I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer of
some work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK pounds, to
go straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be working on a
rotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the US.

My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system? UK
residents working there do not have to pay tax provided they are absent
from the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously this
situation does not apply to me living in the states it would be easy not
to be in the UK for 90 days of the year.

Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to my
GC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we have
a permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the country
every 5 weeks.

Any thoughts appreciated!

Dan

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On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 15:53:15 +0000, Dan725
<member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:
I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer ofsome work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK pounds, togo straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be working on arotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the US.My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system? UKresidents working there do not have to pay tax provided they are absentfrom the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously thissituation does not apply to me living in the states it would be easy notto be in the UK for 90 days of the year.Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to myGC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we havea permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the countryevery 5 weeks.Any thoughts appreciated!

As a US permanent resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income,
regardless of source. You are unlikely to have any problems with
your green card.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 15:53:15 +0000, Dan725 <member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer ofsome work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK pounds,togo straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be workingon arotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the US.My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system?UKresidents working there do not have to pay tax provided they areabsentfrom the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously thissituation does not apply to me living in the states it would be easynotto be in the UK for 90 days of the year.Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to myGC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we havea permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the countryevery 5 weeks.Any thoughts appreciated! As a US permanent resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income, regardless of source. You are unlikely to have any problems with your green card.

Thanks, thought as much. But here be another question, how would the
IRS know what you earned abroad if it was kept in an offshore bank
account, paid via a British company with no US papertrail to speak of;
and would you still be liable?

No doubt I'll probably end up footing what will be a huge tax bill but I
just wonder if there are any ways round it???

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Thanks, thought as much. But here be another question, how would the IRS know what you earned abroad if it was kept in an offshore bank account, paid via a British company with no US papertrail to speak of; and would you still be liable? No doubt I'll probably end up footing what will be a huge tax bill but I just wonder if there are any ways round it???

Hmm. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

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Hmm. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

Yep, agree, wouldn't want to jeopardise my GC status here, but was
wondering if anyone into the financial side of overseas contracts and
banking could perhaps shed some light on it?

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Dan725 wrote on 03/27/05 17:52:
Hmm. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Yep, agree, wouldn't want to jeopardise my GC status here, but was wondering if anyone into the financial side of overseas contracts and banking could perhaps shed some light on it?


The US has tax treaties with a lot of other countries to avoid double
taxation. If you paid tax on that income in the UK, you may not have tax
obligations for it in the US. But, the income has to be reported. Not
doing so could result in lots of problems. The IRS has real teeth...

-Joe
--
I am not a lawyer.
For reliable advice, consult a competent immigration attorney.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:41:21 +0000, Dan725
<member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 15:53:15 +0000, Dan725 <member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer ofsome work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK pounds,togo straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be workingon arotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the US.My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system?UKresidents working there do not have to pay tax provided they areabsentfrom the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously thissituation does not apply to me living in the states it would be easynotto be in the UK for 90 days of the year.Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to myGC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we havea permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the countryevery 5 weeks.Any thoughts appreciated! As a US permanent resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income, regardless of source. You are unlikely to have any problems with your green card.Thanks, thought as much. But here be another question, how would theIRS know what you earned abroad if it was kept in an offshore bankaccount, paid via a British company with no US papertrail to speak of;and would you still be liable?

The IRS wouldn't know. If you want to go that route, just be sure not
to transfer any funds from your offshore bank account into any of your
domestic accounts. The liability is unchanged, but enforceability is
another matter altogether.
No doubt I'll probably end up footing what will be a huge tax bill but Ijust wonder if there are any ways round it???

There used to be quite a large exemption on foreign earned income but
I don't know if there still is.

Grizzly wrote:
On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:41:21 +0000, Dan725 <member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 15:53:15 +0000, Dan725<member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:>I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer of>some work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK pounds,>to>go straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be working>on a>rotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the US.>My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system?>UK>residents working there do not have to pay tax provided they are>absent>from the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously this>situation does not apply to me living in the states it would be easy>not>to be in the UK for 90 days of the year.>Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to my>GC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we have>a permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the country>every 5 weeks.>Any thoughts appreciated!As a US permanent resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income,regardless of source. You are unlikely to have any problems withyour green card.Thanks, thought as much. But here be another question, how would theIRS know what you earned abroad if it was kept in an offshore bankaccount, paid via a British company with no US papertrail to speak of;and would you still be liable? The IRS wouldn't know. If you want to go that route, just be sure not to transfer any funds from your offshore bank account into any of your domestic accounts. The liability is unchanged, but enforceability is another matter altogether.No doubt I'll probably end up footing what will be a huge tax bill but Ijust wonder if there are any ways round it??? There used to be quite a large exemption on foreign earned income but I don't know if there still is.

There probably is. It was USD 76,000 when I last "used" it and is
probably more now

Grizzly wrote: On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 01:41:21 +0000, Dan725 <member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:>On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 15:53:15 +0000, Dan725><member27245@british_expats.com> wrote:>>I'm a GC holder, permanently living in Florida. I have the offer>>of>>some work in the middle east for a UK company, payable in UK>>pounds,>>to>>go straight into my UK bank account. Basically, I would be>>working>>on a>>rotation system, i.e. 5 weeks on there, 4 weeks off back in the>>US.>>My question is, would I have to pay tax under the American system?>>UK>>residents working there do not have to pay tax provided they are>>absent>>from the UK for more than 90 days of the year, but obviously this>>situation does not apply to me living in the states it would be>>easy>>not>>to be in the UK for 90 days of the year.>>Second part of the question is would this cause any problems to my>>GC status? As far as I can gather it would not, being that we>>have>>a permanent residence here, and I'll be returning to the country>>every 5 weeks.>>Any thoughts appreciated!>As a US permanent resident, you are taxed on your worldwide income,>regardless of source. You are unlikely to have any problems with>your green card.Thanks, thought as much. But here be another question, how wouldtheIRS know what you earned abroad if it was kept in an offshore bankaccount, paid via a British company with no US papertrail to speakof;and would you still be liable? The IRS wouldn't know. If you want to go that route, just be sure not to transfer any funds from your offshore bank account into any of your domestic accounts. The liability is unchanged, but enforceability is another matter altogether.No doubt I'll probably end up footing what will be a huge tax billbut Ijust wonder if there are any ways round it??? There used to be quite a large exemption on foreign earned income but I don't know if there still is. There probably is. It was USD 76,000 when I last "used" it and is probably more now

Yes, there is, its 80k. Not much help to me though, because it
appears you need to be out of the country for at least 330 days of the
year to claim the exemption - which I won't be, back and forward every
other month.

Even if I was eligible for that, then I would have to start worrying
about my GC status...as I would have to classify myself as non resident
for tax purposes, and therefore perhaps wouldn't be a "Permanent
resident"!!

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