Death and ......

Friday was the deadline for filing US Federal income taxes.

If you live overseas then you have until June 15 to complete the forms.

I find it absolutely repugnant that I must fill out tax forms for a nation that I do not live in and have not set foot in for nearly 10 years. The overseas income allowance is a joke. The complaint that the wealthy would use this as a way to avoid income tax is overstated as most of the people who live overseas are not wealthy. Indeed, a large percentage of them are missionaries and I've never seen a rich missionary. Don't get me wrong, I believe that people should support their government. I pay the income tax I owe in Hong Kong. However, I live in Hong Kong. I derive very little if any benefit from being a US citizen. Indeed, in some countries in Asia, rightly or wrongly, I pay higher visa entry fees and am a target of terrorist kidnappers simply because I carry an American passport.

The US needs to change this law. As awful as this sounds the US Congress needs to look at Canada. This is perhaps the only area where the sniffling, whinning, limp-wristed, socialist pig, cowardly beavers have a better law than the US. (Can you tell I don't much like Canada?)

The Canadian law works something like this:
If you are a Canadian citizen who lives outside of Canada and
you have no property in Canada, or a bank account, drivers license or Canadian ID other than a passport, or a residence in Canada and you spend at least 335 days outside of Canada then you do not owe Canadian income tax. Period, end of issue.

There are probably some tweaks I would give this with regard to IRA's and things but if Mr. Bush wants to reform the US tax code I suggest he start with this law.

Your over taxed blogger
Fai-Mao