Ella Heyder is bracing for a breakup, even though she already moved out decades ago.
She’s contemplating cutting ties altogether with her home country, the United States of America, and President Donald Trump.
“I’m quite disturbed by what’s happening in the U.S. under Trump’s regime. It’s a fascist, imperialist regime,” Heyder said as she and others waved signs outside the American Embassy in Ottawa during what has become a twice-weekly protest against the current U.S. administration.
“It makes me a little bit ashamed. It makes me feel very sad,” she said.
For decades, Heyder has carried two passports. While she grew up in Norfolk, Va., Canada has her loyalty, and she figures a permanent split is inevitable.
In my circle of friends none of the US Americans living abroad file their tax returns and haven’t done so for many years… especially if you’re not planing to move back to the US, I really don’t see the need to continue compliance with the IRS or renounce a citizenship. Keep that passport and keep voting. Throw dog shit over the embassy fence.
You have to really not want to go back, because they could charge you with tax evasion. And at the point you’re avoiding it anyway then there’s no reason to keep the citizenship. On the other hand, if you have assets in the states (401ks and retirement accounts like many of us), they can garnish or seize it for nonpayment of taxes. So sadly the decision is not so simple.