Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: pluvmantelo
My sense of the currency is that a substantial part of its 'value' is that it can be used anonymously. Absent that, its risks seem to far outweigh its benefits.

Absolutely. See my post #27 (I posted it without seeing your response or I'd include you in CC as well).

To my limited understanding, anyway.

You seem to understand it much better than most people bantering about it.

[Major] Swiss banks prided themselves on anonymity. Now, after the IRS and SEC crackdowns, several Swiss bankers and many US citizens are behind bars and/or paid heavy fines and penalties for tax evasion. Singapore is considering "financial transparency" cooperation with the US banking system and tax authorities.

The recent US law, called FATCA / Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (ironically, rhyming with the word "fatcat" that Obama, Dems and Occupy-ers used notoriously against "Wall Street" and "banksters") significantly increased compliance costs and disclosures of all undeclared income or assets.

That, plus some of the highest taxes among the industrial countries (including double or triple taxation and extreme burden of bureaucratic regulatory compliance), is but one major reason for a record number of US citizens giving up their citizenship in recent years (Tina Turner is one most recent high-profile example).

And it includes not just very wealthy, but many [former] Americans living and/or working overseas - many banks there close and/or refuse to open new accounts for US citizens.

28 posted on 11/20/2013 2:22:20 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]


To: CutePuppy

As I recall, the heavy handed behavior of our taxmen earned us no small amount of enmity from the Swiss.


29 posted on 11/20/2013 3:10:15 PM PST by pluvmantelo (Islam-No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson