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Every time someone brings this up they conveniently forget that you don't get taxed for the first 80 or so grand (I don't feel like looking up the current amount) if your a "bona fide resident" of another country or have spent over 335 days in a 12 month period in another country. If that doesn't apply to you it means you are still living in the US and should pay taxes anyway as you still use our services. I also recon that the majority of X-Pats, at least those in third world country's that many move to, won't make more then that so they really don't have to worry about taxes anyway!
Now, if I remember correctly, you still have to pay SS but so what. You'll get that back when you retire or if you become disabled. It's nice to have a "safety net" for later in life. Of course many of those "X-Pats" living abroad are 100% against paying into SS and they really aren't the type to save anyway so when (if) they get old/disabled, many will have nothing, and then will cry that their adopted thirld world country won't give them any handouts and they'll high tail it back to the US.
In regards to this thread, one good thing about being a US citizen is that passport. It allows us to go practically anywhere. No problem at all. Perhaps some country's do count, but of those I've been to I have never had my money counted or credit cards checked upon entry to make sure I have enough. Having that passport makes an assumption that I have the funds to cover my trip. The Latino's I know need to ravel with at least 500 bucks on them to be allowed into even other Latin American country's. Most need VISA's to visit practically anywhere and they are not easy to get. My wife is still a Colombian citizen and her passport doesn't let her go many places, but since she is a green card holding US resident she can use that, along with her passport, to visit many country's she couldn't before. She might not be allowed the same length of stay as me, but she will be allowed in many because of her green card!
I have a business here in China that makes over 80k USD/yr, but because China and the US don't share income and financial information, there's no way they could find out how much the business made unless I told them... but, just as a safeguard, we did everything in my fiance's name, so technically, I actually don't earn a damn cent. It is also better for us to do this anyways, as in any legal dispute in China that involves a foreigner, the foreign party almost automatically loses, no matter what.
As far as the passport goes: once you are an expat, you realize the value of a US passport. I can just walk straight into many countries without applying for a visa and am allowed a TOS of 30 to 90 days as a tourist, which is generally ample time to obtain a job and the correct work visa if I felt so inclined. The situations where younl do have to obtain a visa, you are often allowed lengthy terms (China issues 10 year business and tourist visas to the US, for example) that elude other national passports (most nations get no more than a year, with many only getting 30 to 90 days max )
I have the fourth most powerful passport in the world (tied with Singapore), so I have no need to change, or anything to gain. Not that I'd be eligible for any other nationality either.
Sweden, Singapore, South Korea and Finland are also the only countries with the strongest passports which aren't allied militarily, so if some terrorist wants to kill me, I just say, "hey, I'm neutral bro, take out that Brit instead".
I wouldn't but others do and seem quit comfortable doing so. An individual I know was an American citizen who grew up in Detroit Michigan. He wound up in Singapore after working in the oil industry. Met and married a Malay lady. Converted to the Muslim faith.
He applied for Singapore citizenship which was granted after a lengthy process. He and his wife own and operate an American style grill in a food court and seem quit happy by all accounts.
I wouldn't but others do and seem quit comfortable doing so. An individual I know was an American citizen who grew up in Detroit Michigan. He wound up in Singapore after working in the oil industry. Met and married a Malay lady. Converted to the Muslim faith.
He applied for Singapore citizenship which was granted after a lengthy process. He and his wife own and operate an American style grill in a food court and seem quit happy by all accounts.
I applaud the decision he made. If operating an American grill is the only thing he can/wants (to) do, there's no point of trying so hard in his home country. Niche market calling!
I'd swap my Canadian passport for an Australian one if I could....
Jesus, why on earth would you do that?!? And cost of living for nearly everything is cheaper in Canada.
Canadians have an edge over Aussies and Kiwis in getting a job in the USA!! e.g. TN Visa
Have you even lived in Australia before?
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