Friday, January 19, 2018

Expatriates and US Citizens Abroad - Voting in 2018 Elections



Your vote counts!  Did you know that many U.S. elections for house and senate seats have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by absentee voters?  All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.

Follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2018 U.S. elections:

1.     Request Your Ballot:  Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).  You must complete a new FPCAafter January 1, 2018 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2018 elections.  The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted.  The FPCAis accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories. 

You can complete the FPCA online at www.FVAP.gov.  The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state.  We encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state).  Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option.  Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website.  FVAP.gov will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original signature.  If you must return a paper version, please see below for mailing options.

2.     Receive and Complete Your Ballot:  States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections.  For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online.

3.     Return Your Completed Ballot:  Some states allow you to return your completed ballot by email or fax.  If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can use international mail, a courier service such as FedEx or DHL, or you may also drop off completed voting materials during regular business hours at the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana.  Place your materials in a postage paid return envelope (available under “Downloadable Election Materials” on the FVAP homepage) or in an envelope bearing sufficient domestic U.S. postage, and address it to the relevant local election officials.

4.  New this year – email to fax service by FVAP! - the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) will provide an email-to-fax conversion service for voters who have difficulty sending election materials to States that do not accept emailed documents.  Get more information here.

Researching the Candidates and Issues:  Online Resources.  Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues.  Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain online.  You can also read national and hometown newspapers online, or search the internet to locate articles and information.  For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP's Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov).  FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebookand Twitter.

Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program's (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov.  If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana's Voting Assistance Officer at VoteTIJUANA@state.gov.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

NEW US TAX LAW MAY CAUSE YOU TO PAY ADDITIONAL TAX ON INCOME ACCUMULATED IN YOUR MEXICAN CORPORATION

Under pre-Act law, U.S. citizens, resident individuals, and domestic corporations generally are taxed on all income, whether earned in the U.S. or abroad. Foreign income earned by a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. corporation generally is not subject to U.S. tax until the income is distributed as a dividend to the U.S. corporation.
New law. Under the Act, U.S. shareholders owning at least 10% of a foreign subsidiary generally must include in income, for the subsidiary’s last tax year beginning before 2018, the shareholder’s pro rata share of the accumulated post-’86 historical E&P of the foreign subsidiary as of the ‘‘measurement date’’ to the extent such E&P has not been previously subject to U.S. tax. The ‘‘measurement date’’ is Nov. 2, 2017, or Dec. 31, 2017, whichever date produces a greater result.
The portion of the E&P comprising cash or cash equivalents is taxed at a reduced rate of 15.5%, while any remaining E&P is taxed at a reduced rate of 8%.
At the election of the U.S. shareholder, the tax liability is payable over a period of up to eight years The payments for each of the first five years equals 8% of the net tax liability. The amount of the sixth installment is 15% of the net tax liability, increasing to 20% for the seventh installment and the remaining balance of 25% in the eighth year.
The Act provides a special rule for S corporations. Their shareholders are allowed to elect to maintain deferral on such foreign income until the S corporation changes its status, sells substantially all its assets, ceases to conduct business, or the electing shareholder transfers its S corporation stock.
The Act excludes the post-’86 historical E&P from the REIT gross income tests. In addition, REITs are permitted to elect to meet their distribution requirement to REIT shareholders with respect to the accumulated deferred foreign income over an 8-year period under the same installment percentages as apply to U.S. shareholders who elect to pay the net tax liability resulting from the mandatory inclusion of pre-effective-date undistributed CFC earnings in eight installments. (Code Sec. 965, as amended by Act Sec. 14103)

NEW US TAX LAWS CONCERNING PERSONAL REAL ESTATE FOR 2018


New tax laws concerning personal real estate for 2018 and beyond under the New US tax laws.

Deductible interest on personal residences and second homes is limited to that interest paid on loans secured by those properties up to $750,000 in loan amounts.

Deductions for personal home and second home  property taxes and state income taxes are limited to $10,000 per year.

You get a standard deduction of  $ 24,000  if filing jointly and $ 12,000  if filing separately. Therefore, you mortgage interest, and property taxes and state income tax, as well as medical expenses, and other allowable itemized deductions must exceed these amounts before you get any benefit from personal mortgage interest and property taxes.

These new rules for many taxpayers reduce the benefits of personal real estate ownership including personal residences and second or vacation homes.

It is also important to note that the deductions for dependents and the taxpayers have been eliminated and replaced with only the standard deduction set forth above.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

THE ENTITY CLASSIFICATION (“CHECK THE BOX”) ELECTION FOR MEXICO CORPORATIONS

An eligible entity (i.e., an entity that is not on the list of entities prohibited from electing their status) may affirmatively elect its classification by filing Form 8832 with the IRS.  iN Mexico the only type of corporation that can make this election is know as a Socidada Limitada (SRL de CV) This election effectively overrides the entity’s default classification as a corporation for US tax purposes only. It does not effect the classification as a corporation in Mexico. The election is commonly referred to as a “check the box” election, because you put a check in the box on the form next to the entity classification you have chosen for your company.
It’s important to note that the election, if not made to correspond with the company’s incorporation or creation date, can trigger U.S. tax implications. A tax advisor should be consulted if you are considering tax planning that involves a check the box election.
A foreign entity that is required to file a federal tax or information return for the taxable year for which an election is made (e.g., the company has taxable activities within the U.S.) must attach a copy of the Form 8832 to its return. If the entity is not required to file, a copy of the Form 8832 generally must be attached to the return of an owner of the entity. The failure to comply with these filing rules does not invalidate the election, but may trigger penalties.
The advantage of this election for US tax purposes is:
  • All of the corporations net income flows through to the US owners and is taxed on their personal return.
  • If the corporation pays Mexican income taxes the US owners can claim those taxes as a tax credit on their US return.
  • It avoids double taxation of the gain on the sale of any assets of the corporation.
  • Will avoid the Mexican corporation from become a personal holding company.
Email us if you have questions. ddnelson@gmail.com