America... um, I am cheesed at you

Ok, so this week while on my message board, an article was posted about how the USA is cracking down on Americans living abroad, and not filing their taxes. Now Ken has filed every year since learning early on that it was law. So yes, he files both a Canadian and American tax return. So I wasn't concerned as we were up to date on it all and felt bad more so for those who never bothered or didn't know.

Now, I DID learn something interesting, something that frustrates me.

First of all, let me say this first, this is NOT a comment at all about America in general. I think highly of my husband's country and his family who are very much proud of their citizenship (most of the time, hehe).

So we have been told early on that our kids are allowed to become American if they choose to in the future. Basically saying, the kids are Canadian, but are untitled to be duel if they wish to choose it. Guess what, they don't get to choose.... they are duel already!

Apparently, even though the kids were born in Canada, they are American because of Ken... no forms required. Now you might be saying, what is the big deal, sounds ok. Well, it is and it isn't.

Even though it opens up a lot more choices to the kids, it does make them responsible for now filing 2 tax returns like their dad when they start earning money. Makes the whole passport issue more of a possible headache. We had been asked once by the angry border man why the kids didn't have American passports, I was assuming they of course couldn't get them but I guess that isn't the case. Needless to say, the annoying side of this is MONEY it costs a lot to deal with said problems.

What I find funny is that the kids are automatically American but since we don't live in the country they don't want to give them anything, but hey still report your income to us, because its the law. Even if they don't ever earn a penny in the US, they still want to know what they earn in Canada... and gosh don't think about having a joint account with a future spouse because we learned if I started working full time again that they could tax MY money as well because of the joint account if we are over the 'exemption' (which we would defiantly be if I was working that much). Basically, it has been at times a real headache for us, one I wanted the kids to understand before taking on, but then they don't get the choice, and that is what makes me mad.

Any country makes you apply for citizenship if you have the rights entitled to it. To me that seems fitting and fair. To make my children duel without a choice, well, its not cool.