Job Discussion Forums

bluemoray · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 43

I am about to travel to the USA to get my physical and visa to work in a teaching position in KSA. I'm an American.

My concern has to do with 2 things mainly: concern in process in USA and joining a company in KSA with an American connection.

I have defaulted on my student loans and I am concerned about going back to America to do this physical and visa for the iquama etc .....as I fear they (collection agencies mainly) might somehow track me down knowing that I am back in the states and possibly will find out about me while in the process of doing the physical and visa for KSA. Like they have me flagged and if my name comes up then the company who hired me will be somehow notified or they will freeze my passport from getting back out of the USA.

From my research on the net and elsewhere. It's not a criminal thing and I know there are limitations as to what a collection agency can do.

The company in KSA says they can take FICA ( social security tax) out of my paycheck but they wil not be taking out any regular federal or state tax.

I'm concerned that because they can take FICA out of my pay, that somehow collection agencies could then garnish my wages from my employer in KSA. That they could track me through my FICA tax. I plan on taking my pay in a cashed check in KSA not transferring it to a bank.

It isn't clear to me if this is clearly an American company or not .

I don't want to ask my employer in KSA about this as I'd rather them not know my problem.

I am sure there will be those of you who will lecture on debt repayment of student loans but I hope some of you out there can answer my concerns.

Does anyone relate to this situation?A

Any quick response I would appreciate as I need answers fast.

texanteacher · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Salvador, Brazil

Dude, quit avoiding the bank that financed your student loans.

Just give them a call and explain your situation. They'll give you options to get those loans out of default.

I've been out of the country for over 4 years, and had a similar problem.

Made that call to the bank, and got it all taken care of. There are options.

Running away from your problems doesn't solve them.

Make that call.

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

I'm in default as well, and won't be making any calls. They decided to hit me with a 20 percent penalty when I was unemployed for 6 months (which amounted to 20k). They are a bunch of crooks who prey on the youth of America. It will be a cold day in hell when I pay them. That said no one is going to track you down on a quick visit to the USA. And even if they do.... all they can do is ask you to make payments. Just don't pay them. They harassed me for about 6 months. Like a sucker, I even tried to enter into a payment plan but it fell through because I couldn't make all the payments and they were talking about assessing even more penalties on me (another 20k). I told them to F off and won't ever pay them another penny (unless the USD totally collapses... probable).

FWIW I defaulted and have been working in state government for years and they don't bother me anymore. I just got an unregistered phone number. They can't do anything to you. Well they could sue you but that isn't going to happen on a quick visit. Hell I've been working in the USA for years and they haven't sued me.

Just make sure to keep your $$$ in a bank overseas.

Edited to add: Currently they can only freeze your passport for failure to pay child support and/or scamming the State Department. Student loans and tax evasion are not currently valid reasons to put a hold on a passport. I am sure that will change eventually, so if you plan on staying off the reservation be sure to get a 2nd passport.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I am currently all kosher with the US government, but I can absolutely sympathise - except what they did to me was even worse.

I was an employee of a company which paid one round of payroll tax late. The bill was 6,800 USD. I know for sure that it was paid because I was one of two people who made a special trip to the agency to make the payment. I was not personally liable for any of the bill - I was only employed by the company, but was not an owner/part owner or anything.

Three years later, the IRS came after me for the 6,800, which by then, according to their calcluations, was 32,000. As I was unconnected to the company - and knew that the bill had been paid - I tried to explain (this stage took about two years). Then I was forced to try to find the records of the event - by then I lived/worked in a different state.

Ultimately, the IRS put liens on everything that I had, to the tune of 60,000 USD and garnished my wages.

Nearly two years after I laid hands on and submitted the paperowrk proving that the original debt had been paid years before, all this magically disappeared - but the acknowledgement that it was the IRS's error which I requested for my credit report was NOT issued.

It's all long over now, but when people wonder why I'm entirely willing to give up US citizenship....

texanteacher · Joined: 15 Mar 2011 Posts: 9 Location: Salvador, Brazil

OK, so if you want to go through all the effort to avoid paying, that's your choice.

But if you do want to return to live in the US again, you can bet your ass these defaulted loans are gonna affect you one way or another even if you do get an unregistered phone number.

Do what you got to do, but be smart.

oh, and I find it REALLY hard to believe the guy above who says he works for the state, defaulted on his loans years ago, and hasn't had any kind of related problems. Come on now, working for the state and having defaulted loans with the federal government, and his wages haven't been garnished...hmmm, sounds like a flat out lie to me.

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

johnslat · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:06 pm Post subject:

Dear fladude,

I couldn't get my passport renewed - but that was for a debt I owed the State Deparmtent for "transportation out of Iran" back in 1979.

The passport came uup for renewal a few years later, but I couldn't get it done until I paid them back.

If the government thinks you owe them, they have very long memories.

Regards,
John

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

fladude · Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 432

And before someone mentions celebrity X (such as Wesley Snipes) who had their passport taken understand that they were being charged with a CRIMINAL OFFENSE. Not paying back a debt would not be a criminal offense, even if the IRS was collecting. Lying about it in the first place would be a criminal offense.

Currently your tax information is not provided to the State Department.

There are people trying to change this law and you can read about it here:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tax-evader-no-passport-for-you-report-suggests-2011-04-12