Americans abroad build stable lives, but citizenship-based taxation threatens family security

“I get penalized by a U.S. system that treats me — an architect and father, not a multinational corporation — like I am hiding money offshore.”

— Chris, a U.S. citizen in Canada

Dear Congress,

Americans abroad work hard to build stable lives for their families, yet citizenship-based taxation can threaten family security by adding costly and complicated tax burdens simply because they live outside the United States. For families like mine, these rules affect not only our finances today but also our ability to save, invest and pass on what we have worked decades to build.

I grew up in a big Ohio family—eight kids, two working parents and a household where stretching every dollar was survival, not a choice. My parents taught us one thing above all: Work hard, stay honest and things will work out.

Chasing stability after the crisis

I carried that with me through a career as an architect, including eight years at an Arizona firm—until the financial crisis gutted it from 40 employees to two. My wife and I moved to Canada with our 1-year-old daughter, chasing stability near her family.

I kept my head down and worked hard, eventually earning a partnership—one of the proudest moments of my career. But it came with an unexpected burden: navigating Canadian corporate structures and U.S. tax law simultaneously. I earn less due to the exchange rate, pay more in Canadian taxes and, on top of that, get penalized by a U.S. system that treats me—an architect and father, not a multinational corporation—like I'm hiding money offshore.

What follows our children

I'm building a life, raising a daughter and contributing to my community—exactly what my parents taught me to do.

All I want is to pass down the modest wealth I've built through decades of sacrifice. But since my daughter is also a dual citizen, I worry that these tax burdens will follow her too, shrinking what I can leave behind.

I'm grateful for the life we've built in both countries. But the U.S. citizenship-based tax system punishes ordinary families like mine simply for living globally. I hope Congress's work on residence-based taxation brings real relief.
This isn't about avoiding taxes; it's about fairness for Americans abroad who just want to build stable lives without being treated like criminals.

I'm asking for a system that reflects the world we actually live in.

Sincerely,
Chris in Canada