Tag: foreign

Having cross-border ties is enriching for families, but also creates unique challenges, from special asset-reporting requirements to obstacles related to the appointment of guardians for your children. John O. McManus, founding principal of McManus & Associates, today shared insight with clients on 10 important considerations for families with multinational interests. Click play below to listen to the call recording:  

1. What are the obstacles when appointing guardians who reside overseas? Since the Court oversees the appointment of guardians for minor children and the participation of other government agencies is required, the process for transitioning a child’s residency from the U.S. to a foreign country is lengthy and costly.

2. What should you know about income taxes when you begin a career in a new country? U.S. citizens working internationally continue to have U.S. tax obligations (in addition to foreign taxes) and must consider how these different taxes are interrelated.

3. What is a “covered expatriate” and why should you avoid being classified as one? If you surrender your green card after maintaining it for 8 of the last 15 years, you may have exposure to current and future taxation in the U.S.

4. What are the U.S. reporting requirements in connection with international assets and the penalties for failing to satisfy them? The failure to notify the IRS about an inheritance received from a non-resident or certain accounts held in a different country can result in significant monetary and criminal penalties.

5. What are the gift and estate tax concerns when you are married to a non-U.S. citizen? Without proper planning, transfers to a spouse who is a non-U.S. citizen may be unnecessarily subjected to gift and estate tax.

6. How do gift and estate tax affect Non-Resident Aliens with U.S. assets or U.S. beneficiaries? Non-Resident Aliens only have a $60,000 lifetime gift exemption and estate tax exemption, meaning that Federal taxation of their U.S. assets upon death can be punitive.

7. Why should Non-Resident Aliens consider life insurance? Life insurance may have a number of uses for a Non-Resident Alien’s heirs and it has the additional benefit of not being taxable in the U.S. as part of the estate.

8. How can a Wealth Transfer Plan mitigate anticipated estate tax on a Non-Resident Alien? Non-Resident Aliens should strongly consider the use of protected Trusts to hold assets which would otherwise be subject to U.S. estate tax upon death and to keep those assets out of the estates of their U.S. beneficiaries.

9. What are the estate planning and estate administration implications of owning a property located in a different country? Each nation has its own tax and procedural rules regarding the transfer of wealth during lifetime and after death which must be evaluated to ensure the foreign assets are received by the intended persons as efficiently as possible.

10. What must you know before making a donation to a foreign charitable organization? Gifts made to charitable organization based overseas may not be deductible for U.S. income tax purposes unless certain requirements are met.