Guys...it's official. I'm an Accidental American.
If you know me you may know that I was born in America. Me and my (British) mother left the states when I was but 7 months old and have never returned.
Fast forward 28 years later. I now live and work in Sweden. Not too long ago my Swedish bank informed me that I should look into my tax obligations in America, since it states on my identity that I was born there.
"Tax? In America? How?" Thought I. "I've never lived or worked there, how can I owe them tax?" How very foolish I was. Little did I know that the USA have some wacky law that states that all citizens are obligated to file and pay taxes (well of course, makes sense)...regardless of whether they actually live or work in the country (OK, less sense being made...).
Here is a link which explains my situation in more detail:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental_American
My mother had me registered as a British citizen when I was born and in all the stress of leaving my father and moving back to the UK, did not realise how my American citizenship would affect my tax obligations when I became an adult, obligations which include me filing and paying taxes every year since I turned 18, which I of course have not done. This means that if I went to 'Merica today they'd lock me right up in prison for Tax Evasion. Now, as rock and roll as that sounds, it's not exactly what I'd had planned.
So, the new plan:
I have a lawyer. He is helping me. He will file my taxes and explain my situation to the American tax agency. In order for this to take less time, effort and money (and stop me having to file every year for the rest of my life) he recommends that I renounce my American citizenship.
Additionally, I currently have a residence permit here in Sweden on the grounds that I am a European citizen. That is on its way to not being the case soon thanks to a lovely little thing called Brexit.
In order to apply for Swedish citizenship and stay here long term I need to renounce one of my other two citizenships (British or American).
Considering my past, my situation and my accent, I'm keeping the British one and have decided to say goodbye to the 'Land of the Free' (ahem...).
Here's where it gets super fun - according to my lawyer the entire process of renouncing my citizenship, filing 10 years worth of taxes and proving that I didn't evade them on purpose will cost me the friendly neighborhood sum of around 5000USD (around 50.000 Swedish crowns). Yup.
2500USD = Renouncement application and fee
3000USD = Tax filing and legal fees.
Y'all, I work in the arts. That kind of money does not come easy.
So I've decided to ask for help - not for the whole amount, I feel that would be a little cheeky since I still feel responsible for my own situation. I'm asking for a buffer while I spend the next year saving my butt off.
Any small amount would incur my eternal gratitude and debt. I know times are hard and money is tight everywhere but until they decide to finally tax those 6 billionaires that are ruining the world, we're still going to have to rely on others to help us out in a pinch.
So this is me, in a pinch, asking for help.
Thank you for reading.
If you know me you may know that I was born in America. Me and my (British) mother left the states when I was but 7 months old and have never returned.
Fast forward 28 years later. I now live and work in Sweden. Not too long ago my Swedish bank informed me that I should look into my tax obligations in America, since it states on my identity that I was born there.
"Tax? In America? How?" Thought I. "I've never lived or worked there, how can I owe them tax?" How very foolish I was. Little did I know that the USA have some wacky law that states that all citizens are obligated to file and pay taxes (well of course, makes sense)...regardless of whether they actually live or work in the country (OK, less sense being made...).
Here is a link which explains my situation in more detail:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidental_American
My mother had me registered as a British citizen when I was born and in all the stress of leaving my father and moving back to the UK, did not realise how my American citizenship would affect my tax obligations when I became an adult, obligations which include me filing and paying taxes every year since I turned 18, which I of course have not done. This means that if I went to 'Merica today they'd lock me right up in prison for Tax Evasion. Now, as rock and roll as that sounds, it's not exactly what I'd had planned.
So, the new plan:
I have a lawyer. He is helping me. He will file my taxes and explain my situation to the American tax agency. In order for this to take less time, effort and money (and stop me having to file every year for the rest of my life) he recommends that I renounce my American citizenship.
Additionally, I currently have a residence permit here in Sweden on the grounds that I am a European citizen. That is on its way to not being the case soon thanks to a lovely little thing called Brexit.
In order to apply for Swedish citizenship and stay here long term I need to renounce one of my other two citizenships (British or American).
Considering my past, my situation and my accent, I'm keeping the British one and have decided to say goodbye to the 'Land of the Free' (ahem...).
Here's where it gets super fun - according to my lawyer the entire process of renouncing my citizenship, filing 10 years worth of taxes and proving that I didn't evade them on purpose will cost me the friendly neighborhood sum of around 5000USD (around 50.000 Swedish crowns). Yup.
2500USD = Renouncement application and fee
3000USD = Tax filing and legal fees.
Y'all, I work in the arts. That kind of money does not come easy.
So I've decided to ask for help - not for the whole amount, I feel that would be a little cheeky since I still feel responsible for my own situation. I'm asking for a buffer while I spend the next year saving my butt off.
Any small amount would incur my eternal gratitude and debt. I know times are hard and money is tight everywhere but until they decide to finally tax those 6 billionaires that are ruining the world, we're still going to have to rely on others to help us out in a pinch.
So this is me, in a pinch, asking for help.
Thank you for reading.