2014 Mar 25 – Krishna

 
Vern Krishna
U.S. steps up tax enforcement beyond its borders
Financial Post (25 Mar 2014)

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/03/26/vern-krishna-u-s-steps-up-tax-enforcement-beyond-its-borders/

A brief account of increased US enforcement of its tax regime on extraterritorial US person.
 

2014 Mar 11 – Melnitzer

 
Julius Melnitzer
Border shakeup could have tax consequences for snowbirds
Financial Post (11 Mar 2014)

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/03/11/border-shakeup-could-have-tax-consequences-for-snowbirds/

After 30 June 2014, cross-border initiatives will track Canadian ingress and egress at the US border. “A snowbird who is in the U.S. too long also risks becoming a deemed U.S. resident subject to tax on worldwide income.”
 

2014 Mar 11 – Wood

 
Robert W. Wood
American tax hustle for U.S. citizens abroad
Forbes (11 Mar 2014)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/03/11/american-hustle-for-u-s-citizens-abroad/

Outline of three compliance options: streamlined, voluntary disclosure, quiet disclosure. Also a brief summary of four expatriation options.
 

2014 Mar 10 – Jeker

 
Virginia La Torre Jeker
The tax non-compliant American abroad: what are your choices?
Angloinfo (10 Mar 2014)

http://blogs.angloinfo.com/us-tax/2014/03/10/the-tax-non-compliant-american-abroad-what-are-your-choices/

“The typical client I assist owes little, or no tax after taking into account foreign tax credits and foreign earned income and housing exclusion amounts … [but] is potentially subject to huge penalties.” Options are outlined: voluntary disclosure, quiet disclosure, streamlined procedure. Specific comment also focuses on high/low risk classifications and what qualifies as “reasonable cause”
argument.
 

2014 Mar 10 – Melnitzer

 
Julius Melnitzer
Canada’s draft legislation undermines FATCA agreement with U.S.
Financial Post (10 Mar 2014)

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/03/10/canadas-draft-legislation-undermines-fatca-agreement-with-u-s/

Tax lawyer Roy Berg of Calgary’s Moodys Gartner Tax Law warns that Canada’s intended implementation of FATCA legislation may prove invalid because of definition of “financial institutions.”
 

2014 Mar 8 – Hjelmgaard

 
Kim Hjelmgaard
Americans abroad find citizenship too taxing to keep
USA Today (8 Mar 2014)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/03/08/usa-citizens-relinquish-passports-tax-filing/5859371/

Two extraterritorial US persons in Switzerland tell their stories. One has already renounced, and the other is considering that action. US citizenship renunciation totaled 3000 in 2013, a 221% rise from the preceding year. Two tax professionals describe the difficulties and costs of filing. “A poll conducted by the de Vere Group, a financial consultancy, late last year revealed that 68% of American expatriates have considered giving up their U.S. citizenship as a result of FATCA.”
 

2014 Mar 3 – Jatras

 
James George Jatras
Enforce Canadian law, not FATCA
Toronto Star (3 Mar 2014)

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/03/03/enforce_canadian_law_not_fatca.html

A Washington-based lobbyist sees Canada’s capitulation to FATCA’s “expensive, invasive and anti-sovereign demand” as unnecessary. He refutes Canada’s excuses under five points of failure: to lobby, to negotiate the best deal, to protect privacy, to avoid costs, to obtain reciprocity.