More Americans than ever are giving up their US citizenship. In the last quarter of 2009, 502 Americans officially renounced their US citizenship.
The US State Department estimates about 5-1/2 million Americans live overseas. So that's a miniscule percentage of Americans abroad who actually renounced citizenship. Given the delays in obtaining appointments to renounce, and the numbers awaiting citizenship elsewhere (a prerequisite to renunciation), those numbers are set to increase even more dramatically.
How to renounce US citizenship? In a nutshell, first obtain citizenship & passport elsewhere, and establish foreign residence in that country of new citizenship or a third country. Make an appointment at the nearest US consulate to your new home. Fill out forms. Take the oath of renunciation. Wait for your certification of renunciation. This last is the most crucial because until you get that, you are still a taxpayer in the eyes of the IRS!
As long as the US remains the only major country in the world to tax citizens and "US persons" on worldwide income even when they live (and pay taxes!) in another country, the only way out from under onerous IRS tax regulations is expatriation. And the US will remain uncompetitive on world markets as long as US persons and businesses are taxed to death.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
RyanAir v. EasyJet: The No-Frills Wars
The debate rages over cheap no-frills airlines, RyanAir & EasyJet, in Europe. At one review site, RyanAir ranks 2.8 out of 5, while EasyJet rates 2.5 on the scale.
No-frills means exactly that! Do not expect space, water, food, or anything else. No-frills airlines are generally cattle cars designed solely to move lots of people short hauls at cheap rates.
BYO: Bring your own beverage and snack or sandwich, even if you eat at the airport. Flights are often delayed - by summer crowds, sudden thunderstorms or windshear dangers somewhere en route, even volcanos. Have something with you. Bring your own entertainment: book, 'puter with work or games, earbuds, battery-operated DVD player, etc. Remember your trench coat & use it for a pillow or blanket, as needed.
Watch those scales! Airline scales around the world seem to need inspection and Truth in Advertising as well as Truth in Measurement monitors. Weigh your bags, dispute inaccuracies, reweigh on a different scale. Of course, watch your bag weights even before heading to the airport.
Only book shorter flights. Once you hit about three hours packed into a plane seat, you can get distinctly cramped, discomfited and crazy. Keep it short, simple, sweet - or sweat it.
If you ever fly on a Chinese domestic airline with a crate of piglets in the aisle, you'll kwitcherbitchin permanently. I can assure you of that!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
No-frills means exactly that! Do not expect space, water, food, or anything else. No-frills airlines are generally cattle cars designed solely to move lots of people short hauls at cheap rates.
BYO: Bring your own beverage and snack or sandwich, even if you eat at the airport. Flights are often delayed - by summer crowds, sudden thunderstorms or windshear dangers somewhere en route, even volcanos. Have something with you. Bring your own entertainment: book, 'puter with work or games, earbuds, battery-operated DVD player, etc. Remember your trench coat & use it for a pillow or blanket, as needed.
Watch those scales! Airline scales around the world seem to need inspection and Truth in Advertising as well as Truth in Measurement monitors. Weigh your bags, dispute inaccuracies, reweigh on a different scale. Of course, watch your bag weights even before heading to the airport.
Only book shorter flights. Once you hit about three hours packed into a plane seat, you can get distinctly cramped, discomfited and crazy. Keep it short, simple, sweet - or sweat it.
If you ever fly on a Chinese domestic airline with a crate of piglets in the aisle, you'll kwitcherbitchin permanently. I can assure you of that!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Who's Got the Carryon Bag Fees?
Spirit Airlines announced that, starting 1 August, it will charge a $45 fee for carryon bags put into overhead bins. They claim new fares will be reduced by more than the bag fee, and there are discounts for online payment and members. However, flyers are still outraged by fees for carryons.
Of course, as we've been posting, the key to traveling efficiently and cheaply is to pack light and put the carryon under your feet.
Now Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York says he has commitments of "no carryon bag fee" from United, Delta, American, US Airways and JetBlue. We'll see how long that commitment endures!
For anything other than a long-term move overseas or a formal Destination Wedding, you can get it down to a carryon.
For my move overseas, I'm down to the allowed two checked bags plus carryon. The carryon is my office and electronics. A 26" pullman with a year's wardrobe and shoes. And a 24" pullman for personal & household supplies. I'm thinking of repacking once more to reduce the load by a bag. And that's to live on (and live with) for at least a whole year, with an aim to make it suffice for two!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Of course, as we've been posting, the key to traveling efficiently and cheaply is to pack light and put the carryon under your feet.
Now Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York says he has commitments of "no carryon bag fee" from United, Delta, American, US Airways and JetBlue. We'll see how long that commitment endures!
For anything other than a long-term move overseas or a formal Destination Wedding, you can get it down to a carryon.
For my move overseas, I'm down to the allowed two checked bags plus carryon. The carryon is my office and electronics. A 26" pullman with a year's wardrobe and shoes. And a 24" pullman for personal & household supplies. I'm thinking of repacking once more to reduce the load by a bag. And that's to live on (and live with) for at least a whole year, with an aim to make it suffice for two!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Monday, April 5, 2010
Defend Your Bags Against the Totally Scurrilous Armada
There's no telling what might go missing from airline baggage. Items reported stolen in recent years include golf balls, a fresh-caught halibut in a cooler full of ice, and an endless array of laptops and other electronic equipment.
Your valuables are not covered by insurance for checked bags. Jewelry, laptops, camera equipment, money and other monetary instruments, and other types of valuables are expressly denied any coverage when you fly. Your homeowners insurance might cover some things, but you have to check your policy to be sure.
So your first line of defense is carry your valuables in your handbag or carryon bag. Get a jewelry roll and pack it in your purse or carryon bag. Be sure your wallet holds your Social Security card (if you need to bring it all - better to put it in your safe deposit box at the bank), ID's, whichever credit card you need, and a second currency when traveling internationally. Keep your laptop, Kindle, camera and other electronics in your handbag or carryon, and hang onto both of them tightly!
Locks can be broken. TSA routinely opens locked bags. Get TSA approved locks anyway and use them. They do not deter TSA, but don't make things too easy for anyone else.
List exactly what is in each bag: carryon and checked bag(s). Ensure your detailed list is accessible to you wherever you might go, and have a back-up list. Email your list to yourself, or save a list on your computer or flash drive. Keep a copy at home. Make sure you have serial numbers for valuables. If something goes missing, you need to know immediately so you can act.
Inspect your checked bags carefully when you retrieve them at baggage claim. Note any damage and/or missing items. Put in a claim with the baggage agent immediately.
If a bag does not spew from the carousel, likewise put in a claim with the airlines baggage agent immediately.
Airlines are supposed to provide urgently needed change of clothing & toiletries. Don't let them pawn you off with a 24-hour wait "to see if it arrives on the next flight." They are also required to reimburse purchases of immediately needed items, so keep your receipt for things purchased within 24 hours of your flight. Use your list to detail "black & white striped cotton knit jacket with 3/4 length sleeves," not just "jacket."
Reimbursement limits of $3300 for domestic US flights do not apply for international flights, even on a US carrier. International limits go by the kilo of baggage weight, not the depreciated value of the items contained in the bag(s). The international insurance reimbursement limit runs about US$650 per bag.
It is not unusual for the airlines to blame TSA on any flight which goes through any US airport. And TSA of course blames airline baggage handlers. Insurance reimbursement for lost (or stolen) bags, and for items stolen from checked bags, is likely to be held up. You need to document everything thoroughly, and follow up diligently.
No idea what they did about that stolen halibut, however....
Your valuables are not covered by insurance for checked bags. Jewelry, laptops, camera equipment, money and other monetary instruments, and other types of valuables are expressly denied any coverage when you fly. Your homeowners insurance might cover some things, but you have to check your policy to be sure.
So your first line of defense is carry your valuables in your handbag or carryon bag. Get a jewelry roll and pack it in your purse or carryon bag. Be sure your wallet holds your Social Security card (if you need to bring it all - better to put it in your safe deposit box at the bank), ID's, whichever credit card you need, and a second currency when traveling internationally. Keep your laptop, Kindle, camera and other electronics in your handbag or carryon, and hang onto both of them tightly!
Locks can be broken. TSA routinely opens locked bags. Get TSA approved locks anyway and use them. They do not deter TSA, but don't make things too easy for anyone else.
List exactly what is in each bag: carryon and checked bag(s). Ensure your detailed list is accessible to you wherever you might go, and have a back-up list. Email your list to yourself, or save a list on your computer or flash drive. Keep a copy at home. Make sure you have serial numbers for valuables. If something goes missing, you need to know immediately so you can act.
Inspect your checked bags carefully when you retrieve them at baggage claim. Note any damage and/or missing items. Put in a claim with the baggage agent immediately.
If a bag does not spew from the carousel, likewise put in a claim with the airlines baggage agent immediately.
Airlines are supposed to provide urgently needed change of clothing & toiletries. Don't let them pawn you off with a 24-hour wait "to see if it arrives on the next flight." They are also required to reimburse purchases of immediately needed items, so keep your receipt for things purchased within 24 hours of your flight. Use your list to detail "black & white striped cotton knit jacket with 3/4 length sleeves," not just "jacket."
Reimbursement limits of $3300 for domestic US flights do not apply for international flights, even on a US carrier. International limits go by the kilo of baggage weight, not the depreciated value of the items contained in the bag(s). The international insurance reimbursement limit runs about US$650 per bag.
It is not unusual for the airlines to blame TSA on any flight which goes through any US airport. And TSA of course blames airline baggage handlers. Insurance reimbursement for lost (or stolen) bags, and for items stolen from checked bags, is likely to be held up. You need to document everything thoroughly, and follow up diligently.
No idea what they did about that stolen halibut, however....
Protections from the Thieving Scumbag Association
CBS caught them in a 2004 baggage theft sting. New York Police caught them at NYC airports. Baggage theft rings have been busted in St. Louis, Missouri, Dublin, Ireland, Portland, Oregon, Australia, and airports scattered literally around the world. While airlines say bag theft is down, and TSA says they screen their searchers, police say bag thefts are rising. TSA says it's airline handlers; airlines say its TSA. Both are harboring some scurrilous thieves, both include bag theft rings.
TSA knows what you pack in your bag! They X-ray it all. If you have a laptop, jewelry, anything of value, they know what you've got. And they make you leave your bag unlocked or use locks for which they have duplicate keys.
Do NOT pack anything valuable in your checked bag. Your carryon must hold:
* laptop & peripherals,
* camera gear,
* CD player,
* iPod,
* Kindle or similar book reader, and
* all your other costly little electronics everyone might want - and someone is likely to steal.
You also need to hang onto your jewelry, eyeglasses & sunglasses, money, credit cards, important documents (personal and business), prescription medicines, anything containing personal data like SSN or home address, anything fragile, anything valuable.
And you'd better take at least one change of clothes and your little Ziploc baggie of toiletries. TSA & the airlines battle over who pays claims most of the time. So at least have some clean undies!
TSA knows what you pack in your bag! They X-ray it all. If you have a laptop, jewelry, anything of value, they know what you've got. And they make you leave your bag unlocked or use locks for which they have duplicate keys.
Do NOT pack anything valuable in your checked bag. Your carryon must hold:
* laptop & peripherals,
* camera gear,
* CD player,
* iPod,
* Kindle or similar book reader, and
* all your other costly little electronics everyone might want - and someone is likely to steal.
You also need to hang onto your jewelry, eyeglasses & sunglasses, money, credit cards, important documents (personal and business), prescription medicines, anything containing personal data like SSN or home address, anything fragile, anything valuable.
And you'd better take at least one change of clothes and your little Ziploc baggie of toiletries. TSA & the airlines battle over who pays claims most of the time. So at least have some clean undies!
Dealing with Lost Luggage
According to the airlines, only about 2% of bags get lost. For a Road Warrior-ess, that's quite a risk. Check a bag 100 times a year, and you could lose two, if you're average.
Slash your risks! Use only a carryon bag whenever possible. Use our packing tips and others' to reduce your "stuff" enough to get it down to one bag. Backpackers and some perpetual travelers can live out of one bag for months at a time. I spent several months "riding the rails through China" with just one duffle. Laptops were h-e-a-v-y then, wireless did not really exist, and I had to lug along a "small" (hah!) travel printer. With the teeny-tiny sizes of so many items these days, and reduced weights, it is much easier to lug an entire office, a library, whatever. So if your trip is less than a week, you can certainly get it down to one.
There are times when you simply need a lot of clothes, heavy winter clothes, or other stuff, and a single carryon simply won't cut it. Reduce your risks of your bag failing to land when and where you do.
Luggage tags: do not use your home address. Use your office address, private mail facility address, P.O. Box, anything to keep nosy-parkers from discovering you are not at home. Do not put your home phone number on there, either. Use a free email addie which you could check in case of lost luggage, a message phone, office phone, pager number or similar contactable email or phone that does not reveal your home location and private numbers/addresses.
Help yourself spot your bag faster. Decal, neon-colored strap, something!
Get your little butt-sky straight to the baggage claim. Do not get delayed or sidetracked. Be there when the belt starts rumbling and the bags roll. The lonely bag is more likely to get lifted than the one you grab the second it spits out of the chute.
Next up: a post on protecting your possessions within.
Slash your risks! Use only a carryon bag whenever possible. Use our packing tips and others' to reduce your "stuff" enough to get it down to one bag. Backpackers and some perpetual travelers can live out of one bag for months at a time. I spent several months "riding the rails through China" with just one duffle. Laptops were h-e-a-v-y then, wireless did not really exist, and I had to lug along a "small" (hah!) travel printer. With the teeny-tiny sizes of so many items these days, and reduced weights, it is much easier to lug an entire office, a library, whatever. So if your trip is less than a week, you can certainly get it down to one.
There are times when you simply need a lot of clothes, heavy winter clothes, or other stuff, and a single carryon simply won't cut it. Reduce your risks of your bag failing to land when and where you do.
Luggage tags: do not use your home address. Use your office address, private mail facility address, P.O. Box, anything to keep nosy-parkers from discovering you are not at home. Do not put your home phone number on there, either. Use a free email addie which you could check in case of lost luggage, a message phone, office phone, pager number or similar contactable email or phone that does not reveal your home location and private numbers/addresses.
Help yourself spot your bag faster. Decal, neon-colored strap, something!
Get your little butt-sky straight to the baggage claim. Do not get delayed or sidetracked. Be there when the belt starts rumbling and the bags roll. The lonely bag is more likely to get lifted than the one you grab the second it spits out of the chute.
Next up: a post on protecting your possessions within.
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