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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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 Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| rusmeister wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
| rusmeister wrote: |
| There is an amount under which you really don't have to file at all. I forget if it is $400/year or what. At any rate, last time I checked. |
Yes, I know, which is why my earlier statement said "practically". In the current situation, though, nobody teaching EFL makes that little, do they? |
A loophole is a loophole. And from a legal standpoint, it is possible to make very small amounts. Businesses and corporations do it all the time. |
Rus, let's not cloud or divert the issue here with talk of businesses, ok? We are talking about individuals teaching English.
I would expect (hence the use of "practically") that there are probably some underdeveloped or developing countries where the pay is that abyssmally low. The vast majority of cases, however, are not in that category. My original statement still stands. |
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kazachka
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 220
Location: Moscow and Alaska
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear kazachka,
You can spend more than 35 days out-of-county once you "establish residence," and the first year, you can establish residence by getting an extension and filing later.
I never used the "Physical Presence" out; I always used the "Resident" route.
Regards,
John |
My boss said he thought I could go the resident route too but I didn't want to risk the bee ess on the US side. Dad's accountant said the 35 day rule won't ever be questioned as it's pretty easy to document.I have coworkers back in the US who took a yr off to teach on a teacher exchange w/ Australia. They only declared their US income pre and post return in those school yrs. This kept them from paying US taxes on that Aussie income earned during the first part of the year they returned. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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| kazachka wrote: |
| I have coworkers back in the US who took a yr off to teach on a teacher exchange w/ Australia. They only declared their US income pre and post return in those school yrs. This kept them from paying US taxes on that Aussie income earned during the first part of the year they returned. |
I doubt they made over the exemption limit anyway. You are required to file. It's up to the individual to actually declare. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Yes, I know, which is why my earlier statement said "practically". In the current situation, though, nobody teaching EFL makes that little, do they?
I would expect (hence the use of "practically") that there are probably some underdeveloped or developing countries where the pay is that abyssmally low. The vast majority of cases, however, are not in that category. My original statement still stands. |
There are plenty of reasons why you'll make so little, maybe you're studying at the same time, couldn't find work, doing paperwork to get residency. I know that I had about 2K in 2009. That's 4 months FT work in Peru.
I was doing my lovely thesis for a couple months, spent a couplel months running around doing paperwork for my Peruvian citizenship, put EFL on the back burner and tried to make money writing online. DIdn't work. But at least I tried it for a year.
But my computer just crashed and I lost the tax info for the last 3 years. Have no idea how to file now. And my husband deleted my backup on his computer a couple of months ago when he re formated it  |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear fladude,
No taxes -local or USA - to be paid in Saudi, as long as you're not making over $87,500 a year (and not too many EFL teachers do, I'd imagine.)
You file US tax forms in Saudi (or you should,) but you don't pay.
Regards,
John |
I thought that's what I said. Unless you mean my second statement about every country having some form of taxes. I stand by that, every country does. It may be a sales tax, a value added tax, a property tax, a gas tax, a tobacco tax, a liquor tax, a tax on imported carrots, a stamp tax, a tax on stamps, but every country has some form of tax. I'm sure that even Saudi Arabia has some kind of tax. At some point I'm sure they decided to tax something, even if its not obvious at first.
Honestly, when I was younger I went many years w/o ever filing taxes. Is it legal? No. But they aren't going to track down some English teacher in Asia either. If you are never going to collect social security and you don't make a ton of money (over 90k) then just live off the radar. No one will notice, or care really. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| fladude wrote: |
| Honestly, when I was younger I went many years w/o ever filing taxes. Is it legal? No. But they aren't going to track down some English teacher in Asia either. If you are never going to collect social security and you don't make a ton of money (over 90k) then just live off the radar. No one will notice, or care really. |
They will after you return to the States and start filing again, won't they? |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| They will after you return to the States and start filing again, won't they? |
They never said anything to me. Millions of people live in this country without paying taxes..... My dad was a CPA for nearly 40 years. I asked him about this and he said he has never heard of anyone who was dinged for this, except for people who actually owed a lot of money and were not paying it. The Gov has other things to do than worry about people who don't actually owe them any money.
Look at all the trailer park people and rednecks and flee market people in this country. You don't really think they are filing tax returns do you?
That doesn't mean they couldn't do anything to you. Of course they could charge you with a misdemeanor. But the odds are certainly on your side....
Hey though you know I drive w/o a seat belt too... so take my advice for what its worth.... (which is free internet advice). |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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| fladude wrote: |
| Glenski wrote: |
| They will after you return to the States and start filing again, won't they? |
They never said anything to me. Millions of people live in this country without paying taxes |
Being a lemming does not make it right or legal, nor does it mean you won't eventually get caught.
According to this CBS report, 43% of Americans don't pay taxes or get returns. But, what we are talking about is people not filing...
eHow says this: http://www.ehow.com/about_4798611_government-income-tax-laws.html
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| Not filing your taxes incurs a penalty of interest on the taxes due equal to the federal short-term interest rate plus 3 percent, compounded daily. Filing your taxes but with an improper amount, or not paying the required amount, incurs a smaller penalty of 0.5 percent compounded monthly. There is also a late fee for filing late and without an extension, equal to 5 percent of the tax owed for each month or part of a month that the tax is late, for up to 5 months. In addition to financial penalties, there are three crimes connected to filing or not filing income taxes. Tax evasion is rated as a felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and fines up to $100,000. Filing a false return is also a felony, punishable with up to 3 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000. Failing to file a return is a misdemeanor, punishable with up to 1 year in prison and fines up up to $25,000 for every year in which no return was filed. In the case of a false return or a failure to file, the government does not need to prove that tax evasion was intended, but merely that the return was wrong or not filed. |
More here from HowStuffWorks:
http://money.howstuffworks.com/did-not-pay-taxes.htm/printable
Things to consider if one does not file (or files late):
http://law.suite101.com/article.cfm/i_didnt_file_a_tax_return_can_i_file_it_late
And, here is some interesting info for people who cheat on their taxes.
http://research.lawyers.com/Survey-Finds-Cheating-on-Taxes-is-not-Acceptable.html
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| My dad was a CPA for nearly 40 years. I asked him about this and he said he has never heard of anyone who was dinged for this, except for people who actually owed a lot of money and were not paying it. |
Yeah, Capone for one.
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| The Gov has other things to do than worry about people who don't actually owe them any money. |
| Quote: |
| That doesn't mean they couldn't do anything to you. Of course they could charge you with a misdemeanor. But the odds are certainly on your side.... |
Go ahead. Roll those dice. Most Americans don't. |
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