Countries demanding taxes from their expatriots

It's probably the only one that taxes non-resident citizens at the same rate as residents.

It wouldn't have much effect on jobs in countries with relatively high tax rates (such as most of Europe) where a tax treaty exists, but it would affect lucrative ex-pat positions or ex-pat entrepreneurs in countries where such earnings are taxed at very low or zero rates (or retirement in places where foreign-source income is lightly taxed or untaxed).

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

"The Journey is the reward"

eff.com

all this complexity..

at some point in future the Internet will make national governments obsolete.

Mark

Why ask here? It's a rather technical tax question, and there are probably user groups that exist to discuss that kind of question.

Search with the word "expatriates" in your search string might help you find them, though I'm afraid that this may all be a little too complicated to the right-wing brain.

Using "expatriates income tax US" on the Groups.google.com search machine did thrown up quite a lot of tedious stuff.

Not if governments get there first.

Right, we can settle disputes by having wars on Second Life.

(Perhaps you need to turn off your computer and go outside for a bit.)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

The Internet? I thought this was the mission of multi-national corporations...

Bill

here the two countries involved would share the loot at what ever is the highest tax rate of the two countries unless I'm out of the country more than the magic 183 days, they I should pay each country for the period I'm a there, but at a rate calculated for the whole years income

-Lasse

Arguably the Internet and cellular technology, GPS technology, WiFi maps, electronic transaction reporting and processing etc. (once the current disruptive phase works its way through) will greatly strengthen major governments and large corporations (particularly when the two cooperate closely), since it is surely the most effective surveillance and data gathering tool ever invented (although the old Chinese neighborhood committee technique of using old women would be a pretty formidable competitor). Public opinion is easily manipulated when you have information and money- so it works just fine in a capitalist/fascist more-or-less democratic system.

How much would you have to pay people to carry a tracking device around with them? Many of us do that AND pay handsomely for the priviledge.

I think those claiming the technology will be used otherwise are ignoring other historical examples of things such as television that ended up being used in ways quite different from rosy predictions of how they could be used.

As far as wars go, people behave even more mob-like and lemming-like when they can communicate instantaneously, so all you have to do is to uncover or create and amplify a suitable outrage and anything can be justified. You don't have to shout down the dissenters, the raw tribal behavior dictated by human nature will cause the group to do that for you (and maybe much worse). I predict a rosy future for the makers of all types of weapons.

--sp

What was it again that you call a political system with close cooperation of government and big business?

It's funny how nobody goes to jail any more (if they're big players, I mean). They just get a shakedown which ends up being paid for by the stockholders and/or the public and it's back to business again...

Actually, what prompted my post was the recent news about the French actor Deperdieu's move to Belgium to avoid paying the higher French taxes. So, I guess those EU tax treaties do not cover everything.

In Deperdieu's case, a 1/4 mile across the border saves millions ;-) ...Jim Thompson

Can't blame him. The libertarian streak in me tends to resent the US practice of reaching into its citizens' pockets even across the border where Uncle Sam has not contributed anything to those earnings.

But, diplomatic support of citizens abroad IS a major contribution, as is the occasional negotiation at gunpoint. Remember Grenada.

But other countries also provide that to their citizens without taxing them for it.