American Citizens Abroad posts first of new series of monthly podcasts

The inaugural podcast, which may be listened to here, features ACA executive director Marylouise Serrato discussing the organization's recent write-in campaign calling for Congress to hold hearings on tax reform for Americans overseas, which, as reported in September when it was launched, ACA is calling its “The Tax Fairness for Americans Abroad: An Idea Worth Fighting For!” campaign.

In a statement this week announcing the new series, the Rockville, Maryland-based American expat advocacy organization said future topics would include such other concerns as taxation, finances and "culture shock" to "trailing spouses, and everything in-between".

Among the specific topics that the ACA says it exepects to cover in future podcasts are the organization's re-launch of its own online Tax Professional Services Directory; the Government Accountability Office's recently-published  report on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA); the IRS's Taxpayer Advocate; updates on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's controversial GILTI provision; and the various voluntary compliance programs that are currently available to Americans overseas who are struggling with U.S. tax issues.

Interview subjects will be ACA directors and board members, "along with other professionals and experts on a wide range of topic areas of interest to the overseas American community", the ACA statement added.

'Thousands of emails, messages' 

ACA says it receives thousands of emails and social media messages from Americans around the world on a wide range of issues. Although the organization is primarily known for its tax reform advocacy efforts, it also advocates on other issues of concern to Americans living abroad, including access while abroad to such U.S. programs as Medicare and Social Security, voting from abroad, and representation in Washington.

It's also known for helping Americans struggling with such issues as getting and maintaining bank accounts overseas, which for the last few years it's helped the to do via its ACA-Member/State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU) accounts, launched three years ago in response to growing difficulties many American expats were having. 

Serrato noted that the ACA’s advocacy work "isn’t always about problems", and that although it does address the issues, it also "works to provide the community with resources to help them manage their lives overseas", as well as to "dispense timely information".

"We anticipate that our podcasts will do even more to help provide the community with updates on our work, and provide resources and practical information.”

American expats interested in contacting the ACA's new "podcast team" may do so at this address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

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