What You Should Know About Foreign Insurance And Annuities Foreign insurance products (including annuities) appeal to people for a variety of reasons. First, the payout currency could be something other than U.S. dollars. So, if you are looking for a hedge against the dollar, foreign insurance products can be just the right type of insurance for [...]
Lots of people in the offshore world are talking about China finally enforcing its global taxation rules, which call for Chinese citizens abroad to be taxed in China. For years, I and other offshore editors have shamed the United States by making the point that it is the only country other than Eritrea that taxes […]
Last week’s Taxation 101 (Where To Live Tax-Free) essay was well received but raised lots of questions from American readers, including many to do with what I’d say is maybe the most misunderstood U.S. tax on individuals—the “Exit Tax” Americans have to pay when they give up their U.S. citizenship. To clarify, this is not […]
A handful of the world’s no-tax countries are in the Middle East, including Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. These are not high on my Places I’d Like To Live list. On the other hand, spending your working years in one of these zero-tax jurisdictions would allow you to grow your retirement nest egg faster.
A friend told me this week that his parents are looking to move overseas for their retirement to save taxes. He recognizes but hasn’t been able to help them understand that that isn’t a realistic objective given their circumstances. My friend’s parents are retired government workers receiving government pensions. Pension income is not eligible for […]
One of the benefits of hosting conferences around the world is the chance they give me to spend focused time with key contacts in key markets. It’s at our conferences that I find out about ear-to-the-ground kinds of opportunities that usually don’t make it beyond a small circle of investor-friends. This week in Medellin, for […]
A reporter from the mainstream press contacted me recently asking if I could introduce him to an American who has given up his (or her) citizenship. The reporter is doing a story on the growing number Americans expatriating and wanted a firsthand story to tell. Unfortunately, none of the people I know who have expatriated […]
A U.S. friend trying to figure out his tax situation after moving overseas recently used the word “tiresome” to explain his position on U.S. taxes offshore. Specifically, he was referring to all the forms he now may or may not need to file. Does he meet the threshold for filing the FBAR and Form 8938? […]
“You’ll notice that Lief is in his office as usual,” I wrote this morning to our Panama City staff. “However,” I continued, “he asks that you pretend that he’s not. That is, except in case of critical emergency or dire need, please steer clear of Lief’s desk today.” Tomorrow is Tax Day for us and […]
Late Tax Filing Concerns Of The American Abroad The tax filing deadline for U.S. persons was Monday. Today, the IRS, in its "Tax Tips" e-letter, detailed the penalties for not filing your 1040 form on time. In fact, you face two potential penalties related your 1040 form. Failure to file on time and failure to [...]
Offshore Living Letter is a publication of Live and Invest Overseas. Our goal is to provide timely, actionable information on all things offshore, including: how to go offshore, diversifying your portfolio, wealth creation, protecting your assets, and much more.