CNN Quotes Scott Michel on the Taxation of American Minors Living Abroad

Caplin & Drysdale's Scott D. Michel spoke with CNN Money concerning the tax compliance issues facing expats with children born outside the U.S.  Children born abroad to Americans are generally automatically granted U.S. citizenship and are required to file U.S. returns as if they resided in the U.S.  For more on the story, please visit CNN Money's website.

Excerpt taken from the article.

American citizen minors living abroad, like Gaisler's sons, are subject to the same tax obligations as children born and raised in the U.S. "If they meet the income threshold, they've got to file a tax return," said Scott Michel, a tax lawyer with Caplin & Drysdale.

. . .

"It's crazy -- you have to hire a [certified public accountant] to deal with your kid's $5,000 or $10,000 of income," Michel said. "The compliance costs associated with all of this are somewhat disproportionate to the amounts at issue in many circumstances."