tests, or butt heads with professors.
Panama Papers Analysis: Offshore Truth Unveiled
That’s what the headlines should have proclaimed. But they didn’t. Instead, when announcing the theft of more than 11.5 million records from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, ...
The IRS could stop you from flying. Here’s how…
Imagine arriving at your local airport one morning for a domestic flight to a neighboring city. You approach the security checkpoint and the TSA lackey asks for your identification.
Making America Great… One Lawsuit at a Time
Donald Trump’s legal antics underscore something that’s very wrong with the US legal system. When he encounters someone who says or writes something he doesn’t like, or refuses to be bullied, he sues.
Reasons NOT to Keep Your Cash in the Bank
It’s bad enough depositing your money into a bank account and earning essentially zero interest on it, or in some countries, having a negative interest rate.
It all started 2,300 years ago…
300 years before the birth of Christ, a man named Neoptolemus took what was alleged to be his ill-gotten gains and fled the city-state of Athens. The leader of Athens, Lycurgus, demanded that Neoptolemus be executed for fleeing with his wealth.
So what else are they (the IRS) lying about?
In the runup to April 15’s tax-filing deadline, the IRS has once again published a list of what it calls its “Dirty Dozen” tax scams.
Gold vs. Fiat Currency: Opportunities and Challenges
Economist John Maynard Keynes is often quoted as calling it the “barbarous relic.” Soviet revolutionary Vladimir Lenin said he would build toilets out of it, as the ultimate symbol of capitalist waste.
IRS Expatriation Report: 1998-2015
Earlier this month, the Federal Register published its quarterly list of former US citizens and permanent residents who have “expatriated,” i.e., given up their US citizenship or permanent residence.
You, an accidental terrorist? Thank Ted Cruz
It’s bad enough that the US government has the authority to revoke your passport if you have a “seriously delinquent tax debt.” That little gem was buried in the 2015 Highway Funding Bill, which President Obama signed in December.
Best Place to Launder Money (Surprisingly)
I’m in the executive lounge at Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Martin drinking double espressos and waiting for a connecting flight to Charlotte.
The dirty little secret about EU passports
Greetings from the island of Nevis! I’m here dealing with yearend formalities associated with Fortress Trust Ltd., a registered agent for Nevis trusts, LLCs, and IBCs.
Civil Forfeiture Case: Police Seized His House for $40
When I was nine years old, I was one of the smallest students in my fourth grade class. With my small size, not to mention my smart mouth, I attracted more than my share of elementary school bullies.
Potential Threats to Puerto Rico’s Tax Cuts
In the 30 years I’ve been writing about developments in the offshore world, I’ve been called a lot of things: “Insightfulâ€â€¦ â€thoughtfulâ€â€¦ but also “misguidedâ€â€¦ and (my personal favorite) “pessimistic.â€
Should we start saving the “Chinese dollar”?
Three weeks ago, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the Chinese renminbi (aka yuan) would join a group of other currencies to comprise what’s called the SDR (Special Drawing Rights) basket.
Swiss Banking Secrecy for Americans: Myth or Reality
From 2006–2008, Falciani worked in HSBC’s information technology department. While there, he secretly downloaded the account details of more than 100,000 HSBC clients.
It’s (Almost) Official: Tax Debt = No Passport
The paragons of public virtue that make up the US Congress really, really want to crack down on tax cheats. Thanks to a highway funding bill about to head to President Obama’s desk, if you owe the IRS more than $50,000, you’ll lose your passport.
Austria: Anonymous Storage and The World’s Safest Bank
I just finished a week’s visit to Vienna, where I lived from 2003-2005 while earning a LL.M (Master of Laws) in international tax law at a local university.
The Impact of Negative Interest Rates on Your Finances
It might sound like a conspiracy theory spun by right-wing crazies. But judging by the increasing desperation of governments to reboot the world economy, it just might happen.
How to Stay Off the “No Fly” List
Airport security in the USA is a joke, and a bad one at that. It’s easy to create a fake boarding pass with Photoshop. And it’s not much harder to create fake identification documents.
Watch Out for these 3 Offshore Scams
You could be forgiven for believing offshore frauds are a thing of the past. After all, with “Know Your Customer” rules that practically require you to submit to a DNA test to open an offshore account, you wouldn’t think it’s exactly easy for scam artists to bank the proceeds of fraud.
How to Protect Yourself from Border Big Brother
Big Brother is alive and well at US border crossings. The latest example comes from published accounts describing the recent ordeal of the mayor of Stockton, California, at the San Francisco International Airport.
Your Data Isn’t Safe in the USA
In 2013, former National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden stunned the world by revealing top-secret details of the agency’s data collection practices.
The Big Biz, Big Gov World of Donald Trump
A hidden danger of a government that intervenes in every aspect of its citizens’ lives is that it develops harmful alliances with the rich and powerful.
The Canadians to save us from FATCA? Maybe…
FATCA, officially known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, is probably the worst law that most Americans don't know about.
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