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Taxes Prompt More Americans to Renounce Citizenship
Reuters/CNBC ^ | 4/16/12

Posted on 04/16/2012 6:43:58 PM PDT by markomalley

A year ago, in Action Comics, Superman declared plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship.

"'Truth, justice, and the American way' — it's not enough anymore," the comic book superhero said, after both the Iranian and American governments criticized him for joining a peaceful anti-government protest in Tehran.

Last year, almost 1,800 people followed Superman's lead, renouncing their U.S. citizenship or handing in their Green Cards. That's a record number since the Internal Revenue Service began publishing a list of those who renounced in 1998. It's also almost eight times more than the number of citizens who renounced in 2008, and more than the total for 2007, 2008 and 2009 combined.

But not everyone's motivations are as lofty as Superman's. Many say they parted ways with America for tax reasons.

The United States is one of the only countries to tax its citizens on income earned while they're living abroad. And just as Americans stateside must file tax returns each April — this year, the deadline is Tuesday — an estimated 6.3 million U.S. citizens living abroad brace for what they describe as an even tougher process of reporting their income and foreign accounts to the IRS. For them, the deadline is June.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Extended News; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: 2012election; agitprop; antiamericanism; election2012; expats; kenyanbornmuzzie; loveitorleaveit; mittromney; obaamcitizenofworld; obama; obamarenouncedin2008; obamarenouncedusa; rapingmychildhood; renouncecitizenship; superman
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1 posted on 04/16/2012 6:44:04 PM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

I’ve been thinking of becoming an illegal alien myself. We Americans get no respect anymore. As an illegal, I’d have it made in this country. No taxes and lots of handouts.


2 posted on 04/16/2012 6:47:15 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (It's time for the 47% to start paying their "fair share" of income taxes. Hypocrites!)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

No hablo Ingles, Senor.


3 posted on 04/16/2012 6:49:43 PM PDT by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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To: markomalley
The US is the only civilized country on earth that taxes its citizens on worldwide income when they're living outside the country.And our Tax Cheat-In-Chief,Geitner,fully supports that.
4 posted on 04/16/2012 6:50:11 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Unlike Mrs Obama,I've Been Proud Of This Country My *Entire* Life!)
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To: markomalley
If they renounce their citizenship just to avoid taxes, they weren't very good citizens to begin with.

I may end up moving out of the country when I retire but I will NOT renounce my citizenship.

5 posted on 04/16/2012 6:59:21 PM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: markomalley

Fact: The top-earning 1% of US taxpayers are Leaving the USA at the highest rate in history. (Source: INS/Census Bureau & Zogby International estimates)

http://actionamerica.org/taxecon/ticktick.shtml


6 posted on 04/16/2012 7:00:45 PM PDT by Bigun ("The most fearsome words in the English language are I'm from the government and I'm here to help!")
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To: markomalley

If the antichrist wins in November, I could see that number jumping ten fold.


7 posted on 04/16/2012 7:02:38 PM PDT by STJPII
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To: markomalley

Citizenship is overrated.


8 posted on 04/16/2012 7:04:15 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (Liberalism: Carrying adolescent values and behavior into adult life.)
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To: headstamp 2

National IQ probably went down as well.


9 posted on 04/16/2012 7:22:56 PM PDT by Surrounded_too
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To: markomalley
Like many who love the sea and sailing, good friend of mine has talked of sailing around the world for a long time. He is politically astute and did a lot of research into Obama and his colleagues from Chicago. As the health care debate raged on, he and his wife began doing some work on their boat and selling their stuff. They left for a life at sea about 14 months ago. They've spent most of the last year in the Pacific and are now just north of the canal heading for the Virgin Islands and then ...wherever.

We talked last week and I asked him what they miss about 'home' now that they've been gone over a year. He said, "Absolutely NOTHING!"

10 posted on 04/16/2012 7:28:22 PM PDT by Baynative (Please check this out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFIcZkEzc8I)
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To: STJPII
If the antichrist wins in November...

Which one?

11 posted on 04/16/2012 7:29:03 PM PDT by lightman (Adjutorium nostrum (+) in nomine Domini--nevertheless, Vote Santorum!)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

You could still vote too.


12 posted on 04/16/2012 7:35:00 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

“Last year, almost 1,800 people followed Superman’s lead, renouncing their U.S. citizenship or handing in their Green Cards. That’s a record number”

How does that number hold up percentage wise? Dunno, however, was Alec Baldwin on of them? Just hoping.


13 posted on 04/16/2012 7:41:49 PM PDT by Puckster
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To: markomalley

Where is the best place to go? Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore?

No place in the EU, not Brazil, mostly and probably not Eastern Europe.

I remember seeing some kind of freedom index that included taxes. We have discussed leaving the U.S. before. Citizenship here is meaning less and less to me. Family is the only thing that keeps me here now.

Before anyone ridicules about giving up... giving up what? I don’t see a win in this mess ever for anyone.


14 posted on 04/16/2012 7:43:07 PM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: Just another Joe
If they renounce their citizenship just to avoid taxes, they weren't very good citizens to begin with.

I think some crusty old white men did that back in the 1770's....they weren't very good citizens either.

15 posted on 04/16/2012 7:44:23 PM PDT by Repeat Offender (While the wicked stand confounded, call me with Thy Saints surrounded)
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To: Sequoyah101

Good old Heritage Foundation. They study the heck out of things but never produce any solutions.

Freedom index and comparison to other countries:

http://www.heritage.org/index/visualize


16 posted on 04/16/2012 7:46:00 PM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: FlingWingFlyer
I am becoming a conscientious objector to taxes. I believe they are cruel and inhumane when collected by a government that can print half of the money it spends each year thereby inflating the value of all our money away and not having to tax anyone.

Grow a pair, President Obama, end taxes now and spend only freshly printed money from the Federal Reserve computers.

Probably give us a few more good years before the collapse.

17 posted on 04/16/2012 7:49:00 PM PDT by urbanpovertylawcenter (where the law and poverty collide in an urban setting and sparks fly)
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To: STJPII

My Gf is Canadian and a green card holder. She won’t file for citizenship until Klownie the Kenyan and Chewbacca are out.


18 posted on 04/16/2012 7:50:04 PM PDT by max americana
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To: markomalley

Those reasons are much loftier than the formerly super man


19 posted on 04/16/2012 7:50:38 PM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: Sequoyah101

southern laos. central vietnam. small coffee ranch.
if one has to die among strangers i’d choose these.


20 posted on 04/16/2012 7:50:56 PM PDT by RitchieAprile
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