Blog
Keeping America Safe from…Cigars
One of the responsibilities that must keep President Obama awake at night is to keep track of exactly who America’s enemies really are. Fortunately, he has a government agency to rely on for that purpose—the intrepid bureaucrats at the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. As soon as a president officially declares that a specific [...]
A Blueprint for a Transition to a Peacetime Economy
(This post is a little different from my usual writings, but I think it’s important to understand the relationship between militarism and the loss of civil and political rights. It’s also important to understand there is a way out of militarism, as discussed in the conclusion.) America has been at war my entire life. In [...]
Listen for Free to “The Second Passports and Expatriation Report”
It’s now been five weeks since my friend and colleague “P.T. Freeman” launched “The Second Passports and Expatriation Report: The Life of a Perpetual Traveler” on the Overseas Radio Network. P.T. was born in the USA, but obtained citizenship and passport from the Commonwealth of Dominica, and subsequently gave up his U.S. citizenship and passport. [...]
Should You Plan on Dying in 2012? [Part I]
You might, if you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and want to spare your heirs from paying estate tax at a rate as high as 55%. But don’t make your funeral arrangements just yet. Congress might change the law before the end of 2012. In 2001, Congress radically retooled federal wealth transfer tax laws. [...]
Geothermal Development in Dominica Promises Energy Independence
Greetings from Roseau, the capital and largest city in the Commonwealth of Dominica! On my flight into Dominica, I sat beside a friendly gentleman from Iceland. I asked him if there was a connection between Iceland and Dominica. The answer he gave me was quite interesting, and very favorable for the long-term interests of Dominica. [...]
Will Mitt Romney Tone Down the U.S. “War on Offshore?”
I don’t spend much time following the U.S. presidential campaign. My assumption is that every candidate will promptly forget everything he promised as soon as he is inaugurated. This is particularly true if the promise is to limit governmental powers or authority. For instance, candidate Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay prison, end warrantless wiretapping, [...]
Your Ancestry and a “Commonwealth Passport” May Qualify You for a U.K. Work Visa
If you have a British grandparent and are also a citizen of a Commonwealth country (definition here), you can apply to live and work in the United Kingdom. My friend Suzanne, a Canadian citizen, recently did it and passed the latest rules on to me from the U.K. Home Office: You can apply to come [...]
Mind the Snail Mail!
By L. Burke Files We seem to be very conscious of e-mail security, but are often oblivious to the security of the “snail mail” we receive at our homes and offices. Recently, in our role as consultants in the due diligence arena, we were asked a series of questions relating to personal and corporate snail [...]
Attention: U.S. Expats in or Near Vienna, Austria
James C. Sexton, Jr., LL.M., one of my business partners, will be in Vienna Feb. 15, 2012 to deliver a presentation focusing on the U.S. tax and disclosure obligations for U.S. citizens or long-term residents living overseas. Jim is my”go-to” guy when I have questions about the arcane world of U.S. international tax laws and [...]
2012 May Bring More Options for Economic Citizenship
If you don’t already have a second passport, and don’t qualify for one via ancestry, marriage, or extended residence in that country, you may be able to acquire this document through an investment or contribution. (If you’re not already familiar with the benefits of a second passport, click here.) At present, only two countries have [...]