Did you know you could be a U.S. citizen -- and owe years of U.S. taxes -- without even realizing it? In this episode of Greenberg Traurig's Immigration Insights Podcast, Kate Kalmykov, host and chair of the firm’s Immigration & Compliance Practice, and Barbara Kaplan, shareholder in the firm’s Tax Practice, address the concept of the "accidental American": individuals born in the U.S. to foreign parents, or born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, who may have spent their entire lives outside the country yet carry significant U.S. tax and immigration obligations.
Kate and Barbara discuss the far reach of IRS enforcement, the dangers of relying on local foreign tax advisors, the consequences of failing to file information returns, and the complex interplay between renouncing citizenship and the U.S. exit tax regime. They also tackle a common and costly misconception: that simply letting a green card expire ends your US tax residency.
Whether you are an international tax professional, a foreign national with U.S. ties, or someone who has never set foot in the U.S. but was born here, this episode is a must-listen.