Jessica: AARO workshop for US citizens

AWGLR-AARO Workshop
Tuesday, April 15th, 2014 from 5:30-9:15pm

What an amazing honor it was to have welcomed Lucy Laederich, President of AARO (Association of American Resident Abroad), Kathleen de Carbuccia, Timothy Ramier and John Fredenberger to Montpellier, France to give a special workshop on ‘vital issues’ to the members of the AWG-LR. The AARO workshop covered citizenship, immigration, tax and inheritance issues for American citizens living in France.
28 members attended this event.

Speakers (l to r):  John Fredenberger, Lucy Laederich, Kathleen de Carbuccia, Timothy Ramier

The evening began with registration and arrivals between 5:30-5:45pm, followed by a quick cocktail before the workshop beginning promptly at 6:00pm. The workshop began with Jessica Wynne-Samarani, president of AWG-LR, kindly introducing each of the speakers and thanking all members present for attending the workshop.

"The choice to live abroad is not only an attractive choice, but a choice that comes with many hardships if ONE is not fully aware of the implications that are expected of from American expatriates. Educating ourselves about the reporting guidelines that are specific to US citizens abroad is the key to making our life here in France a more secure one.”

Lucy Laederich, was the first to speak about the valuable information that the AARO offers, the role AARO plays in implementing changes in laws and policies to ensure that Americans abroad receive the same benefits and protection as US citizens in the US (voting, citizenship rights, equitable tax laws, local hiring rights in US embassies, Medicare coverage, mutual recognition of US State driver’s licenses by foreign countries …), as well as the advantages of becoming/being a AARO member.



 
Kathleen de Carbuccia was the next in line to speak about citizenship: the rights and obligations of Americans living abroad, the transmission of American citizenship to children and grandchildren, renunciation of American citizenship due to tax issues…



Timothy Ramier then spoke about FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report), FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act) and estate planning.

John Fredenberger was the last to speak and he went into more detail about the FBAR, FATCA and other tax issues.

After the talks, there was one hour of Q&A followed by a cocktail aperitif where members present had the chance to speak with the guests one-on-one with any last minute burning questions that they did not get answered during the workshop.

Dinner reservations were made at Chez Boris on the Esplanade where 12 members joined the four AARO representatives and toasted to an evening full of very important information indeed.

The AWG-LR sends a BIG thank you for all of these four very special guests for coming all the way out to Montpellier to give us this truly necessary workshop and to all our American members who made this workshop possible. Nearly half of our American members were present at this workshop.

Full notes of meeting to be published shortly, as well as all handouts provided at workshop can be made available to anyone wishing to have a copy of them. Please contact awg.grapevine@gmail.com for more information.

http://www.aaro.org

http://www.aaro.org/about-aaro/meet-the-aaro-board

http://www.aaro.org/banking/424-fatca-update-and-french-inheritance-law

AWG raised a sum of 100 euros. The amount will be used towards the offset of the workshop's expenses (i.e, guests dinner, accommodations, etc). The workshop was not a fundraiser, but an information provider. Thank you to all the AWG members who made the effort to attend and participate.