In the context of our ongoing efforts to improve the process for voting from overseas, FAWCO and its partners are soliciting reactions to the new “Federal Post Card Application” form.

We would be extremely grateful if you could take the less than 5 minutes it takes to complete this survey.  Give us your comments on the new FPCA and help to make things better, election by election!

Please note that both past and current versions of the FPCA are valid for the 2012 election and that no further changes will be made prior to the November 2012 election.  We are simply requesting comments with a view to any changes that may be considered after the coming federal election.

Thank you for your particpation!

FAWCO is pleased to announce the launch of the Expat Youth Scholarship sponsored by Clements Worldwide. Into its fourth year, this scholarship supports expatriate children between the ages of 13 and 18 to embark on any new experience they desire. Be sure to apply for your chance at a share of $10,000!

Click here to apply: www.expatyouthscholarship.com

Clements’ EYS contest reaffirms the international insurer’s commitment to both expatriates and educational initiatives, with total scholarship contributions since 2009 reaching the $40,000 mark this year. 

FAWCO  has been working towards equal tax and banking rights for Americans abroad for many years and we was recenty featured in a Reuters special report titled, "Tax time pushes some Americans to take a hike".

Currently Americans abroad are facing stricter tax and banking compliance regulations than ever before. Tax and banking were very important topics at our annual conference in Dublin last month with a workshop presented by FAWCO sponsor US Tax and Financial Services  and FAWCO US Liaison, Lucy Stensland Laederich 

Laederich, who represents FAWCO in Washington DC,  stated that in part FAWCO opposes new IRS rules because they are pushing some membes to renounce their citizenship."Your options are to ignore the IRS and stick your head in the sand; take your name off of all the accounts and live in a completely cash economy; divorce; or renounce U.S. citizenship," Laederich says. "We've seen all of these things happen."  Genette Eysselinck, a FAWCO member was also a feature story. Read full article here

On Tuesday, March 20, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, put a direct question to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner concerning the difficulties overseas Americans are increasingly encountering in maintaining or opening bank accounts abroad, where they live and work and need access to financial services.

In response, Secretary Geithner pledged to work with her office to make sure that, while pursuing the goal of preventing tax evasion, the Treasury Department can still be as "responsive as possible to those concerns". 

This recognition of the needs of "legitimate American citizens" abroad must be seen as an encouraging sign to all organizations like FAWCO that seek to protect and defend America's overseas constituency.  See the relevant portion of the Financial Services Committee hearing here (Congresswoman Maloney's question concerning overseas Americans begins at the 3:12 mark).

22 March 2012

FAWCO was honored today by the visit of President Michael D Higgins to their annual conference held this year in Dublin. He was the Key note speaker and delivered a warm speech that reiterated the bond that Irish and Americans share and welcomed FAWCO to Dublin.

See President Higgins talk here.

As a sociologist and anthropologist who has studied migration, President Higgins said that American Women's Clubs overseas are an example of how new migrants into a country can thrive in the footsteps of those who arrived before them, to help cut through the confusions of the multiple challenges they face.  "That all of you do this voluntarily means you see the tremendous value in not only helping new comers but in advocating for the women in your new communities and around the world,” he said.

He also stressed the close ties between Ireland and the United States. "The moral demands of friendship are greater than those of justice," said President Higgins, paraphrasing the words of Aristotle. "The ties of kinship and affection between Ireland and the US are very important to us," he said.  "These are constantly renewed by every generation."