Josphine feels cursed for being American, double-taxed and financially marginalized

“My U.S. nationality has become a real burden. I don't ever actually owe U.S. taxes, but the simple fact of having to file a return every year is costly as I have to pay a specialized accountant to help me with it. Over the years I have spent many thousands of dollars to declare my income—on money I have made entirely in another country and already pay French taxes on.”

— Josephine in France

Dear Congress, 

Children can’t choose their parents or their place of birth, but double taxation and other consequences of both situations weigh heavily on the shoulders of Americans with a non-American parent and who end up living abroad.

I was born in New York but left when I was six months old. My mother is American and my father is French. He had a job that moved him around a bit, so after the United States we moved back to France, and we have lived there since.

My parents took us to the States every year as children so we would have some roots there and connect with our American family. I also went back to study on the East Coast, which was a great experience. I then went to graduate school in England and then had to move back to France when I found a job there. 

I later met my husband in France, and between the two of us the vast majority of our close family and friends are in France so we have chosen to stay and raise our three children here. We don't have much opportunity to travel but we hope to be able to take them to the States when they are a bit older to show them the places and faces we tell them about.

My U.S. nationality has become a real burden. I don't ever actually owe U.S. taxes, but the simple fact of having to file a return every year is costly as I have to pay a specialized accountant to help me with it. Over the years I have spent many thousands of dollars to declare my income—on money I have made entirely in another country and already pay French taxes on. 

I also find it extremely invasive (not to mention time-consuming) to complete the FATCA and FBAR forms, and French banks don't want to have to deal with it so many simply refuse U.S. citizens even basic banking services. I have had French banks refuse me loans, investment opportunities and even simply opening a bank account—for my French savings!—just because I am a U.S. citizen (and because I'm honest about it...). It's absolutely exhausting, time-consuming and costly. 

I could give my children U.S. citizenship but I haven't yet. I worry it will just be a burden for them, like it is on me, and that makes me sad. I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to keep this up.

Please help President Trump fulfil his campaign promise to end the double taxation of Americans abroad! Watch for and support the Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad Act, which would finally allow me and millions of other Americans abroad to lead normal lives. 

Sincerely, 

Josephine in France