More Americans Are Expatriating

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.

Check Out RFID Blocker Travel Accessories

Great news for travellers worried about identity theft from RFID readers in airports and elsewhere. You may have spotted them in your travels - lifting your passport data from the embedded RFID with their scanner. That RFID chip broadcasts far enough to make you - and your identity - highly vulnerable. Radio Frequency IDentification chips - broadcasting your data - was supposed to speed up immigration clearances. Instead, it endangers you!

Now there's a RFID blocker passport case from Travelon. This protects you from these identity thieves, while keeping your passport chip intact for immigration authorities.

Remember, a damaged passport can be grounds for denial of entry. You could have a problem if that RFID becomes inoperable. Although so far, I haven't run into anyone who has met such a fate if the passport proper is intact and shows no signs of tampering. But most countries do reserve the right to deny admission to anyone with a "defective" or "damaged" passport - without specifying whether a non-broadcasting RFID meets the "damaged" definition.

Check out the RFID blocker passport case! Travelon also makes other accessories with the RFID blocker - wallets, billfolds, credit card cases. This protects your credit cards and "speed passes" using RFID technology. 

May your road rise to meet you,
Ann