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A while back I posted about writing my Senators about the taxation of overseas residents. After months of waiting, I’ve officially been blown off.
After waiting a few months, it seems they both have finally decided to reply.
From Senator Cantwell,
Dear M,
Thank you for contacting me regarding income tax exemptions for Americans working overseas. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Under current law, U.S. citizens who work abroad and meet certain requirements may treat a certain portion of their annual foreign earned income as non-taxable by the United States . Americans who qualify may also claim an exemption for a portion of housing expenses paid by their employer. To qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion or the housing deduction for a given tax year, U.S. citizens must be bona fide resident of a foreign country for the entire tax year or be physically present in a foreign country for at least 330 full days during any 12-month period that includes part of the tax year.
As you may know, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-222), enacted on May 17, 2006, included several provisions affecting taxation of foreign earned income. Previously, Americans living and working outside of the United States could exclude up to $80,000 of foreign earned income from taxation by the United State government. The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act raised the exclusion to $82,000 for 2006 filing season, and indexed this amount to inflation.
The new law also increased the taxes Americans working abroad pay on housing provided by their employer. As you know, U.S. citizens living and working abroad must pay income taxes on housing expenses paid by their employer. However, above a certain base level, these employer-paid housing expenses may be excluded from taxable income. This allows persons living in locations with higher than average housing costs to receive help from their employers without increasing their tax burden. Unfortunately, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act altered the formula used to determine this base level, lowering the level and placing a higher tax liability on foreign workers. The law also placed an upper limit on the housing exemption.
As you may know, on April 18, 2007, Senator Jim DeMint introduced the Working American Competitiveness Act (S. 1140). If enacted, this legislation would eliminate the cap on the portion of foreign earned income that U.S. citizens working abroad may treat as non-taxable by the United States government. The Working American Competitiveness Act has been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, where it is awaiting further action. Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind as I consider this important issue.
Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. Finally, you may be interested in signing up for my weekly update for Washington state residents. Every Monday, I provide a brief outline about my work in the Senate and issues of importance to Washington State . If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov . Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
Thanks for telling me what I already knew. Now could you please tell me what I don’t know..which is where do you stand on this?? I gather from the lack of response you are in favor of my continued taxation which thus makes me not favor you in the next election.
And my personal favorite from Senator Murray..
Dear M:
Thank you for contacting me regarding S. 1140, the Working American Competitiveness Act, sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), which is currently pending in the United States Senate. I appreciate knowing your views on this matter.
In the Senate, this legislation falls under the jurisdiction of the Finance Committee. While I am not a member of that Committee, I want to assure you that I will be following the progress of this bill and will keep your views in mind if this or related legislation comes before the full Senate for consideration.
Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will continue to keep in touch.
I hope all is well in Bellevue.
Did she (or more likely, her staff) even read my note? “I hope all is well in Bellevue”?!?!? The whole point of the contact was that I’m NOT in Bellevue.
SO.
AHEM.
While I am sure you are less than concerned about my tax return, I am taking this more as a lesson in making sure your representatives are paying attention as clearly they are not.
Consider me disenfranchised.
With all of the talk in the news of dungeons and such we decided it was time to venture into the little cave that exists in our own house. It’s really no secret that Gizmo is a bit of a character but with the move to Japan came a new element of his character: the “porn dungeon” (T takes full responsibility for the joke of the name) monger.
We have no real idea what he does in there but there are all sorts of strange noises and every time he exits toys and socks tumble out (and he furiously races to put them all back in immediately)..
Thus, an expose into the dark, secret world of Gizmo.
Poorly lit in the corner, we approach to find the unsuspecting dungeon dweller..
Who knows what naughtiness lurks in such a place?
Clearly we aren’t welcome..
Actually, we already knew that much as the one previous time I tried to retrieve a flip-flop that had been usurped he had a conniption. No growling or anything rather a 8kilo dog trying to push me out of his “room.” It was really surprising how he very clearly was not thrilled with his personal space being invaded…those of you who know my brother can imagine something of similar lines ( HI BUGGER!!).
Needless to say, we were greeted with trepidation.
And when we lifted the cover we discovered something very troubling…
It seems he’s a hoarder.
If you look closely at the above you will find pieces of every stuffed animal Gizmo has ever owned (including the dismembered corpses of both Hillary Clinton and George Bush stuff dolls), a few socks (laundry thief!!!), tennis balls, 2 1/2 rope toys, a kong or two and more. The source of the noise from the PD was also discovered to be a squeaking dragon given to him two Christmases ago. Evidently, he sleeps with all of his worldly possessions.
Some dogs play with their toys, ours hoards his.
Before setting off to Vietnam we’d debated back and forth a bit whether we wanted to visit the northern mountains in Sa Pa or to sail along the Limestone cliffs of Ha Long bay. After finding our hotel would be able to book us an overnight on a junk ship in Ha Long we figured it was a sign and went with it.
Although the three hour drive to Ha Long bay was a bit much, once we saw the ship we knew we’d made the right choice. As our van group was divided into two groups (there were two ships) we found ourselves literally walking the plank – though onto the ship. Needless to say, I was pretty sure walking across a six inch board onto a boat would end up with me in the water but I made it!
Once on board we met our fellow travelers: a British couple (honeymooning), a couple from New Zealand and two women from Australia traveling without their husbands. Although we were the youngest couple by a few years, the group was quite fun right from the start. As the crew explained where we’d be going and what we would be doing (while providing all the fresh juice we wanted) we gradually set sail into the bay.
After sailing for a bit and following a fresh seafood lunch, we visited a floating village about two hours from land and pulled into a cove to do some swimming.
Its important to note that when I fist met T he refused to go in the water past his belly button but has since gone on to get certified in scuba and find nemo in Guam. That said, when one of the boat staff was assigned the ”jelly fish lookout” the prospects for swimming were looking pretty grim. However, South East Asia is a sticky, hot place and the only option for cooling off was a dip in the sea. To add an additional element of drama, we were offered the chance to jump off of the top of the boat..T paled and refused (it was about 20 feet or so).
I, however, quickly found myself in the cool water looking up at my petrified husband. After five minutes of negotiation, T was finally convinced he would not die and that running off the top would be the best way of getting down (verses the climb he seemed to be contemplating). He did it!
T says…It crossed my mind, but the jump turned out to be quite a rush!
After a jelly fish-less swim, we laid in the sun and took in the sites..
After another delicious meal we pulled into another cove to sleep for the night.
The next morning we headed off to a nearby cave…
T: What are you making?
M: Gremlin is out of treats, I’m baking him some.
T: What’s in them?
M: Honey, Cream Cheese, Chicken Broth and Flour……..you did NOT just eat one.
T: Yeah, not bad!
M: Those aren’t for you.
T: He’ll totally share.
M: Stop teasing him. Those are for him not you!
T: Just one more…
After roaming the Old Quarter the day before, we decided to set out on day two to explore the darker side of Hanoi. For the better part of a decade the city was relentlessly bombed by B-52s and because of it any small victory against the American forces is glorified.
Basically day two became the John McCain Experience…
You simply couldn’t avoid the fact. En route to one of the pagodas, we passed Truc Bach Lake (the lake where he parachuted in) and found a memorial commemorating the anti aircraft gunners that shot his plane down along the sidewalk.
Further down the road we arrived at Hoa Lo Prison, aka the “Hanoi Hilton” a short time after lunch.
Understand that visiting a prison under any circumstances is haunting. But even this paled in comparison to the trip to the county jail that our school sent us on to scare us straight as teens. Within minutes of setting foot inside the temperature dropped. Ordinarily on a hot day in a place like Hanoi this would be welcomed, but such was not the case.
The pictures that M took are quite good, but at the same time they really can’t capture the feeling of wandering the corridors while trying to imagine the hell of really being there.
Escape route…
A tree grows in the executioner’s garden..
Solitary…
Throughout our travels we’ve often faced the enemies of our past, but perhaps here more than anywhere else did we face the understanding of what our boys endured. The isolation, fear, and suffering is not something to be trivialized, so whether or not you like John McCain as a presidential candidate, you have to give credit to the man for having survived this ordeal along with so many of the other POWs.
M Ponders: Hoa Lo was truly haunting. As most of the prison is open for viewing including many of the cells that both Vietnamese and foreign prisoners were kept we were given a glance at what life might have been like. It is important to note that the focus of the prison as a museum was not on how foreign prisoners were kept, but instead how the French used the prison against the locals. There was a room devoted to the POWs and their lives there but much like the other war museums we visited in Vietnam it was clearly a very sanitized version of events. Though revisionist history is possible, it is important to realize both sides are likely equally guilty on that point for this particular historical incident and thus I was there simply as an observer, not an American.
That said, having seen the evidence of torture, starvation and cruelty it is amazing that anyone survived it. Though my political leanings are clearly not a secret, I was left to really wonder how McCain can be a supporter of the Iraq war. Given the US does not have a clean record in human rights overseas during war, I am rather shocked that a man who has endured such suffering could support a situation that could lead to others suffering the same fate.
I am quite sure he has reasoning behind his views, but I still find it rather impossible to understand. I can also hope that what happened in Hoa Lo and other such places around the world is something that we learn from and never is repeated again.
We should have known our travel to Hanoi from HCMC (Saigon) would be interesting when we walked into the domestic terminal and noticed we were the only foreigners not in the Vietnam Airlines line. As T refers to me as AAA (Always An Adventure), I had done a bit of research and discovered that we could save around $500 if we flew Pacific Airlines, the small domestic subset of Vietnam Airlines (which also flies the same route), and thus I went for the cheap option.
As we survived I can safely say it wasn’t that bad of an option.
That said, the terminal was entertaining. As we flew out first thing in the morning I got a bit hungry and went to peruse the food stand and found myself feeling as if I was in the produce aisle. Melons, bananas and lycee were all available for sale. Yum!
After an uneventful flight we made it into Hanoi and found a much different atmosphere. Surrounded by lush green fields, Hanoi’s people, architecture and lifestyle were a stark contrast to Saigon.
As we typically do, we spent our first day wandering through the city on foot, coming across all sorts of small markets, temples and sights.
As we’ve discovered living in Asia, exploring the local markets can give a great peek into the local life and culture. You can also find some great shots..
After a long day wandering around we made it back to the old quarter to our great little hotel (Hanoi Elegance 2, which I’d highly recommend) and found ourselves a fantastic restaurant. To this day I have no idea how we ended up there, but after wandering the twisty streets of Hanoi we found ourselves in a dark little restaurant to have probably some of the best vegetable curry we’ve ever had.
The second day in Hanoi was spent seeing the infamous Hoa Lo prison..also known as the Hanoi Hilton. Tomorrow we’ll share that rather haunting experience..
I know you were promised Hanoi but after making that promise I remembered that our original Saigon post lacked photos..thus, I now remedy that.
The thing about travel that makes photography fun is that you never really know what you will come across. For instance, in Saigon we stopped by the War Museum and came across quite a bit old military gear left behind..
While I won’t get into the museum itself as I don’t think I need to recount the effects of agent orange on the various body parts kept in jars (yeah…gross) the machinery was something I’ve never really had the opportunity to capture on film (? not really film as I shoot digital)
Though we walked the city, that’s not to say there weren’t all sorts of interested modes of travel available..
Or shopping options..
You’ll note there is a bike under there.
Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of southern Vietnam, I will say that its tropical weather was complemented by a lot of color around the city.
(I like the Tongue)
And finally, a sweaty Thomas in a cafe we stopped in to watch some football (er…soccer) and have a coke (no bottled water available and well..tap water would be a BIG mistake).
Hanoi Day One will be posted tomorrow..
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…
As we covered much of Saigon in our first day, T and I opted to take a day trip to the Mekong Delta for our second day in Southern Vietnam. We actually splurged and paid a whole $9 USD each…
Lucky for us we were staying in the backpacker district and were able to literally cross the street to board the bus headed down south. After fighting through 45 minutes of morning traffic, we left the hustle and bustle of Saigon and began seeing the rice paddies, farms, and scenes we had imagined. Within a few hours we found ourselves pulling up to a boat dock and boarding a riverboat that would take us to Unicorn Island.
Yes…Unicorn Island.
While there the locals showed us how honey is made, listened to some traditional folk music, were offered “medicinal” snake wine, learned about the production of coconut candy, and sailed through the narrow streams that run throughout the island.
Following lunch we were given the chance to roam around the island on our own, but after a few minutes wandering we soon found this a less than ideal form of entertainment given the fact that the temperature was bordering on beastly. So much so that even the bison decided to seek refuge…
If anything we welcomed the passing shower to help cool us off as we relaxed in the shade while waiting for the boat to take us back.
As for the journey back, the boat and bus to Saigon took a little while longer than anticipated, but it’s not like we had to be anywhere. Coming up next, Hanoi. And we promise it won’t take two weeks to update.
Why do I like spring in Japan? Simple…baseball. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to make it to the ballpark this season as the weather in Tokyo has proven rather dreadful for the better part of the spring. Still I love to turn on the TV when M is either napping or online just to watch a few innings of whoever is playing.
It’s not the Majors, but there are quite a few talented players some of which will probably make the exodus to the States over the course of the next few years. ESPN.com put together a well written article featuring the player with the best shot at succeeding a few days ago.
Often times I’m asked to describe the game here and I really believe that this article captures all the strange differences Americans like myself encounter. So if you have a few minutes to spare I suggest you take a look.
As for Yu Darvish, I do believe the hype and honestly think he’s better than Daisuke Matsuzaka. Dude is a total rockstar who simply can’t be touched on the mound or off it. Naturally he’ll need a little luck, but I really feel that he has the potential to succeed in the Majors and the right intangibles to make a name for himself on a global level.
Saigon may be one of the only cities in the world where it is not advised to look both ways as you cross the street. Why? Because you may never get across.
This begs the question…how does one cross the street? You step in to traffic, walk slowly with a clear course and make it as easy as possible for the motorcycles flying by not to hit you. I liken it to a real life version of Frogger as you bob and weave your way to safety at every turn.
Basically it’s utter chaos.
Immediately upon our arrival we knew we were back in Southeast Asia as the distinctive scent hit us. Oddly enough we both acknowledged this fact even before we got off the jetway. How to describe this is difficult, but we both knew. Soon after we picked up our bags we were greeted by our driver from the hotel and made the trip from the airport in about 40 minutes.
Perfect right? Well not exactly…as we arrived at our hotel we were greeted by the host at the front desk outside who promptly informed us we wouldn’t be staying here.
Ummm, we have a reservation?
Long story short we were booked a room down the street at the most spartan hotel on the block. To be fair the place was worth every dollar we paid for it. It had a bed, a bathroom, complimentary breakfast, an airc onditioner, and all the noise of Saigon. All night the din of the scooters persisted. At its quietest, imagine three lawnmowers perched outside your bedroom window mowing all night long. Naturally M fell asleep in minutes.
The next morning after finding out we weren’t getting our reservation back down the street, we headed out to take in the sights. On the surface the city reminded us a lot of Bangkok, except Saigon isn’t anywhere near as interesting. In a matter of hours we were done. Ben Thanh Market, The War Remnants Museum, Pagoda, and Buddist Temple.
For the next day we made sure to plan a day trip outside the city. With the choices available we opted to visit the Mekong delta. Day 2 tomorrow…
*Please note that pictures will not be updated till we get back to Tokyo!
